The academic year
The academic year generally begins in either February or September. Overseas students are advised to arrive and register two to three weeks in advance to give themselves time to settle in and get to know their new home and place of study.
There are no pass-fail exams for each academic year. Instead, a system of continual testing, research essays, and group projects is used. Students may also be required to take two exams in each subject, half way through and at the end of each term.
The academic year is divided into semesters; Some institutions, like the US system, have a winter break in December and a spring break in March/April. The academic year usually finishes in June. The academic programme varies according to each institution.