I wondered about the international student experience at a large public university. With more than 58,000 students, the University of Warsaw is larger than every US university, but one (Ohio State). It is globally ranked and offers seven English-conducted bachelor’s programs, including American Studies, Archaeology, English Studies, Finance, Accounting, Internal Security, International Relations, and Philosophy of Being, Cognition, and Value. Tuition for these programs ranges from 2,000–3,000 euros per year, and each one is just three years in duration.

For a first-hand perspective, I met with Josh D., a former US Marine from Florida who now studies International Relations at the university. His first international exposure came during his years of overseas duty. His posting to the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group (Marines provide security at embassies around the world) really increased his interest in higher education and stoked a desire for continued international experience. 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 now, I didn’t realize could be used to fund college in Europe. The Polish-conducted programs are free, so the English-conducted programs are seen as the university's cash cow. Josh dispelled my images of crowded lectures and no contact with professors. His program is the largest English-conducted program at the university and has only 300 students in total. Students take courses with other students in the same year. Josh is in his second year, which has only 70 other students. For most of his classes, the 70 students are split into three groups of just over 20 students each, though there are a few lecture courses that they all attend together. The groupings also provide some flexibility for students. If a student has to miss a class with their group on one day, they can go to the other group's class the next day. Josh said that the professors are very accessible and encourage students to interact in class, during office hours, and through email. Josh told me that the international office handles any issues international students have, so students don’t have many struggles with the non-English-speaking offices within the university. The size of the university does cause some bureaucratic headaches. For instance, it took the school six months to reimburse Josh for a trip he had funding for. Josh echoed what I hear from American students throughout Europe—that they are incredibly happy with their decision to study in Europe and that the impact of having the perspectives of students with tremendously different backgrounds is life-changing.