For Jenn and I, our favorite pastime is eating. When visiting a new city, some travellers rush to the ritzy retail shops, find the best museums, or visit the famous sports stadium, but we visit the grocery stores and the food markets. This made me wonder what food science degree options existed in Europe. All of our great experiences involve food and beverage somehow. Our trip to the Bordeaux region in France was centered on a visit to Arachon, where many French oysters are raised. One Father’s Day many years ago, Jenn gifted me an incredible cheese making camp in…
I love it when I learn something new about universities in Europe from a member! I was on our live member Q&A call on Sunday when a member asked about something she saw on the Germany higher education site (daad site) about APs. Germany did not consider APs as recently as just a few months ago, so I told her that I would look into it and get back to her. I have very exciting news to report about this! First, though, let me give you a little bit of backstory. Students often come to me asking about Germany. Some…
It’s hard to believe summer is ending, mostly because I don’t really remember it starting…From March until now seems like it’s been one long season called Covid. It’s been a pretty good summer, all things considered. As I mentioned before, Sam hiked the Camino de Santiago with friends, spent some time with us here in Portugal, and then returned to the Netherlands to move from the Hague to Rotterdam. I was concerned that he would check out academically after deciding to change schools in the spring, but he ended the second semester with really strong grades in all his classes.…
One of the biggest differences in applying to universities in Europe is that you are applying to a specific program, as opposed to applying to just the overall university. This is basically like declaring your major ahead of time and since there generally aren’t any university-wide core requirements, switching majors/programs often means starting over. Don’t stop reading this based on that fact! This doesn’t mean that you are stuck studying only one thing. This doesn’t mean that you must know exactly what you want to study. And this doesn’t mean you have to know what you want your career path…
I finished writing College Beyond the States: European Schools that Will Change Your Life Without Breaking the Bank in April 2018. Since then, there have been some changes regarding schools in the book that I want to point out. Some are major admissions changes, while others are just things to keep on your radar if you are considering that particular school. One of the reasons why we use a database as our main source of information about the English-taught degree programs in Europe is because the information is constantly changing. Not only are new programs updated in the different countries…
As some of you may know, Germany has changed their admission requirements, and it’s now much more difficult for American students to apply. Until this year, in order to be eligible to apply for college in Germany, American students needed either an IB diploma or a regular high school diploma with: a 3.0 GPA, a number of specified courses and a minimum of either 1,360 on the SAT or 28 on the ACT. For students not meeting these requirements, a number of college credits were required. Well, all that has changed. Germany is no longer accepting SAT or ACT scores. …
A World of Opportunity A few weeks ago, I told you about one of the universities that really stood out during my recent trip to the Netherlands.The other school I fell in love with has been on my radar for quite some time. It was first brought to my attention years ago, when I asked a research university administrator what he considered to be especially high quality universities of applied science. NHL Stenden was on the top of his list! It’s also been on my mind as there are a couple of programs my daughter, Ellie, might be interested in…
I’ve been getting a lot of emails from college students in the US these days. Whether it’s due to the political climate in the US, frustration with how their universities (or fellow students) handled the pandemic, or seeing ROI issues around US higher education first hand, these students are seeking alternatives. Some have a year or more of college credits and others are working on their associate’s degree. The question I’m getting from these students is “How do I transfer to a university in Europe?” I wish I had a concise answer, but it takes a bit of explaining and…
Josh is a former US Marine from Florida who now studies International Relations at the University of Warsaw in Poland. His first international exposure came during his years of overseas duty. His posting to the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group really increased his interest in higher education and stoked a desire for continued international experiences. He also met his now-wife while serving at the US Embassy in Warsaw. Josh’s studies are financed through the GI Bill which, until recently, I didn’t realize could be used to fund college in Europe (more info here)! Why Are Veterans So Well Suited for College or Grad School in Europe?…
Show Notes Title: 529 Plans and the Ins and Outs of US Federal Student Loans for College in Europe Description Jenn talks with Mark Kantrowitz, a leading expert on financing a student’s college education. Mark is currently Publisher of PrivateStudentLoans.guru, a web site that provides students with smart borrowing tips about private student loans. Mark has served previously as publisher of the Cappex.com, Edvisors, Fastweb and FinAid web sites. He has previously been employed at Just Research, the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Bitstream Inc. and the Planning Research Corporation. Mark is President of Cerebly, Inc. (formerly MK Consulting, Inc.), a…
In our previous blog, we talked about the importance of global citizenship and the role international exposure plays in that development. We discussed the financial challenges the US study abroad programs present as well as the fact that some of these programs even limit integration with non-US students. Less than 10% of US college students study abroad. In contrast, study abroad is an integral part of being a full-time student in Europe. The EU sees study abroad as aligned with their policy agendas for growth, jobs, equality, and social inclusion. Further, the EU has set a goal that all citizens should have…
We often hear from students who earned their bachelor’s in one area of study but are now interested in a master’s degree in a different field. We also hear from people who are interested in changing careers. Another group we hear from want to pursue a master’s degree in Europe but don’t meet all the requirements of the program. Is it a lost cause for these groups of students? No, it’s not. There are options, such as a Pre Master, which is a series of courses designed to fill in the missing pieces on the transcript. It’s impossible to generalize…
Did you know that there are thousands of graduate school programs in Europe that cost a lot less than US grad school tuition? In 2015, I stumbled on the existence of English-taught full degree programs held at European universities. My kids were teenagers and I had a number of concerns about higher education in the US-from ever increasing cost to opaque admissions process to varying quality- so I decided to explore whether to keep this possibility on our radar. Prior to this, I assumed that an international student would have to know a foreign language to study in Europe. I…
In 2015, I stumbled on the existence of English-taught full degree programs held at European universities. My kids were teenagers and I had a number of concerns about higher education in the US-from ever increasing cost to opaque admissions process to varying quality- so I decided to explore whether to keep this possibility on our radar. Prior to this, I assumed that an international student would have to know a foreign language to study in Europe. I certainly had no idea that, in non-Anglophone countries in Europe, there are over 700 accredited universities offering almost 8,000 full bachelor’s and master’s degree…
Did you know that there are thousands of graduate school programs in Europe that cost a lot less than US grad school tuition? In 2015, I stumbled on the existence of English-taught full degree programs held at European universities. My kids were teenagers and I had a number of concerns about higher education in the US-from ever increasing cost to opaque admissions process to varying quality- so I decided to explore whether to keep this possibility on our radar. Prior to this, I assumed that an international student would have to know a foreign language to study in Europe. I…
I visited six Netherlands universities during my recent trip. Whenever I plan these trips, I have a preconception of which schools I'm most excited to see. I’m often proven wrong, and this trip was no exception! There are two schools that particularly excited me during this trip-a research university and a university of applied science. I’m so eager to tell you about both of them that I had to flip a coin to decide which one to start with! One of the main reasons I chose to visit Utrecht was convenience. Two of my days involved three hours train rides…
I arrived in Budapest to write about the options to study in Hungary for my third week of travel. I had a long train ride without WiFi from Prague, my taxi driver overcharged me, and I had trouble checking into my Airbnb - which was a bit of a dump. These factors, along with the fact that I hadn’t seen the sun for almost a week and that I was tired of Eastern European food, had made me quite grouchy for my first few days. By the end of the week, though, the sun was out, I'd learned about some…
When we post this blog, we don’t expect to know the winner of the US presidential election. It’s a time of uncertainty around so many issues in the world. Regardless of who is in the Oval Office in January, though, studying in Europe is still an idea worth exploring. We truly hope to see changes around the cost of American higher education. However, even if we have a president who is proposing real reforms, the process does not move quickly. Changes will take some time to be approved and then implemented, if it even gets that far. Until then college…
I strive to be totally transparent about college in Europe. Studying in Europe is a fantastic option but, like anything else in life, their are benefits as well as obstacles. That’s why I thought it was important for you all to know about Sam’s experience, so that you/your kids can be prepared in aspects of his situation applies to you. I realized, though, that sharing his experience had other effects as well. I received so many emails from parents. These emails talked about how they, themselves, also struggled their first year in college (in the US), or how their own…
There is only one type of tour you will find me on, and that is a food tour. I wasn't able to schedule a visit to learn about one of the very few English-taught programs in Slovakia, but we decided to take a day trip (less than one hour by train from Vienna). Since we just had one day, I scheduled a food tour to learn about the food and culture, while also seeing the city. Ellie and I were the only people signed up for the tour that day. Our guide, Simona, was in her mid twenties and received her…
This will be our first Thanksgiving with Jenn in several years. Perhaps it was one too many years of dry turkey and runny mashed potatoes at my family’s place in downstate Illinois that soured her on the holiday… I think the real reason she’s spent the last 5 Thanksgivings visiting schools is because it’s such a great week to travel internationally. The international terminals of the airports are empty, since most US travelers are travelling domestically. International air fares are generally reasonable at this time, as well. It’s a better time than summer, since you can get a feel for…
I have much to report about my visits to colleges in Italy! I stayed in Milan, visiting schools in the city as well as in Bologna and Turin. It was my first time in Northern Italy and I really enjoyed it! I have always loved to visit Italy, but these northern areas feel much more livable and less touristy than the other places I have been. Milan is extremely easy to get around-both as it pertains to the city and getting elsewhere in Italy and Europe. I was able to get to Bologna and Turin in an hour by train.…
I was really excited to visit Groningen again. When I visited last year, it was just for a few hours. This time I was there for 3 days exploring the town and meeting with administrators and students from Groningen University College (UCG). Since so many of you have expressed interest in Dutch universities, particularly the university colleges, we are bringing you what we are calling a “deep dive” into UCG. Let’s start with the city. Groningen is located in the northernmost part of the country, about a two-hour train ride from Amsterdam. It is the youngest city in the Netherlands,…
I really love train travel. It’s just so easy and comes without all the stressors of air travel. Little things make it easy-like not having to worry about where my liquids are and arriving at the station just shortly before the train departs. More than any other city in Europe, I was struck by how many places one can easily get by train from Vienna. In under 2.5 hours, you can get almost anywhere in Austria, or to many cities outside of the country, like Bratislava (under 1 hour), Budapest (just over two hours), Brno (just over one hour). The…
“You get what you pay for” is a response I sometimes see posted on Facebook about the college costs in Europe.Why people feel compelled to respond to something that they know nothing about-and state it as fact-is beyond me. It’s also simply not true-even about higher education in the US! Does a student paying out of state tuition receive a substantially superior education than the student paying in state tuition? No! It’s similar in Europe, one of the reasons tuition is so reasonable is because it is subsidized by the country. One of the schools I visited a few months…
As I mentioned in my last blog, Brussels is not my favorite city in Europe. Recently, I spent some time with Jared, and his friends, Sebastian (from Luxembourg) and Lisa (from Atlanta) to find out their opinions on student life in Brussels. They all appreciate the offerings of the urban atmosphere. Of course, no car is needed and they are able to get anywhere they need to go on foot or by train. Though Brussels is known as a somewhat ugly city, the Grand Place is truly beautiful. In some cities, it is hard to find student residences in the…
As many of you know, Beyond the States was formed in response to my concerns about the state of higher education in the US. Of course, ever rising tuition and the high stress admissions process were my two greatest worries, but I was also troubled by the post-graduation prospects for many grads these days. For recent college graduates under the age of 25 has risen to 9%(compared with 5.5 percent in 2007) and nearly half of college graduates in their twenties are underemployed, meaning the jobs they can get don’t require a bachelor’s degree. I read these facts in There is…
We’ve told you about one of the students we worked with last year in our previous blogs. Theo impressed me from the start and I have really enjoyed our interactions. He is attending Leiden University College The Hague, the honors liberal arts program connected to Leiden University in the Netherlands. I recently checked in with Theo to see how his transition has been going. University colleges in the Netherlands have a required residential component (1-3 years depending on the school). As I’ve mentioned previously, student housing at Leiden University College is nicer than any apartment I had until I was in my 30's…
You probably have a few questions about how earning your bachelor's degree overseas works. Here are answers to some common questions. I’m not fluent or proficient in any other language. Can I still get my degree in Europe? Yes! We have information on over 7,000 degree programs (master's and bachelor's combined) at more than 750 schools in non-anglophone European countries. These programs are conducted entirely in English. No foreign language is needed for admission and all of the classes and classwork will be in English. That said, you will be living in a country that isn’t English-speaking so you will…
I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts recently, 99% Invisible, and then I realized we've never really focused on one of my favorite subjects, architecture. If you're interested in learning about the options for architecture masters degrees in Europe, you're in the right place! The podcast episode talked about kidney shaped swimming pools, the birth of skateboarding, and concluded with an interesting connection with education in Europe that I won't spoil. I'll also plug another favorite episode from 99% Invisible on La Sagrada Família in Barcelona. The story of this building combines intrigue, adventure, the Spanish Civil War,…
I didn’t visit McDaniel College in Hungary the first time I was in Budapest. There are a handful of American universities in Europe that I have a number of concerns about. Some of them focus on and cater more to American exchange students, which certainly affects the experience for full degree students. Others charge "American sized" tuition, which I don’t think is justified. Though McDaniel College Hungary has a very reasonable tuition, it wasn’t on my high priority list a few years ago. After visiting Anglo-American University in Prague, one of my favorites and a Beyond the States member favorite…
I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts today, 99% Invisible, and when I realized we've never really focused on one of my favorite subjects, architecture. If you're interested in learning about the options for architecture masters in Europe you're in the right place. The podcast episode talked about kidney shaped swimming pools, the birth of skateboarding, and concluded with an interesting connection with education in Europe that I won't spoil. I'll also plug another favorite episode from 99% Invisible on La Sagrada Família in Barcelona. The story of this building combines intrigue, adventure, the Spanish Civil War, and…
A lot of people (including myself until recently) would have trouble naming cities in the Netherlands other than Amsterdam (and possibly The Hague). Groningen is a city that isn’t well known, but has a tremendous amount to offer students. It is a true student town, with students making up 25% of the 250,000 population. Even outside of students, it is a young city as 50% of the population is under the age of 35. Groningen is as compact as it is easy to navigate. I liked it immediately when I got off the train. The Groningen Museum is right across…
I’ve received several emails since my last blog asking about Sam’s program at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Just like the full university name (I’ve been told that Erasmus University is not accurate, without the Rotterdam at the end…), the program name is also a mouthful. Sam is in the Management of International Social Challenges program. Students in this program learn about international problems that are multidisciplinary in nature. These include issues like “migration, pandemics, terrorism, climate change, economic stability, international crime”, and more. Students learn to look at and analyze these issues through the lens of a variety of disciplines, including…
I often get questions about whether a degree from Europe will be “good” in the US.. Degree accreditation and recognition can be confusing, so today I’d like to dive into this a bit. Let’s start with accreditation. Accreditation is basically a stamp of approval by an accrediting agency that deems that university programs have met certain standards set out by whoever the accreditor is. The most important thing is to make sure that the accrediting body is recognized by the country of the university. In most countries, other than the US, accreditation is granted by a governmental body which is…
My 16-year-old son, Sam, recently came home from school and said he needed my assistance choosing his courses for next year. I was intrigued, given that most of my advice is unsolicited and met with resistance, and also because he wanted to talk before he even made his giant bowl of ramen or cereal for his after school snack. It seems that the counselor spoke to his class about the college admissions process and course registration for next year and Sam had fallen victim to some of the fear mongering. He began asking me if he should take certain classes…
Over the past months, I’ve talked to many American students who have graduated from, or are currently enrolled, in bachelor’s programs in Europe. We’ve talked a lot about the traits that make a successful student in Europe. Students across the spectrum pointed to a number of the same qualities needed to succeed. Though these qualities are all distinct, I believe the combination is a crucial component for success as an international student in Europe. 1. Curiosity and Openness This student is curious about the world, about knowledge, about other people’s experiences, opinions and points of view. She seeks out information about…
When I started to document the colleges in Europe with English-taught degree programs, I realized that there were many terms and concepts I needed to understand before I could delve in too deeply. Though it’s not especially exciting information, exploring possibilities for studying in Europe can be overwhelming without knowledge on these topics. Below is some of the information you need to know before you start this journey. Bologna Process Codifies Studying in Europe Things have changed a lot in European higher education in the past couple of decades. In 1999, the Bologna declaration was signed by Education Ministers from…
Ellie and I have been in Malaysia for the last four weeks and are finishing up our time in Bali. It’s actually been a scouting trip since we (along with Tom) will be moving to Malaysia in the spring. I’m often asked why we are moving and why Malaysia. The short answer is that Tom and I have always dreamed of living abroad. Ellie is 100% on board with this plan, but Sam wanted to finished high school in the US, so we waited for him to get off to college and then sold our house this past spring and…
