The American university system is incredible. With over a million international students coming to the US for tertiary education each year, it’s an obvious option for non-Americans looking to get a degree abroad. However, the US isn’t alone in attracting this huge student pool. An increasing interest in Australia, Canada, and the UK has shown that American dominance in international education isn’t quite what it was ten or twenty years ago. In fact, the number of full degree programs in English has skyrocketed in the past decade (and not only in English-speaking countries). In addition to the traditional destinations already mentioned, students can now choose from programs at world-class universities in all of these countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Japan, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Poland, Scotland, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam…to name a few.
With such incredible options to study and see the world, it’s astonishing to see that the number of Americans who go abroad to pursue a degree remains very small. With the price of an American education out-pacing inflation and often reaching north of $75,000 USD per year for four years, it’s time we start talking about alternatives. So today I’m going to give you 10 reasons why an American high school student should give serious consideration to getting an undergraduate degree outside of the US.
Reason #1: Cost
American universities are many things but reasonably priced is not one of them. More and more public dialogue is taking aim at the return on investment at an institution that charges over $80,000 per year. That’s over $320,000 for an undergraduate degree! There are obviously cheaper options for students who want to attend a public university and stay in-state, but even those costs are high compared to some international options. Below are a couple examples to consider.
| Tuition per year (USD) | Cost of Living | Length of Degree | |
| Australia | $11,000-$24,000 | $22,000 | 3 |
| Germany | Free | $15,000 | 3 |
| Hungary | $6,000 | $12,000 | 3 |
| The Netherlands | $8,500 | $17,000 | 3 |
| United Kingdom | $15,000-$54,000 | $22,000 | 3 |
Reason #2: You want to pursue an international career
If you are remotely interested in working in an international field, it can be a great advantage to get your formal training overseas. These fields include international law, business, communications, logistics, hospitality, politics, or work in a non-government organization (NGO). Not only will the quality of education be better overseas, but the experience of living and learning overseas will also give you a clear understanding of whether or not that field is the best fit for you. Here are a couple subject-specific options to start your search.
- Hospitality: Glion and Les Roche in Switzerland
- International Law: The Hague in the Netherlands
- Logistics: Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Business: Singapore Management University in Singapore
- NGOs: Carleton University in Canada
Reason #3: Some subjects are simply better outside the US.
With water becoming one of the most contested commodities internationally, students who pursue a degree in Water Management will find no shortage in the future job market. And where better to learn about water management than in a country that is 17% reclaimed from the ocean and 33% of the country is below sea level? The Netherlands offers several very strong programs at Delft, Radboud, Groningen, and others. An added bonus is that many of these programs are only three years long, but four-year-long programs exist and include a practicum or work experience that helps students develop practical ties within the industry which kickstart their careers immediately after graduating.
Reason #4: A student can get an undergraduate degree in three years in many countries.
Here are a few of the countries where a typical undergraduate degree is three years instead of four: the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, Germany, Hungary, New Zealand, and several more. The reason these countries are able to cut a year from the typical US education and still offer an excellent education is by eliminating all the general education courses typically found in the American education system. When you apply to the UK, you are not applying to a university. You are applying directly to a specific program in a particular department within a university. The program description will include a rough scope and sequence of topics as well as clearly describing the courses and the expected educational outcomes. The career that the program prepares you for will also be very clear. This structure and focus is similar in a number of other country systems. If you know what you want to do for a career, studying it from day one makes sense, right?
Reason #5: Programs are much more focused.
This goes hand-in-hand with the three-year timeline mentioned above, and it should appeal to anyone who has little interest in spending thousands of dollars on general education classes that have nothing to do with their intended major. For many, this just feels like a waste of time and money. Here is a program description for Economics at the University of Warwick. There is a lot of information available on this program-specific website including course overview, individual modules in the program, how you will be assessed, the style of teaching you will experience, as well as expected outcomes (careers). For students who like what they are reading in this level of detail, this program may be a great fit! It is, however, a guaranteed awful fit for anyone who is hoping to apply as “undecided” in an American university.
Reason #6: The application focuses on your academic abilities, not your extracurricular participation.
You would not be alone if you have ever wondered why an American university admissions team cares how many hours per week you participate in the junior varsity lacrosse team when you are applying for an engineering degree. The holistic approach most American universities take often feels like a bizarrely irrelevant critique of our teenagers. Additionally, many schools have been cutting extracurricular activities due to dwindling state budgets. If you shine academically and feel a university should be focusing on that criteria, perhaps you need to look outside the US. With the exception of American universities, most international universities focus almost exclusively on your academic results. In particular, they will look at your GPA, International Baccalaureate examination results, SAT/ACT/IELTS/TOEFL scores, and Advanced Placement examination results. Even in countries where an essay is required for the application, the focus is entirely on how you are a good fit for that particular program. If you think it’s ridiculous that an American university would offer this as an essay prompt (yes, this is real): “What if the moon were made of cheese? Or Neptune made of soap? Pick a celestial object, reimagine its material composition, and explore the implications. Feel free to explore the realms of physics, philosophy, fantasy…the sky is the limit,” then perhaps you need to be looking overseas.
Reason #7: You get to be an ambassador.
Americans living abroad are a very different breed from their domestic kin. Overseas Americans tend to be more patient, introspective, self-critical, open-minded, and empathetic. When you live overseas, you develop a sense of responsibility in representing your country. In conversations with international friends, you will get used to people turning to you for answers to incredibly difficult questions about the US. In my 15 years overseas, I’ve been asked to account for gun violence, inflated medical costs, absurd university tuitions, music interpretations, embarrassing politicians, and many, many more. I am one man, but in those conversations, I was expected to be the resident expert. At times I loved this responsibility while at other times I hated it. Regardless, the sense of responsibility made me a better man. Students who love their country and want to share it with the world should consider studying overseas.
Reason #8: Different campus culture.
If you want the stereotypical campus with sweeping lawns and colonial New England architecture and tailgate parties before the football game….you better stay in the US. Internationally, most campuses are much more integrated into the surrounding community. In fact, many international universities offer very little on-campus housing, and the students are instead expected to live in local neighborhoods. The feedback I’ve gotten from past students is that this was a wake-up call to take responsibility, and it forced them to be more comfortable with aspects of normal adult life like finding an apartment and paying rent, connecting with peers and making friends, and being proactive with their grades and seeking help when they need it. In many ways, these international universities expect you to be an adult when you arrive and do very little hand-holding.
Reason #9: Travel
For parents, I’m guessing that numbers 1, 4, and 8 are top priorities. For students, travel is often at the top of the list…as it should be. Students who are accepted to a program in Europe will need to apply for a student visa. This visa will not only allow you to stay in your country of study but will also give you the opportunity to travel throughout the Schengen Area. Students who choose to study in Asia will find that traveling around the region is relatively easy and exposes students to a wide variety of cultures and customs. Even students who go to Australia and New Zealand for a degree will be rewarded with rich opportunities to travel within those countries. It’s important to consider these opportunities to travel as essential elements in the overall experience, instead of a fringe benefit.
Reason #10: Culture
More and more attention is being paid to ROI and skills that make a particular education “worth” its price. I think this is a good trajectory, but it doesn’t have to ignore some of the invaluable soft skills gained through a cultural experience like studying abroad. When you interact with a different culture for a prolonged period of time, you can’t help but gain a sense of empathy, a world-view as a cultural minority, and a refreshed perspective on your own culture. All of this is difficult to put at the top of your resume, but it can play a very important role in shaping how you approach challenges for the rest of your life. Learning from a new culture reminds you of the importance of listening and asking questions and consciously deciding to never take things for granted. What a beautiful gift!
As you can see, getting a full degree overseas isn’t for everyone, but there are certainly some great reasons to consider it. This list is not meant to conflict with a student’s interest in applying to American universities. Rather, it is meant to supplement it. In my 20+ years of working in international schools, I have worked with countless students and families who benefited from applying to more than one country. If you are interested in a program in the Netherlands, why not apply in addition to your list of American universities? Why not add a couple countries to your list? When you have your final list of acceptances, you have the exciting task of deciding where in the world you will study for your degree!
