Educational Comparison
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This page discusses the difference between the English (UK and Hong Kong) and American (US and Canada) educational systems. It is hoped that this will give the reader an understanding of the different terms used in the different school systems. Though the terminology is different it is remarkable at how similar these school systems are.
General Comparison
The following table shows the (relative) ages and equivalent grades/ levels in the two different educational systems.
| Age | American | UK | Hong Kong | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Canada | US | Normal/Comprehensive | Old Schools6 | Grade | ||||
| Year | Normal | Alternative | |||||||
| 2 | Nursery School (Optional) | Pre-Prep | |||||||
| 3 | Pre-Shool/Daycare/Junior Kindergarten (Optional) | k1 | Kindergarten (Compulsary) | ||||||
| 4 | K2 | ||||||||
| 5 | Kindergarten | 1 | Primary School | Play/Pre-School | K3 | ||||
| 6 | 1 | Primary/Elementary School | 2 | Infant School | P1 | Primary School | |||
| 7 | 2 | 3 | Junior Prep | P2 | |||||
| 8 | 3 | 4 | Middle (Junior) School | Primary School | P3 | ||||
| 9 | 4 | 5 | P4 | ||||||
| 10 | 5 | 6 | P5 | ||||||
| 11 | 6 | 7 | Grammar School | P6 | |||||
| 12 | 7 | Junior High | 8 | High School/ Comprehensive/ Secondary | S1 (Form) | Secondary School7 | |||
| 13 | 8 | 9 | Senior | S2 | |||||
| 14 | 9 | 10 | S3 | ||||||
| 15 | 10 | High School4 | Freshman | 11 | S4 | ||||
| 16 | 11 | Sophomore | College3 | S5 | |||||
| 17 | 12 | Junior | S6 | Matriculation (Matric) | |||||
| 18 | 131 | Senior | University5 | S7 | |||||
| 18/19 + 3/4 Years | University/College | University/College | |||||||
Notes:
- 1 Grade 13 is no longer used in Canada but used to provide University level entrance qualifications (Grade 12 was college level).
- 2 3 - 4 years is for a typical undergraduate degree, obviously, higher degrees require more years to be spent in University/College. In the UK 4 years can include a “industrial placement” year (working out in the “real world” for the 3rd year).
- 3 “College” can also be refered to as “6th form” in the case where the institution is closely linked to the high school. Normally college is 2 years.
- 4 “High School” is the same term used in Canada/US with the terms indicated being used more often in the US.
- 5 “University” in England is 3 years while in Scotland it is 4 years with the final year being the “honors” year. “University” occurs after 6th form/college or when “mature”.
- 6 “Old Schools” are “where they talk posh or have heritage or boarding schools”.
- 7 Formerly known as “Middle School”. Grades S6 and S7 of secondary school are generally known as “Matriculation” (or “Matric”) and are roughly equivalent to the sixth form in the UK.
University/College
This section will discuss entrance requirements to these institutions as well as organizational differences in the institution structures.
Thanks to Paul, Wyatt, Ian, Raymond, Shirley, Mike, and Judy for their feedback on the contents of this page.