Study opportunities in Canada and the United States
The study opportunities in North America are as diverse as the continent. The US university landscape alone consists of more than 4,000 universities. Many of them enjoy a very good reputation, which is repeatedly confirmed in the large international rankings. The reputation results above all from the high quality of the teaching and a pronounced service orientation. Each student is provided with a consultant, the administration runs smoothly and the professors are almost always approachable. The American university life is also a unique experience for German students. The typical American campus resembles a small town and offers everything you need for life from shopping, restaurants and various leisure activities. The opportunity to improve your English at a renowned university in the USA and to establish an international network there make the country one of the most popular study countries.
But Canada’s universities also offer high-quality study programs that are highly practical. The country’s bilingualism also enables students to improve their French skills in addition to English. Another advantage: A Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree completed in the USA or Canada is recognized worldwide.
For those who only want to spend part of their studies in North America, there is the option to take part in a Study Abroad program or a summer session. These short-term study programs offer one advantage: the application process is greatly simplified. The summer sessions can also be completed during the German semester break and some are even open to high school students. A great option for anyone who wants to study in North America.
| Country | Number of students per teacher in primary school | Proportion of children starting primary school (per cent) |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 14 (2015) | 79.6 (2017) |
| Bahamas | 19 (2016) | 88.2 (2016) |
| Barbados | 14 (2017) | 89.2 (2017) |
| Belize | 20 (2017) | 96.1 (2017) |
| Costa Rica | 12 (2016) | 96.6 (2016) |
| Dominica | 13 (2016) | 95.6 (2016) |
| Dominican Republic | 19 (2016) | 92.9 (2017) |
| El Salvador | 28 (2017) | 80.6 (2017) |
| Grenada | 16 (2017) | 95.2 (2016) |
| Guatemala | 22 (2016) | 85.6 (2017) |
| Haiti | 33 (1998) | 57.3 (1997) |
| Honduras | 26 (2017) | 83.3 (2017) |
| Jamaica | 22 (2017) | 91.5 (2004) |
| Canada | 17 (2000) | 100.0 (2016) |
| Cuba | 9 (2017) | 96.9 (2017) |
| Mexico | 27 (2016) | 95.3 (2017) |
| Nicaragua | 30 (2010) | 97.0 (2010) |
| Panama | 21 (2016) | 87.2 (2015) |
| Saint Kitts & Nevis | 14 (2016) | – |
| Saint Lucia | 15 (2017) | 93.4 (2007) |
| St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 14 (2017) | 93.4 (2017) |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 18 (2009) | 95.2 (2010) |
| USA | 14 (2015) | 95.1 (2016) |
Mexico, Caribbean and Central America
According to Countryaah, the smallest country in North American continent is Saint Kitts and Nevis, composed by two small islands. The largest Caribbean island nation, Cuba, is the only country in North America that is run as a socialist economy. Despite an ongoing economic crisis, the small country impresses with its white sandy beaches, the romantic capital Havana and an incomparable Caribbean lifestyle. Mexico, located directly south of the USA, also scores with its dream beaches. Located between the Pacific and the Caribbean, the country boasts 10,000 kilometers of coastline, tropical rainforests, smoking volcanoes, cactus-strewn deserts and a culture that is thousands of years old. The southernmost countries in North America are the Central American states of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. They are endowed with Pacific and Caribbean beaches, green rainforests and an incredible biodiversity. We would have thought that studying in North America offers such diversity.
Study opportunities in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America
If you want to get to know the cultural heritage of the Maya and Aztecs while studying abroad, you are in good hands in Mexico. There are high-quality, internationally recognized study programs at both state and private universities, which are also open to foreign students. If you only want to take part in a language course, you can orientate yourself further south. In Cuba, Costa Rica or Guatemala, various private language schools offer courses that enable students to improve their Spanish in a dreamlike, tropical environment.
North America Climate
Warm temperate, humid climate is found in the southeastern part of North America. The area is strongly influenced by tropical air masses from the Gulf of Mexico. Winter becomes mild with January averages of 4 to 12 °C. July has an average of 28 °C. The annual rainfall amounts to between 1,000 and 1,500 mm. The tropical air masses, especially in the summer, can give rise to devastating cyclones that pull all the way up the Mississippi valley. In southern and central California, there is a Mediterranean climate with winter rainfall and mild and dry summer (21-27 °C).
Tropical climates with abundant rainfall (rain forest climate) are prevalent mainly in Central America, apart from the higher levels that have mountain climates. Winter is missing and the summer temperature is around 27-28 °C. The rainfall is between 1,125 mm and 2,000 mm per year and is introduced by the eastern pass winds. The coastal areas are often hit by tropical cyclones during the summer, which can cause great damage.
Dry climates occur in both cold and warm parts of North America. If the polar regions are included, the dry climate areas occupy one third of the continent’s surface. Main areas for arid and semi-arid climates with desert and steppe are found in the southwest. They are caused by the high-pressure belts of the middle widths with stable, descending air or by the rain shadow effect found east of Sierra Nevada. The air moving down from the high, inner plateaus also gets drier. The drought in the Arctic is due to the fact that most water collections are frozen for six to nine months and that cold air can hold only a small amount of humidity.
Acronym Reference: AbbreviationFinder.org