TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Click to scroll)Written by David Hawkins of The University Guys
Just as international students from around the world head to the USA for their college education, US high school students can find their dream university in other countries.
If you’re an academically and socially mature student interested in a truly international education--and a cheaper and more specialized three-year degree--read on.
Essential Tips
While studying in college abroad for your education sounds exotic, be careful not to confuse this opportunity with an extended vacation. It is not for everyone!
Knowing the entry requirements for non-US colleges is critical. A US high school diploma and SAT scores won’t be enough in some countries; your offer may be conditional on achieving certain scores on AP exams or SAT Subject Tests.
You can use your federal student loans at non-US colleges. All the information and the list is here: studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/international
Many non-US colleges will require you to apply to their university via their own application portal. However, some international universities will allow you to apply via the Common App.
Canada
The Canadian university system is a public system, with tuition subsidized by the government of each province. That means tuition is typically cheaper than many US universities. As of 2018/19, the average annual tuition fee for an international student is just over $20,000, with the most expensive around $35,000. A key difference is that you must apply to a program at the time of application. There’s a lot of flexibility, though; many students choose Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees.
Essential Tips
A degree in Canada takes four years to earn;
Each program has subject prerequisites, which are listed on the university websites, and minimum academic standards for achievement.
Students either apply directly to the university or to a province-wide system (such as OUAC for Ontario).
Each university will have different application timelines and its important to check them all in advance;
Very little writing is required for Canadian applications; many students will not need to write a single essay for their application.
UK
The UK (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland) also runs a public university system, so expect to pay $20,000 annual tuition. However, the amounts charged for each subject at each university vary greatly, so make sure to check. To do this, simply Google ‘international tuition fees’ and the name of the university to find their information.
The British model of university education is very different from the US model; students must apply to one course of study and have little flexibility to switch or take classes outside of that course. If you’ve been accepted to study Biology, for instance, almost every class you take will be Biology. This early specialization means that a degree in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland takes only three years; Scottish universities offer the option to take a range of classes, so a degree there takes four years.
Essential Tips:
Many subjects offered only at the postgraduate level in the US can be studied as an undergraduate in the UK; you can study law or medicine, for example, straight out of high school. However, be careful--practicing law or medicine in the US after graduation might require extra credentials.
The UK runs a central applications system called UCAS, which all applications must go through (unless you use the Common App). The limit – either way – is a maximum of five applications.
The deadline for most programs is January 15th. but for more specialized courses (e.g., Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine) or at Oxford and Cambridge, the deadline is October 15th. You may need to take unique standardized tests for some of these programs, so plan accordingly.
For most UK programs, you only have to write one essay: a 47-line academic personal statement.
UK admissions rely heavily on your achievement in external exams or standardized testing. Universities want you to achieve certain SAT, ACT, AP or SAT Subject Test scores in order to gain a place.
IRELAND
Ireland is a hidden-gem destination for US students, who have traditionally overlooked it and instead focused on the UK. It’s a shame, as Ireland has great universities with amazing options for students.
A degree takes four years in Ireland, which allows some flexibility. You must still choose your program of study at the time of application. Tuition fees can get quite expensive for medicine, but for most other courses it’s much cheaper than the US.
Essential Tips:
Don’t be confused by some of the names of Irish universities: Trinity College Dublin and the University of Dublin are the same thing. National University of Ireland has four universities and one college;
Some people get the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland confused, and the politics here are complicated. For the purposes of applying, the universities in Northern Ireland are on UCAS as they are administratively part of the UK;
If you hold an EU passport, you must apply to universities via the Central Applications Office (CAO), which has a matching procedure in August whereby students are allocated to their final place based on their exam results. Non-EU passport holders apply directly to each university.
EUROPE
Beyond Ireland, countries across Europe offer a wide range of degrees taught in English. The Netherlands (where almost everyone speaks English fluently) is the most popular destination, but almost every European country—from Scandinavia and the Baltics in the north to Malta and Cyprus in the south—has some options for English-speakers.
Europe’s public and private universities offer different levels of service at very different price points: don’t expect to have office hours, dorms, extracurricular activities, student medical services and even a cafeteria at universities with very low tuition. Public universities typically don’t offer dorms (though there are some exceptions), have very large classes and no access to professors, but can charge tuition of under $10,000 a year down to completely free. Private universities charge more (though typically still much less than in the US; expect around $25,000 a year in tuition) and will offer more in terms of dorms, clubs, and the student experience.
Essential Tips:
Most European degrees are similar to the British model: you apply for the subject you want to study and it is typically three years of study. There are some exceptions, such as the Liberal Arts and Sciences colleges in the Netherlands;
The early specialism also means that you can study law, medicine, dentistry and related subjects straight from high school;
You will need to meet the high school diploma equivalency in the country where you are applying, which typically involves external exams: AP, SAT, ACT or SAT Subject Tests;
As each county has its own university system, expect to deal with different requirements and timelines depending on which country’s universities you are applying to.
Some US universities allow a freshman year in Europe (or indeed, further afield) or have 2+2 arrangements with European universities
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Going much farther away from the US, the university sectors of Australia and New Zealand are well worth considering. The big difference here is that the southern hemisphere runs their academic year on a different calendar: in Australia and New Zealand summer happens in December, so the university year starts in late January or early February and runs through mid-December.
Both countries base their university systems on the UK model but offer more flexibility to choose electives and switch between courses.
There are forty-three universities in Australia and eight in New Zealand, all of which are regulated by their respective governments. All, except for three in Australia, are public universities.
Essential Tips:
Australian universities offer students a combined or double degree pathway leading to two separate bachelor’s degrees. A standard degree is three years, but students who do well can stay for an additional fourth year and gain a degree with honors.
Apart from medicine, expect to pay a maximum annual tuition of around $24,000 in Australia and around $18,000 in New Zealand.
Both systems require you to apply directly to each university and will want to see evidence of your achievement (or predicted achievement) in external examinations such as SAT, ACT, AP, or SAT Subject Tests.
HONG KONG & SINGAPORE
Many options are available to study in English across Asia, in Japan, Korea, Malaysia, China, and India. However, two standout destinations with established English educational systems and populations fluent in English are Hong Kong and Singapore. Hong Kong, the special administrative region of China, was run by Britain for many years. The university system historically worked on the UK model. In 2012, however, the length of the degree was expanded from three to four years, allowing greater flexibility of study. Hong Kong has 21 higher education institutions, eight of which are public universities that are well-regarded internationally.
Singapore has some world-class universities among its total of 34 institutions, including six public universities. As Singapore has developed its education system in recent years, it has introduced new universities in partnership with US institutions. Yale-NUS College offers a liberal arts education. The Singapore Management University was created in partnership with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Essential Tips:
Tuition fees in Hong Kong range from $11,000 to $34,000 per year depending on the university and program, In Singapore you’ll pay between $12,000 and $37,000. Bear in mind that the cost of living can be very high in both cities.
When applying to a program of study, you need to prove your academic credentials through achievement (or predicted achievement) in some external examinations such as SAT, ACT, AP or SAT Subject Tests.
Applications are made directly to the universities; timelines will vary between each university.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES OVERSEAS
Many American – or American-style – universities can be found around the world. These are typically based on one of two models:
Branch campus overseas: Some universities have a branch campus that shares their name but is based in another country. These are more than just study abroad centers; students can gain their entire degree here. Well-known examples include NYU Abu Dhabi & Shanghai, Northwestern University Qatar, Marist College Florence, Suffolk University Madrid, SUNY Korea, and Temple Japan;
American Universities Abroad: Other institutions hold an American accreditation and offer degrees on the US model, but have no US-based home campus. Some are members of American Universities Abroad (www.americanuniabroad.com) but many others exist, usually entitled the ‘American University of…’, Before applying to these schools, check the institution’s accreditation. Admission works on the US model at these US-style institutions; indeed, many are on the Common Application.
