There are so many things to consider when starting to look for Universities in Europe. Some of the main things to consider are....
- Accreditation, how well is the program you are looking at ranked? If its lower on the tables you may struggle to bring your degree back to America.
- International programs. Are there other international students from America there? If you cant find this information out with a quick google search, it might be an indicator that the program is not so popular with American students... though this isn't necessarily a bad thing, its something to be aware of.
- Price! That's what we are all so worried about, and it seems to be at the top of everyone's list of priorities. While most European programs are substantially cheaper than American ones (and if not, they are usually only 3 years instead of 4), things to keep in mind are exchange rates, cost of living (food/housing), and tuition.
- Language requirements. Be 110% sure that your degree is going to be English taught, you can usually get this straight off of the University webpage. Also make sure that a language proficiency test (for the countries native language, not English) is not part of the schools entry requirements. Consider that you may be required to take a course on the country's language.
- Visas. If there is a high population of international students, which there is in most of the countries I am covering, then there is a good chance getting a visa isn't too difficult. Keep in mind that visas are an added expense (though not horrendous) and do expire when your student years are over, regulations on getting a more permanent visa after university do differ from country to country.
-Program of Study. For many European schools you are applying for the program (Major), not the university. This means you will have to be sure of what you want to study, because switching majors is not an option. This maybe different at American Universities in Europe (like the American University of Paris) as they are structured more similarly to those in the US.
That being said, the task of finding an accredited degree program that is taught in English can be daunting. However, most countries have a database of all the degree programs at all the Universities in the country where you can narrow your search to English taught only.
Germany:
The German system is known as the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) or German Academic Exchange Service in English. The University search function works similarly to the college boards, though there are far fewer criteria to select. Just enter the name of the school or program, select course level (bachelor/masters/PhD), course language, and field of study (arts/sciences/math) to find a list of the programs that match your selections.
From here, you may have to do more research as far as entry requirements (which can be found on the webpage for each individual university), accreditation (which can impact how transferrable your degree is), and language requirements. Checking language requirements is so important no matter what country you are looking to attend university in, because despite the course being English taught they may expect you to have some understanding of the language or take a language proficiency test.
The United Kingdom:
In the UK, its arguably even simpler than in America to find University programs. Through the UCAS system (which you can read more about on a previous post), you can search for and apply to schools all in one. They also have blog posts and articles with advice on every stage of the application process as well as tools to help you create your personal statement. Using your UCAS hub you can favorite your top choices and compare statistics like student satisfaction, average graduate salary, and entry requirements.
The Netherlands:
I have yet to find a national database for this country. Instead I spent some time on the Beyond the States website searching through blog posts to see what schools other American students were looking at. You can find programs by language on each universities website.
- Utrecht University offers 12 English taught Bachelors programs
- Leiden University offers 13 English taught Bachelors programs
- The Hague University of Applied Sciences offers 11 English taught Bachelors
- Erasmus University Rotterdam offers 11 English taught Bachelors
- Groningen University offers 35 English taught Bachelors
And these are just a few, across the Netherlands there are more than 350 English taught Bachelors programs... that's the most out of any other (mainland) European country.
France:
France probably offers the fewest options for English speakers because culturally, the French prefer their own language. Despite many French people speaking English as well, they would prefer to see tourists and students speaking French (or at least making an effort...). That being said, there are still some options... and no matter where you go you will want to develop some language skills for that country. Additionally, a French Bachelors degree is more similar to an American associates... if you plan to live in France after you will more than likely need to pursue a Masters degree.
To find English taught programs you can use the French non-profit Campus France, which is designed to encourage and help students to pursue higher education. I found the website tricky to navigate so here is the link to the English taught program search.
Additionally, a popular school among American international students is, The American University of Paris... it is structured very similar to a college in America, so bachelors degrees here are four years long compared to the typical three.
Comments