This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Education Report.

We begin a series of reports for students who want to study inthe United States.

Step one is to visit an American educational advising center.There are more than four hundred of these offices around the world.You can find them through the State Department Web site forinternational students. We will give that address later. Or you canask the Public Affairs Office at a United States Embassy to tell youwhere to find the nearest one.

These centers advise students about higher education and studyopportunities in the United States.

Some schools, for example, offer one-year certificate programs.These are in subjects like computer programming, public relations,administrative work and other jobs.

Schools known as junior colleges or community colleges offer atwo-year associate degree. These can prepare students for skilledjobs. Students also spend a lot less money than at a four-yearschool. Many universities accept this work as the first two yearstoward a bachelor's degree.

To get a bachelor's degree, students traditionally take generalsubjects during the first two years. These include areas likehistory, literature, mathematics and science. After that they takeclasses in their major area of study.

At the graduate school level, a master's degree can take two orthree years of full-time study in a subject. A doctorate can takelonger. There are also professional schools in areas like medicineand law. Such programs require three to six years of study beyondcollege. Some specialties may require even more study.

Whatever you choose, educational advisers say you should begin toplan at least two years before you want to start classes in theUnited States.

Our reports will appear on our Web site, voaspecialenglish dotcom. We will also include a link to the State Department site forinternational students. That address is educationusa.state.gov.Again, educationusa.state.gov.

If you would like to ask us a question about education in theUnited States, send it to special@voanews.com. Please know that wecannot help with individual cases. But we might be able to answersome general questions on the air as our Foreign Student Seriescontinues.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by NancySteinbach. This is Gwen Outen.