International Options
Some students may want to explore international universities or study abroad programs. These programs have different requirements and processes than most American universities.
The College Essay Guy provides this article with some general info about considering universities in other countries.
https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/applying-to-college-abroad#E=
General Tips
In some countries, like England, the degree is earned in 3 years because they don’t have “general ed” in the way US degrees do. This means you usually want to go in to these programs with a good idea of what you want to study. This also has implications for cost because a year of tuition is potentially saved, as well as time-to-degree; this can be important for students knowing they will need graduate study (med school, etc.).
Students should always reach out to the international schools they are considering and find out how the financial aid will work on that campus and what their costs will be. There are also additional costs because of travel, visas, etc., that might be required.
Most degrees will translate easily in the US, unless they are more specialized training or certifications involved (nursing, CPA, teaching credential, etc.). If students have specific majors/careers in mind, they will want to research whether the program is open to international students and/or how that degree/certification will be treated in the U.S. It is very important to consider the pathway for the major/career and what implications an international degree might have. For example, a student wanting to study history or economics, should remember that courses in this subject may focus on the history/economics of the country the school is in.
It’s good to keep in mind there are also two ways to study internationally: at US-based international campuses (here’s an example: https://www.johncabot.edu/) and at international institutions. Language of instruction, applications, financial aid, and degree awarding will look a little different depending on which type of campus they are on.
Some US schools also have international programs built into their degrees (like study abroad but more structured/integrated/specialized experience). Here are a couple examples: https://www.northeastern.edu/nuin/ https://www.emerson.edu/emerson-life/around-world
Programs & Links
Go Overseas Search Tool
Go Overseas is a community reviews site: explore & discover international, culturally immersive programs, trips, and jobs.
Research programs within nine different categories: Volunteer, Study, Teach, Internships, Gap Year, Language, High School, TEFL Courses, and Tours & Trips. There are over 17,000 options covered with reviews.
More info: https://www.gooverseas.com/about/what-is-go-overseas
This program has many programs for high school and college students.
This program is for starting your international program while in high school.
Limited scholarships available.
The US government sponsors some exchange programs for high school and college students.
https://studyabroad.state.gov/us-government-scholarships-and-programs/us-k-12-students
Verto
This program allows you to start earning college credits while traveling abroad.
https://vertoeducation.org/
Some students want to study internationally for a shorter time. Consider study abroad programs offered at most universities and community colleges. Here is the SRJC program as an example.
Here is an example of a 4-year university study away program at Sonoma State. Look up your own possible universities to see what they offer for study abroad programs.