When students first consider studying abroad, they are faced with the dilemma of choosing the country that offers the best education. Is it most beneficial to study in the United States? Or is Canada their top study destination? It’s important for students to consider this carefully, as education is one of the things that contributes most to their future success. When we looked at the best countries for education in 2018, one thing was clear: though each institution’s ratings changes yearly, two countries are on the top of our list.
But don’t just take our word for it! We’ve created our list using data from the US News and World Report’s 2018 results, which are based on surveys conducted on global perceptions. Further, the surveys combine scores from three equally-weighted country attributes:
- Well-developed public education system
- Would consider attending university there
- Provides top quality education
1. United States
While the US ranks in eighth place for best country overall, it places second in the top five countries for education in 2018. Students attend thirteen grades between kindergarten and high school, with 70 percent graduating and pursuing higher education. Students may choose to study in another country, however those who stay in the US have many great domestic options for postsecondary study.
In fact, the US is home to some of the top globally-ranked universities, raising competition with other international institutions as many aspire to attend these schools. The US is well-known for its universities including Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. Furthermore, eight of the top ten Best Global Universities (ranked by US News) are based in the US.
2. Canada
Canada places second overall in the ranking of best countries overall, largely due to its quality of life, citizenship opportunities, and entrepreneurship climate. Specific to its education system, Canada ranks third, just after the US. Similarly, primary and secondary education in Canada are free and mandatory for children beginning at age five. Students attend classes from kindergarten to grade twelve, and many continue onto higher education. However, depending on the province or territory students live in, there are different educational standards. For instance, Québec requires students to study an additional two years at a specialized school prior to attending university.
International students may study in one of Canada’s two official languages: English or French. While some institutions offer courses in both languages, they do not often require students to be fluent in both. Canada is home to globally-respected institutions, including the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, University of Waterloo, and McGill University.
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