Overview

Barbados is a small island located in the Eastern Caribbean with coastlines that hug both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Located in the Windward region of the island chain, Barbados is a close neighbour to Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.  Barbados is divided into 11 parishes, two of which are without coastline. Categorised as a high-income developing country, Barbados is one of the most developed Caribbean nations.  As a welfare economy, key social services are heavily subsidized by the government such as Healthcare and Education. ​

Basic Facts

Student Market
Estimated Student Population Size: 66,350 (UNESCO)

Literacy Rate: 99.7%

Number of Schools
Secondary Schools – 29
Post-Secondary (non-tertiary) - 7
Tertiary Schools - 11 (5 local; 6 international)

Cost of Education
Primary (public) - Free and compulsory
Secondary (public) – Free and compulsory
Tertiary – Fee-based but heavily subsidized

Qualifications
Secondary School

• Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC)

 
Post-Secondary

• Associate Degrees
• Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE)
• Cambridge A Level’s
• Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ)
• International Baccalaureate Diploma
• National Vocational Qualification(NVQ)
• Undergraduate Degrees
• Graduate Degrees

​Student Mobility Index:  20

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Demographics

Official Language: English (UK)

Capital: Bridgetown

Population Size: 285,719 (World Bank, 2017)

Country Size: 166 square miles

Currency: Barbados Dollar (BBD)

Gross Domestic Product (USD): 4.797 Billion (World Bank, 2017)

CARICOM Member State: Yes

Other Memberships:  The Commonwealth, Organisation of American States (OAS), United Nations, Association of Caribbean States.