With the busyness of the college application season comes an array of thrills: independence, freedom and exploration. One exhilarating aspect of this newfound chapter for young adults lies in the wide range of possibilities such as travel. While studying abroad for a semester or taking a gap year allows teenagers to see the world, applicants may also choose to attend a college long-term outside of domestic borders.
American colleges exist in other countries, which permits American-born citizens a chance to experience new cultures while still attending a college that accommodates their spoken language and lifestyle. Students can typically access these applications, such as the ones for the American University of Rome and the Anglo-American University at Prague, through the CommonApp with the same process as applying to in-country universities.
However, when it comes to applying to colleges outside of the U.S., the CommonApp portal mainly focuses on institutions in U.S. states and territories, with the exception of a portion of international universities. Students can apply to any college — whether domestic or international — through the specific university’s portal that prospective students can find on their website. International colleges typically will provide their applications in English and their native language. Additionally, colleges such as the Università di Padova in Padua, Italy, offer courses entirely in English for international students.
“The process for applying to all of the Canadian schools I applied to was different as I had to navigate different platforms than CommonApp for applications, meaning you have to re-enter information a lot and they can ask for very different things among each university. [I asked] for my guidance counselor to send transcripts in different ways, and [answered] different types of questions and requirements than U.S. schools might. You also have to think about applying to scholarships that may not exist in the U.S. and further once you’re accepting the offers, either getting a student visa to the country or proving your citizenship like I did,” NC alum and student at the University of Toronto Claire Stobo said.
Another important aspect aside from applying to international colleges also resides in applying for international scholarships. Schools in other countries may offer U.S. residents additional aid to attend their university, and numerous websites, such as IES Abroad, provide financial assistance to help cover international tuition.
While foreign colleges provide myriad resources for applicants, prospective and admitted students still must think about the application process. For example, obtaining a student visa to live in the country the college resides remains vital, as well as proving U.S. citizenship. Fortunately, students can find each of these requirements on each specific college’s application and website. Using resources such as the NC counselors can help route applicants through the winding road of transcripts, test scores and submissions.
“I think that students wanting to apply to a school outside of the U.S. should map out all of the things they will need, such as boarding, student and work visas, before they even apply to fully understand the jumps that it takes to go to school outside of the U.S.. However, navigating the different systems is possible with all of the information available from the schools and governments and really using your guidance counselor to aid the application process,” Stobo said.
Though navigating international college processes may seem daunting, students can find beneficial resources to help pursue their dreams abroad. As long as applicants remain open-minded and flexible regarding the various steps in applying to different international universities, they will remain ready to face any challenges and adapt to their voyaging independence.