[Kristin Hamaker]

Kristin Hamaker

March 11, 2024 at 12:22 pm #62742

March 2024. For those of you who have been recently swimming around in our database of programs, you may have noticed some new additions – UK schools 🇬🇧.

Yep, we’re sloooowly rolling in accredited UK options for our members. This is kind of a big deal for us since our niche has only ever been based in EU/EEA countries. There were deliberate reasons for this choice, many years ago, made by our founder. In 2015, when Beyond the States was conceived, the mission was to offer US students and families alternative options to the exorbitantly expensive and non-transparent programs in the US, but that were also found in the UK.

Times have changed however, and things are shifting in the EU. Some prominent countries, like the Netherlands, are now proactively limiting international student numbers. Other countries, like Denmark, have already been doing this for a while. Tides are changing, which is to be expected, and we’re moving with them.

Of course, there are still SO many good and accessible and affordable options on the continent (and Ireland!) – many more, in fact, than when BTS was founded in 2015. But there are also SO many more international students pursuing these incredible programs – a natural result.

We at BTS have made the long-debated decision to now add schools/programs in the UK to our database and materials, and for these reasons:

*As a response to regular inquiries on whether or not we have these UK options, and the value it would add to our database

*Per the shifting cultural and political climate in the the EU, and potential barriers for international students in certain countries

*Given how many of our student members are also applying to UK programs, alongside the EU/EEA programs we represent, there is clear interest in our own community

*We want to continue to adjust with the times, and continue to provide a variety of options for our international students looking to explore programs in this part of the world

With this slow roll of UK programs, we are also currently training ourselves over here at BTS on the ins-and-outs of the UK system: school/program options, international admissions, benefits and obstacles, via ICEF certification and other routes. We’re excited to introduce and support our members on these newly added options! But it will take time, and we’re in the midst of these additions now – stay tuned.

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