UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Prior to higher education, American students attend primary (elementary) and secondary school for a combined total of 12 years. Around age six, U.S. children begin primary school. They attend five or six years and then go onto secondary school.
The vast majority of students at the primary and secondary levels go to public schools. Most of those who attend private schools attend church sponsored parochial schools.
The main purpose of elementary school is the general intellectual and social development of the child from 6 to 12 or 15 years of age.
In secondary schools most pupils follow a course that includes English, science, social studies, mathematics and physical education. Elective subjects may be chosen in the fields of foreign languages, fine arts and vocational training. Pupils usually elect about half their work in grades nine through twelve.
Secondary school consists of two programs: the first is “middle school” or “junior high school” and the second program is “high school.” After graduating high school (12th grade), U.S. students may go on to college or university. College or university study is known as “higher education.”
The vocational program may give training in four fields: agricultural education, business education, home economics and trade and industrial education. This program prepares students either for employment or further training.
Students receive «report cards» at least twice a year which indicate the grades they have received in each of the subjects
CANADA
Primary Education is also known as elementary school, this level runs from Kindergarten or Grade 1 (ages six to seven) and runs through to Grade 8 (ages 13 to 14). The school year normally runs from September through to the following June.
Secondary Education in Canada is also known ashigh school, this level runs from Grade 9 (ages 14 to 15) to Grade 12 (ages 17 to 18).
Ontario has a Grade 12+. In Quebec, students attend high school until the age of 16. They may then proceed to CEGEP, a publicly-funded two-year college where students may pursue either a university preparation diploma, or a vocational diploma.
Canada has a wide network of colleges and universities, offering some of the best post-secondary educationworldwide.
International students may choose to study in either one of Canada’s two official languages. Some institutions may offer instruction in both languages.
Across most of Canada, the main language of school-level education is English. However, French-language education is widely available throughout the country. Regardless of the main language of instruction, French or English as a second language is generally taught from an early age.
In Quebec, students are generally required to attend school in French until the end of high school.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Bachelor’s degrees in Canada normally require 3 or 4 years of full-time study, depending on the province or whether the program is general or specialized.
Usually, Master’s Programs in Canada range from 1 to 2 years and usually include a mixture of coursework and research. However, few subject areas (e.g. biomedical engineering, biotechnology) can also take 3 years(depending on the research project)
Although PhD programs in Canada are typically designed to last about 4 years, it is more realistic to expect that you will finish your doctorate in 5 or more years.
