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…
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…
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…
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The planning process for American colleges is pretty well known, but we get a lot of questions about how to plan for the possibility of studying in Europe. While it is possible to start at any point throughout the process, here is what we suggest from a planning perspective, while your child is in high school. Freshman and Sophomore Year This is a great time to explore the options in Europe. If there are programs or countries that really appeal to you, check their qualifications. It’s much better to find out now if you need AP courses, rather than the…
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…
Before visiting Prague universities for Beyond the States, our international travel destinations were determined by an interesting food scene or visiting family overseas. Those criteria prevented me from getting to Prague in the Czech Republic earlier, a fact I truly regret. Prague is seriously one of the most beautiful cities in Europe to study abroad - even in the dead of winter. One thing that I liked about it is that you could see and appreciate the architecture throughout the city without going into the touristy areas. Prague Castle is worth checking out, but what I really enjoyed was the Museum…
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…
