Timeline to College in Europe | 10th Graders

We got you!

‍Maybe you’ve heard, there are a lot of perks that come with an English-taught degree from Europe: 

• The refreshing ease and straightforwardness of admissions 
• The dramatically low-cost, high quality programs in all study areas 
• A broadening of worldview in a truly international community
• And impressive employability and mobility of a European degree
• Yes, the list does go on! 

Okay, you’re intrigued, and ready to take notes.

At this stage in the process – 10th grade – spending time digging into our chock-full database of programs will help you decide whether college in Europe is something you want to pursue or not. You owe yourself the chance to explore, in any case. Know this: the high-cost tuition, head-scratching admissions process in the states is NOT your only option.

Many families become Beyond the States members during this time! 

Joining now allows you to check in on whether or not the types of programs and countries that appeal to you have extra admissions requirements (AP, or SAT, or certain GPA) which will allow you to plan your upcoming courses. But keep in mind, only about 18% of the thousands of English-taught programs in our database even require APs for admissions – that means that most of these English-taught programs don’t have these requirements. By using our database, you will have the chance to learn which programs and areas of study require these APs, and which don’t. You may be pleasantly surprised! 

Yep, you’re older and wiser now, but take a look at our 9th Grade Timeline page to catch up, if you missed it last year.

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FAQ for YOU:

1. Tell me – why should I study in Europe?

If you’re looking for a viable alternative to college in the US, either because you’re pursuing an affordable degree, and/or an admissions process that is transparent and accessible allowing you to opt out of the US college admissions rat race and exorbitant tuition costs, then a college degree in Europe may be just what you need. Beyond cost-savings and straightforward admissions, you will surely also benefit from Europe’s access to travel, international experience and path to global citizenship, high-quality programs and employment perks of being an international student in Europe, and many other rewards that come with this experience.

2. Should I be considering AP classes NOW for admissions in Europe?

First things first, it might be helpful (and stress-reducing) to know that only about 18% of the thousands of English-taught programs in our database even require APs for admissions – that means that most of these English-taught programs don’t have these requirements. By using our database, you will have the chance to learn which programs and areas of study require these APs, and which don’t, so that you can prepare to spread out these AP courses across the next few years, or if you even need them at all. 

3. Should I be pursuing extracurricular activities, jobs or internships for admissions in Europe?

Nope, unless these things are truly of interest to you. Unlike the US college admissions rat race, where students are compelled, even as early as freshman year, to pack their profile with all the “extras” like sports, jobs, and clubs as a means of standing out, in Europe things are starkly different. Across the board, schools in Europe don’t care about these extras on your transcript or otherwise – they are strictly looking for students who are a good fit for their programs, and fulfill their specific admissions requirements – no more, no less than that. Having extracurriculars, or even more academic achievements, won’t benefit you – hopefully this brings a sigh of relief, and you can feel good about pursuing hobbies outside of class that you actually want to partake in. 

4. Can I get student loans and/or scholarships as an international student in Europe?

Yes, there are options! About 980 of our 3,400+ English-taught bachelor’s programs work with FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) – these programs are identified in our database, and you can even apply our database filter for these programs – easy, peasy. However, sometimes schools in Europe offer other funding opportunities, like scholarships or subsidies, even for international students. You’ll find this information with each listing in our database too! What if you have money saved in a 529 college savings plan? Check out our podcast episode on this topic.  

5. Is it too early to sign up for the Beyond the States membership?

No, now’s a great time to gain access to our database of vetted, accredited programs across Europe, to understand what’s on offer, what the admissions requirements are, what cities they’re in, and just generally explore and discover. Early access to our active, neighborly Facebook group of parents and students is also a gift – get advice from those on the ground in Europe now, coordinate visits/tours with those in the FB group, and just fold into this supportive community. And tuck into our self-paced class series that comes with membership, and get schooled (as it were) on the exciting,viable option of college in Europe. 

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Next Steps for 10th Grade Families | You’re On Your Way: 

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1. If you haven’t already – HEAD INTO OUR DATABASE: You’ll find 3,400+ accredited, 100% English-taught bachelor’s programs across Europe, and across all areas of study. Our regularly updated database is super user-friendly, and reflects only vetted, unbiased programs. Each listing is chock-full, and has the current program description, admissions requirements, our notes or program highlights, tuition and scholarship information, school and city information, and more. 

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2. CONSIDER POTENTIAL AREAS OF STUDY: Now that you’re exploring our chock-full database of English-taught degrees, and learning what programs and majors are on offer, now may be a good time to start planning deliberate ways of exploring your own academic interests and how they might relate to potential areas of study. A perfect way to begin this process is with our How to Choose a Major self-paced course – this is part of a series of courses that comes with membership. This particular course is helpful even if you’re fairly certain of what you want to study. Through lessons and exercises, you’ll learn how your unique interests translate into the different study areas in Europe, and which programs you’re most aligned with. 

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3. BROWSE OUR FREE RESOURCES: Compliment the above two steps by digging into the many FREE resources on our website, including blog posts, podcasts, city and country guides, and in-house rankings pages for top colleges – as an introduction. We cover all college-in-Europe topics, like: admissions tips, degree-recognition, drinking culture, applying 529 funds, international student life, and on and on. 

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10th Grade Families | Check Out These FREE Resources:

Ultimate Guide to Bachelor’s Degrees in Europe

Enjoy High School by Planning to Attend College in Europe

Student Profile Series

The Study Abroad Guide to College Tuition in Europe

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That’s it for now. With these steps you’re off to a no-sweat good start. Check in on the Timeline to College in Europe as you go along, since we’re here to offer direction at each stage of the process. 

Go forth and discover! 

– The Beyond the States Team

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Some praise for Beyond the States:

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“When our daughter approached us about going her entire schooling in Europe, I gave it a 10% chance of happening. Because of BTS, we have no doubt that we will be visiting our child abroad while she studies. BTS has provided key research and guidance for our family. I hate to admit but before we started this journey, I had quite a bit of American exceptionalism when it came to education…I was wrong!”

–Kelly

“Beyond the States has been an absolute godsend for us. My son attended a private school where they were really focused on Ivy League schools, so the college counseling department was of little help in helping my son fulfill his lifelong dream of attending college in Europe. We did a lot of research on our own before finding BTS, but the info we needed was much easier to find on the BTS database…We used the database a lot, and once we had narrowed the search, we worked with BTS to evaluate our list and make sure there weren’t any red flags or missing schools. And, we have greatly enjoyed getting to know other parents/students on the same journey and learning from their experiences. My son applied to his top choice school in the Netherlands, received an invitation to interview within 48 hours, and received conditional  acceptance within a few days of the interview. Wow! I love the efficiency. I am so glad I found the BTS podcast, listened, joined, and reached out. I know we could have navigated this process on our own, but I am certain it would have been a lot more difficult, stressful, and I am not sure we would have the same outcome. I am forever grateful to the BTS team and we are already planning to work with them to find the right program when my son is ready for grad school. I cannot recommend them enough! Thank you!” 

–Cathy

“This is an amazing service! We are signing up again when my youngest gets to be the right age. I recommend it to anyone considering college in Europe for their high schoolers!”

–Catherine

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