The US school system simply explained

The US school system can be confusing at first glance. We'll tell you which schools to attend in the US and how long you have to attend school.

This is how the US school system works

The US school system is divided into different areas that are visited over a period of 12 years.

1. Pre-school: children who are younger than 5 years attend the so-called pre-school. This is an equivalent to our kindergarten, where the children are trained in different areas. This includes, for example, art and music, but also learning motor skills.
2. Elementary School: Elementary school must be attended from 5 or 6 to 11 years old. Children learn basic skills here, such as reading, writing, math, social studies and creative skills. Particular attention is also paid to sport in primary school.
3. Middle School: From 11-14 years old American children attend middle school. You are probably more familiar with this as a "secondary school". Students deepen their previous knowledge of English, math, science, health, sports and social studies. The latter often includes learning modules on the history of the United States, geography and world history.
4. High School: As the last compulsory school in the United States, ages 14-18 must attend high school. They are familiar with this form of school as an upper level, in which the pupils continue their education. Here, many schools pay particular attention to team sports, which is usually practiced outside of school hours in the form of a club. Other clubs deal with the natural sciences, music, theater or even languages. The school newspaper and a darkroom for photography enthusiasts are also particularly popular.
5. Every additional school type is considered optional, but is particularly appreciated by employers. This is primarily about college or university, where very individual degrees can be obtained.

Classification of school years

The school year at US schools is little different from our school years.

• The school year usually begins in September and ends in May or June.
• It is also divided into quarters: the "fall term" lasts from September to December, the "winter term" from January to March and the "spring term" from March to May or June.
• The term "spring break" always refers to the long vacation in midsummer.

To travel to the United States, you need a travel authorization. In our next article we will explain how you can get these.