![](media/image1.png){width="1.0in"
height="0.5548611111111111in"}![](media/image2.png) EducationUSA
Advising Center - Sri Lanka

The advising center in Sri Lanka is an integral part of the United
States -- Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission and is located in Colombo, the
commercial hub of the island. The center has provided its services to
over 18,000 inquiries in 2006 through orientations, telephone, e-mail,
walk in visitors and library users. The Student Adviser conducts many
outreach activities at local universities, secondary schools and
American Centers and takes part in many education/career fairs.

The Center's services consist of but are not limited to activities such
as how to select a suitable American university, how to write a winning
application essay, awareness of financial aid etc. These activities
together with the resources of the Commission's reference library help
students find the best options available and make and informed decision
about prospects for higher education in the United States. All advising
services are provided free of charge.

The number of Sri Lankan students studying in the U.S. in 2004/05 is
2200 and shows an 8% increase compared to the previous year.

![](media/image3.wmf){width="5.114583333333333in" height="2.8125in"}

**[TOP RECEIVING STATES OF SRI LANKAN STUDENTS]{.underline}**

TOP RECEIVING INSTITUTIONS of STUDENTS FROM SRI LANKA

  -------------------------- -- ----------------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------- -------------------------
                                **[Undergrad]{.underline}**   **[Grad]{.underline}**   **[Other]{.underline}**   **[Total]{.underline}**

  U of Arizona                  3                             21                       2                         26

  Embry Riddle U                12                            1                        2                         15

  U of South Florida                                                                                             18

  U Illinois Chicago                                          19                                                 19

  Purdue U                      10                            17                                                 27

  Butler Comm. College          20                                                                               20

  Wichita State U               25                            17                       1                         43

  U of Kentucky                 8                             7                                                  15

  Johns Hopkins U                                             15                                                 15

  U Maryland College Park       8                             8                        5                         21

  Montgomery College            23                                                                               23

  Wayne State U (Mich)                                        35                                                 35

  U Minnesota Duluth            12                            3                                                  15

  Minnesota State U Moorhead    18                                                     1                         19

  Washington U in St. Louis     3                             8                        4                         15

  Bowling Green State U         2                             14                       2                         18
  (Ohio)                                                                                                         

  U Cinncinnati                 1                             20                                                 21

  U Oklahoma Normal                                           19                                                 19

  Pennsylvania State            7                             7                        1                         15
  University                                                                                                     

  U Houston                     6                             14                                                 20

  U Texas Houston               8                             12                                                 20

                                                                                                                 
  -------------------------- -- ----------------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------- -------------------------

**[Top fields of study]{.underline}**

Engineering

Business Administration / Management

Sciences: Biology, Physics, Chemistry

Physical Science/Mathematics

Fine Arts

![](media/image1.png){width="1.0in" height="0.5548611111111111in"}

**Present school system**

Today, there are 9,829 government schools and 561 Pirivenas ( religious
schools ). The government schools consist of 320 National schools
managed by the Ministry of Education and 9,509 Provincial schools,
managed by the Provincial Councils. The curriculum offered is approved
by the Ministry of Education.

Schooling is compulsory for children from 5 + to 13 years of age.
Education is state funded and offered free of charge at all levels,
including the university level. The government also provides free
textbooks to schoolchildren. Literacy rates and educational attainment
levels rose steadily after Sri Lanka became an independent nation in
1948 and today the youth literacy rate stands at 97%. The government
gives high priority to improving the national education system and
access to education. The medium of language could be Sinhala, Tamil or
English. English is taught as a second language. Students sit the G.C.E
O/L at the end of 11 years of formal education and G.C.E. A/L
examinations at the end of 13 years,

The education structure is divided into five parts: primary, junior
secondary, senior secondary, collegiate and tertiary.

In addition to the Government Schools there are 33 non-fee-levying
Assisted Private Schools and 33 fee- levying autonomous Private Schools.
These schools offer the local syllabus as well as the British system.
There is another category of English medium International Schools
approved and registered by the Board of Investment, Sri Lanka. Some
international schools offer the curriculum for the IB Diploma while
others coach students for the Edexcel G.C.E Ordinary Level (O/L)
Advanced Subsidiary (A/S) and Advanced Level (A2) examinations. A few
schools offer the curriculum for the Cambridge Examinations as well.

Sri Lankan G.C.E (A/L) is comparable to the UK qualification of GCE
standard on a subject-for-subject basis.

**Tertiary Level:** Sri Lanka has 15 universities, all of which are
public institutions. Other institutions of higher education include
medical schools, engineering schools, schools of law, and technical and
vocational training schools and National Colleges of Education.

**Universities**: Admission at undergraduate level to these public
universities are based solely on the results of the G.C.E.(A/L)
Examination and the Z-score, which considers the difficulty level of the
subjects.. Due to restricted facilities admissions have become extremely
competitive. Only 6% of the students who sit the examination are
admitted to the universities. Combined with the fact that those who take
the British examinations are not permitted to apply for admission, an
increasing number of students are looking for opportunities abroad for
continuing their higher studies.

[First stage]{.underline}: Certificate, Diploma, and Bachelor's Degree.

Certificates and diplomas are conferred after one or two years. A
Bachelor's Degree is earned after three years as a General Degree or
after 4 years as a Special Degree. A degree in Medicine is awarded after
5 years of study with an additional year of internship, which is
compulsory.

Typical degrees: BA/BSc -- (General degree) -- 3 years, BA/BSc --
(Special degree) and Bachelor of Commerce degrees -- 4 years, MBBS 5
years, LLB-3years

[Second stage]{.underline}: Master's Degree, M Phil, Postgraduate
Diploma.

A Master's Degree is obtained after two years of study beyond the
Bachelor's Degree and has a dissertation in addition to papers on
theory. The M.Phil /PhD syllabus consists mainly of research and may go
on for 3 years after the Masters degree. Postgraduate Diplomas, unless
stated otherwise, generally require one year of study. Typical degrees:
MA/MSc/MBA -- 2 years, PhD -- 3 years after a Masters degree

##### 

##### Institutes recognized by the Ministry of Education as degree granting authorities as of April /07

**15 national Universities**

-   University of Colombo

-   University of Peradeniya

-   University of Sri Jayewardenepura

-   University of Kelaniya

-   University of Moratuwa

-   University of Jaffna

-   University of Ruhuna

-   Open University of Sri Lanka

-   Eastern University of Sri Lanka

-   Rajarata University of Sri Lanka

-   Wayamba University of Sri Lanka

-   South Eastern University of Sri Lanka

-   Uva Wellassa University

-   University of the Visual & Performing Arts

-   Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka

## 7 Post Graduate Institutes

-   Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture

-   [Postgraduate Institute of 
    Medicine](http://www.cmb.ac.lk/academic/institutes/pgim)

-   Postgraduate Institute of Pali & Buddhist Studies

-   Postgraduate Institute of Management

-   Postgraduate Institute of Archeology

-   Postgraduate Institute of Science

-   Postgraduate Institute of English

In addition there are 9 Higher Educational Institutes and 7 Other Degree
Awarding Institutes**.**

**Vocational and Technical Schools**: These offer one to two year
diploma programs and are under the Technical and Vocational Commission.
Admission requirements differs according to the program.**National
Colleges of Education**: A 3 year diploma for teacher training is
offered at these schools and the entry requirement is 3 passes at the
G.C.E.

**Vocational Training** - There are also a large number of training
institutes run by the Government as well as the private sector for
vocational training, catering to the needs of those who leave the school
system at different levels