Study and find schools in Bermuda

Studying in Bermuda

Bermuda is a small, English-speaking British overseas territory in the North Atlantic. Its higher-education sector is very small: Bermuda College is the island's only post-secondary institution, created by the Parliament of Bermuda through the Bermuda College Act in 1974. The second institution in our directory, the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (ASU BIOS), is a marine research station that runs university-level courses and internships rather than full degrees.

English is the language of instruction at both. Students come to Bermuda either for the first two years of a degree at Bermuda College, which they then complete at a partner university abroad, or for a summer course, a semester or a research internship in marine science at BIOS.

The education system in Bermuda

Bermuda College was formed by merging three older institutions: the Bermuda Technical Institute (1956), the Bermuda Hotel and Catering College (1965) and the Academic Sixth Form Centre (1967).

The college awards associate degrees, certificates and diplomas, not bachelor's degrees. It is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, a US regional accreditor, and its culinary arts programme by the American Culinary Federation. The associate degrees come in three families:

• Associate of Arts, with options such as Art and Design, Business Administration and Early Childhood Education
• Associate of Science, with options such as Actuarial Science, Computer Information Systems, Education, Marine Science, Nursing and Pre-Medical Science
• Associate of Applied Science, with options such as Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Motor Vehicle Technology

An associate degree covers the first two years of college. The Associate of Arts requires 61-63 credits and the Associate of Science 64-70 credits. The college states that it has more than 30 agreements and partnerships with colleges and universities in Canada, the UK, the United States and the Caribbean, which let students transfer the credits of a Bermuda College associate degree and earn a bachelor's degree in two more years abroad. In the college's own figures, 55% of graduates transfer to overseas institutions.

The college is small: 565 students were enrolled in 2024, with 37 full-time lecturers and an average class size of 15 students. The academic year follows the North American semester pattern; in 2026 the fall semester classes start on 31 August.

Admission and recognition

Bermuda College has open admissions. It accepts high school graduates, holders of an International Baccalaureate diploma or certificate, students with a GED and, through its Computerised Placement Test (CPT), applicants without a diploma. Results such as IGCSE/GCSE grade C or 4 in English and Maths, SAT or ACT scores and CSEC grades I-III can be used as college-readiness benchmarks; applicants below those thresholds take the CPT.

Applicants complete an online application and pay a non-refundable application fee ($50 for local and $100 for international applicants), followed by a $200 admissions deposit that is applied to tuition. For the fall 2026 semester the admissions deadline was 1 June, with a late deadline of 1 August. Official transcripts and exam results are needed before enrolment, not for admission. Students who plan to continue at a partner university should check that institution's transfer courses on the college's transfer pages.

ASU BIOS courses are open to students from any university. The fall semester programme in marine biology takes students from partner universities (Arizona State, Rhode Island, Roger Williams, Dalhousie) through their own study-abroad offices; students from all other universities apply directly to BIOS by 30 April and must make sure their home university will give credit for the programme.

Visas and entry

BIOS summarises Bermuda's entry rules for visitors (page updated 3 July 2026). All visitors need a passport valid for at least 45 days beyond their departure from Bermuda and a confirmed return or onward ticket. Citizens of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom may enter for short visits. Travellers from the European Union and other countries reach Bermuda through the US, Canada or the UK, so depending on nationality they may need a multiple re-entry visa or an electronic travel authorisation (ESTA, eTA or ETA) for those countries. Many Latin American students fall into this group and should check the transit rules of their route before booking.

Students attending group courses at BIOS do not need a short-term work permit, but all overseas interns do, and BIOS applies to Bermuda Immigration for it 6-8 weeks before arrival. Bermuda College does not publish immigration guidance for non-Bermudian degree students on its admission pages; anyone planning a full associate degree should confirm the conditions with the college and the Department of Immigration before applying.

Costs

Bermuda College charges by credit. Bermudian students pay $155 per credit. International students, including non-Bermudians who have lived on the island for less than five years, pay the same tuition plus a differential of $125 per credit, capped at $1,500 per semester; a 12-credit semester therefore costs $3,360 in tuition. Non-resident international students must take at least 12 credits per semester. Lab fees (for example $50 for science labs and $150 for nursing labs) and textbooks come on top.

BIOS does not list fees on its course overview pages, but financial aid is available to all summer course applicants to help with course fees; full bursaries are only awarded in exceptional circumstances, with preference given to students from low- and middle-income countries. Bursaries do not cover travel or insurance.

Where to study

Bermuda College is on its Stonington campus at South Road in Paget, on a 26-acre site. It offers academic transfer programmes, technical and hospitality training (its Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts includes a 12-week internship at a local hotel or restaurant) and professional and continuing education.

ASU BIOS is at Ferry Reach, St George's, at the east end of the island. It opened in 1903 as a marine biological centre founded by scientists from Harvard University and New York University, moved to its present site in 1932 and joined Arizona State University's Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory in 2021. Its Hydrostation S, started in 1954, is according to BIOS the longest-running continuous ocean study in the world. For university students it offers:

• summer courses for undergraduate and graduate students, combining lectures, laboratory work and field components
• fall and spring semester programmes in marine biology, open to all (the 2026 fall semester runs from 24 August to 4 December)
• research internships, most of them sponsored and restricted to students from particular institutions or countries

In the fall semester, students take courses such as Coral Reef Ecology, Marine Invertebrate Zoology and Research Diving Methods, and finish as qualified Science Divers as defined by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences.

Practical life

Medical insurance for the whole stay is mandatory for BIOS students and interns and is their own responsibility; BIOS does not provide it. Accommodation is provided for the dates of a summer course; extra nights must be requested from BIOS in advance and are at the student's expense. Courses are intensive: BIOS asks for a commitment of at least 40 hours per week, which leaves little time for online classes from a home university.

Working is restricted. Paid employment or paid internships require a Bermuda work permit, and BIOS states that it cannot host non-Bermudian volunteers because of Bermuda Immigration regulations.

Frequently asked questions

Can I earn a bachelor's degree in Bermuda?

Not on the island itself. Bermuda College awards associate degrees, certificates and diplomas; students usually complete a bachelor's degree in two more years at one of its more than 30 partner institutions abroad.

How much does Bermuda College cost for international students?

Tuition is $155 per credit plus an international differential of $125 per credit, up to $1,500 per semester, so a 12-credit semester costs $3,360 before lab fees and books.

Do I need a visa to study in Bermuda?

Short visitors from the US, Canada and the UK need no visa, and other nationals may need a visa or travel authorisation for the country they transit through. Students on BIOS group courses do not need a work permit, but interns do; full-degree students should check with Bermuda College and the Department of Immigration.

Can I study marine science in Bermuda for one semester?

Yes. ASU BIOS runs fall and spring semester programmes in marine biology open to students from any university; students outside its partner universities apply directly by 30 April.

What language are courses taught in?

English. It is the language of instruction at Bermuda College and in all BIOS courses.