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What do you need to know when applying to universities overseas? Is the application process different? Do you need to take standardized tests as part of the application process? Can I switch majors once I am enrolled? How does FAFSA work with universities overseas? There is a lot to consider when applying to schools in your own country let alone a foreign country. David Hawkins will provide some tips and advice for students thinking about studying overseas.
Key Takeaways:
- The term “university” is very different in terms of applications, programs, and terminology based on the culture.
- Students’ perception of what they want to study is conditioned to the culture they live in. Best fit options for school may be across the world at a university that is structured to fit your interests.
- University in Europe is significantly less expensive than studying in the US.
- When admitted to a University overseas you are admitted to a program of study. If you are admitted to study history, you will not take math classes. So it is important to understand the differences before applying.
- The UK system offers a 3-year Bachelors’s Degree and Scotland offers a 4-year Bachelors’s Degree. The University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh degree offers more flexibility than the UK.
- The UK system is based on what do you want to study first and then location follows.
- If you are applying to schools in the UK, you have one application for 5 different schools. The UK uses the UCAS platform as the one application portal.
- There are several 2+2 year joint programs students can apply to Trinity College in Dublin and Columbia is one such program.
- Visiting a college is highly recommended especially if they are applying overseas.
- Families can use FAFSA for select international universities
Important Resources and Links:
Dual BA Program with Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University
Meet David Hawkins
David is one of a small number of independent counselors to hold the gold-standard international affiliation with the Council of International Schools. An Oxford graduate, David was the Head of College Counseling at the International School of Brussels (one of the largest in Europe), and before that was the Head of Careers and a History teacher at Taunton School. David holds memberships in the International Association for College Admissions Counseling, IECA, COBIS, HECA, and the Council of International Schools. He also serves on committees for CIS and IECA. Now, as Director of The University Guys, he and his team provide bespoke, individual counseling to families pursuing global university options, recruitment services for international universities within the British Isles, and support for schools with various aspects of university advising.
Thank you to David for joining us today to discuss how students can prepare to apply to schools in the UK and what those schools are looking for. specifically. The structure of universities is very different in terms of applications, programs, and terminology depending on the culture. Schools in Europe and the UK offer undergraduate degrees in three years not four like the US. Typically the cost of a bachelor’s degree in Europe is far less than in the US. Did you know FAFSA can be applied to certain international universities?
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