Amid soaring tuition fees and a desire to carve out niche college experiences, college advisors Business Insider spoke to have observed that more students and their parents are looking into opportunities to move abroad for college.
Greg Kaplan, the founder of Kaplan Educational Group and author of “Earning Admission: Real Strategies for Getting Into Highly Selective Colleges,” told BI that he has seen interest increase “tenfold.”
Although students choosing to spend a semester abroad is nothing new, completing a full degree overseas has been less common in the past, he said. But when they factor in the cost and the fact that you can still get a job in the US with an international diploma, it becomes “extremely attractive,” he continued.
Here are some tips from college advisors and students who have made the move.
1. Choose the right college for you
To want to go abroad for school is one thing — to decide which college to go to is a whole other story.
“It’s really important to home in on the type of environment you want,” Kaplan said. For example, students can ask themselves if they would prefer living in a college town or a city college.
Additionally, students should think about what industry they want exposure to, Kaplan said. The school’s location can be a gateway to certain industries. London, for example, is great for students interested in finance, while Stockholm is ideal for students interested in the tech industry, he added.
“There are thousands of universities in Europe, but when we start focusing on what we want out of that education, that really does allow us to narrow that list to make something more manageable,” he said.
2. Recognize that other parts of the world operate differently
When applying for college abroad, it’s key to take note of the different requirements for your application.
“In some countries, the education system is much more centralized. They tend to go by some pretty hard metrics. So testing is a lot more important,” said Robert Harry, an associate director of college counseling at Kent School, a boarding school in Connecticut.
Additionally, Harry advised students to make sure that the degrees are American-accredited, especially if they are interested in pursuing careers in law or medicine.
“If your goal is to then come back to America, you have to be very careful with the degrees and the qualifications some of them might not transfer when you come back,” he said.
3. It’s never too early to start planning
After securing test scores, the next priority would be determining and developing an academic passion, Kaplan said.
“The more experiences a person has within their field of interest, the stronger their application will be. That can be achieved through forward planning,” he said.
Harry agreed. Unlike in the US, where you might be applying for a college or university generally, you’re often applying to study a specific subject at a college overseas. “So you need to prove to them that you have the foundational knowledge to be successful,” he said.
For example, a student interested in pursuing economics can read books about different economies around the world or follow columnists that write about the subject, he said.
Additionally, while looking for opportunities abroad, Harry advised that one should apply to at least four to six American institutions as a fallback option.
4. Consider your finances
Sharon Butler, the executive vice president of global education at Flywire, a global payment platform used largely for international student fees, said that although universities abroad can offer cheaper tuition, students should also consider peripheral costs like visas, insurance, and medical tests. While these costs may not immediately come to mind, they can add up.
“Beyond the rent, look at everyday costs like food, transportation, healthcare, and living costs,” said Butler, who works with students looking to move abroad for school.
Creating a budget is crucial, she said. Parents should work with prospective students to determine the expected out-of-pocket cost for the family and devise a strategy to cover that.
“This advice is relevant for anyone attending university, but it’s especially important when moving out of the US, where payment processes may be more complicated,” she added.
5. Get yourself in the right headspace
Once a decision to study abroad has been made, it’s important to get into the right mindset.
Amanda Mrozek, who transferred from a college in Michigan to Cologne in 2021, said she wasn’t prepared for the stark difference between schools in the US and Germany. “I knew it would be different, but it was kind of a shock when you’re alone there,” she told BI.
Harry agreed that it is important to mentally prepare yourself. “It’s not gonna be the typical American college experience that all of your friends are going to be talking about. You are most likely going to be in the minority of kids that go abroad,” he said.
“Recognize that your experience is going to be a bit different, but it doesn’t mean it’s any less rich or rewarding,” he added.
6. Remember that you won’t be away forever
Kaplan said that although many students worry about being homesick, they should remember that studying abroad is not the same as permanent immigration. “If you want to return back to the US, you can,” he said.
Homesickness was one of the hardest aspects of moving abroad for Scarlett Kiaras-Atti, who graduated from high school in Kentucky and moved to Scotland for college in 2018. “But it’s manageable, and you can get through it,” said Kiaras-Atti, who added that she texts and calls her family often.
“Your hometown will always be there, and it will always be waiting to welcome you back,” she said.
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