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The Beyond the States Timeline to College in Europe

Alright, if you’ve stumbled here, then you’re at least curious about getting your English-taught college degree in Europe - or you may be further along than that, and ready to start the planning process.
The Beyond the States Timeline to College in Europe

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Contents
Kristin Hamaker
Chief College Advisor
Find out which European university has bachelor's degree programs that match your interests, goals, qualifications and budget!
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This article was originally published before 2022 and will be updated soon.
Article originally published on Sep 01, 2022 and updated on Apr 19, 2023

The Beyond the States Timeline to College in Europe 🕰️ 

Alright, if you’ve stumbled here, then you’re at least curious about getting your English-taught college degree in Europe - or you may be further along than that, and ready to start the planning process. Of course, the planning process when pursuing American colleges is pretty well known (and much less transparent than in Europe!), but we get a lot of questions around the timeline as a direct student in Europe, like:

How do we know what university to choose? 

When do we apply for European programs? 

When should we become members of Beyond the States?

We hear you! 💪 - click into the link below that reflects where you’re at - and let us be your guide

But first, take a breath and feel encouraged, since we know (from personal experience) that you’re on your way to saving a bundle of money and escaping long-haul college debt, to relaxing the typical college admissions stress, and to having a unique and extraordinary life experience. 

Beyond the States is here to give you the tools you need to find a best fit program for you in Europe, and to be a compass for the process - from A to Z. While it is possible to start at any point throughout the process, here is what we suggest from a planning perspective:

Let’s go! - 9th Graders 

Let’s go! - 10th Graders

Let’s go! - 11th Graders

Let’s go! - 12th Graders

Let’s go! - Master’s Ready

Don’t see yourself represented here? 🤨

Maybe you’re post-high school or completing a gap year. Or you’re in middle school, and dreaming of what’s to come. Or you’re older, and hoping to start your career over. No problem! Look below for guidance and next steps: 

Post High-School or Gap Year Students

For those who are taking some time off after high school or fulfiling a gap year program, or taking some classes at a community college or 4-year university, we got you! You may have a leg up when it comes to admissions, given you already have a high school diploma in hand (hello Sweden! - this country, for instance, requires international student applicants to be armed with a diploma at time of application). And if you have 1 year of college credits from a 4-year university or an Associates Degree, you may have met the admissions requirements for most bachelor’s programs across Europe. Good news! 

In your case, you’ll find our 12th grade Timeline to College in Europe helpful in learning next steps for finding your best-fit degree abroad. More questions off the bat? Book a FREE 15-minute Strategy Call to set good things in motion. 

Middle Schoolers 

Awesome, look at you! Head to our 9th Grade Timeline to College in Europe, where you’ll dip your toe into the what, when, why of college in Europe. Now’s the time to get inspired, and consider next steps

Mature Students

It’s never too late to study abroad, or shift professional gears. You’d be surprised as to how many older students are thinking about a college degree in Europe, either to continue their education or embark on an altogether new path. Here is one of those stories in our podcast - be inspired by Tiffany

We think following either our 11th grade or 12th grade Timeline to College in Europe page will provide you with initial direction on next steps toward your new life and study in Europe. But if you want more direct, personalized support, book a one-on-one consultation.

Transfer Students

You may be wondering if you can transfer college credits to schools in Europe. We hear you! Dig into our blog post on this very topic, where you’ll learn more about the ins-and-outs. In the meantime, head over to our 12th grade Timeline to College in Europe page, which will guide you on next steps to pursuing your best-fit degree abroad. 

Hear what some of our student members are saying:

“The Beyond the States database was the most helpful for me, as it allowed me to get key information on so many schools that I would have never been able to find otherwise. The Facebook group was also extremely helpful for asking experienced BTS members questions. I think that people considering university in Europe should really keep their options open, and not limit themselves to any specific country or school as there are so many great options to consider all around Europe.”
-Hunter
“My mother was as determined as I was, maybe even a bit more. While we were searching online, she came across Beyond the States and our problem was solved. The thing we were missing - a list of schools and available programs - was finally right in front of us. Since I knew International Business was the direction I wanted to head in, we took advantage of the Best Fit List offering to get a few tailored-suggestion of universities. BTS provided us with  3-4 options, spread out across the continent from Denmark to the Netherlands to France, and we immediately got to booking our visits. Her suggestions were exactly what I was looking for, and to this day probably would have been happy with each and every one.”
-Anya
“One thing I’ve so deeply enjoyed, that I didn't really expect before moving to Europe for university, was the intimacy I acquired with so many different cultures, thanks to my friends and their families. What happened for me, was that I was lucky enough not only to experience the culture of my home country that I study in, but even beyond that I get to learn about the cultures of my friends. For example, I study in the Netherlands, yet my friends are from Sri Lanka, France, Poland, Bosnia, and Greece, to name a few. Through their eyes and their perspective I learn about their home countries and the food, drink, customs, and political issues of all these places. To me that is a rich gift, because I feel I know all these places very well without having ever necessarily traveled there! There are a lot of unexpected joys from studying abroad and for me this is one of the greatest.” 
-Rose

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Read while you listen

Discover all the English-taught European college programs in one place.

Beyond the States provides easy access to 11,600+ European bachelor's and master's programs across 870 universities, 550 cities, and 212 areas of study, plus all the resources you need to get there. No sponsorships. No bias.
3400+
English-taught bachelor's programs in our database.
8200+
English-taught master's programs in our database.
550
Beautiful European cities to choose from.
870
Top-tier universities accepting international students.
332,948
Typical savings against a private university in the US.
60,123
Typical savings against in-state tuition in the US.
All inclusive of tuition, living, food, books, health insurance, travel expenses, as well as hidden fees. Compiled with data from students and the official websites from KU Leuven, UNC, and Duke.

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