<p>I'm an international student and I'm planning to apply for admission for fall 2010. I seem to have a major obstacle on my way. Namely, I'm already enrolled in a local university and I've studied there for a year (which means by fall 2010 I will have studied for 2 years, that makes about 120 ECTS in European Credit System). I was planning to apply as a freshman, but now it seems that at least some universities do not accept you as a freshman once you have completed a certain number of college credits. I'm not even considering to be a transfer student, because it seems to be too much hassle and I would much rather prefer a new beginning, a "tabula rasa". Besides, I'm planning to change my program.</p>
<p>So here I have a couple of questions and I would be very thankful if you could be so kind and help me. I'm a tad desperate since I have nowhere else to turn to for help. :)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What is the general attitude towards the (international) students, who've already been enrolled and studied elsewhere and who are planning to apply for admission as a freshman? Do you think I have any chance at all to begin my studies as a freshman? Maybe you could be so kind and help me with finding out some schools that do not have such a strict policy?</p></li>
<li><p>I sent an e-mail to University of Virginia asking the same question. Here's the reply I got: "If you are completing a minimum of 24 college credits before matriculating, you would be considered a transfer student." Can anyone please help me exactly understanding the college credits, what would 24 college credits be in European system?</p></li>
<li><p>There are probably dozens of threads about this. I have also seen all kinds of lists, but I still must ask this question. Not being the wealthiest person (are there any students, who can say they are wealthy anyway? :)), could you please give me some pointers how to choose schools - which schools feel more generous towards internationals?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks a lot for any information that you think could help me. I'm extremely grateful! :)</p>
<p>You will be a transfer student because of the university-level courses you will have completed.</p>
<p>Depending on the number of transfer equivalencies that the college/university actually awards you, and on the choice of major field, you may need to spend a full four years at that university.</p>
<p>In the US, a class that has three hours of lecture each week usually is a three credit class. A class with three hours of laboratory each week might be only a one credit class. There are several companies in the US that will give you a formal evaluation of your transcript. One that has a good reputation in my area is [World</a> Education Services - International Education Intelligence](<a href=“http://www.wes.org/]World”>http://www.wes.org/)</p>
<p>30-32 credits corresponds to 60 ECTS credits, the normal course load for one academic year.</p>
<p>Applying as a transfer student does not have any direct disadvantages. Among other things, grades do <em>not</em> transfer (at least not at the University of Virginia), so you would start over GPA-wise. You might also be able to use some of your credits to fulfill graduation requirements, place into advanced courses or shorten the time to graduation. Also note that you are not forced to graduate once you reach the required number of credits to graduate. Most colleges will let you stay for an extra year if you really want to. If you plan to change your major, you might have to stay a bit longer anyway to fulfill all requirements for the new major.</p>
<p>I got a year’s worth of transfer credit for some work I did in high school. I enjoy the flexibility I get from those credits because I can take a reduced course load each semester and focus more on the classes I am actually interested in. </p>
<p>On a side note, not all credits transfer. The courses from your old institution typically have to be similar to courses offered at the new college in order to transfer. For example, a liberal arts college would not accept business credits, and no American undergraduate college would accept law or medicine courses. In the worst-case scenario none of your credits might transfer. In that case you might have to start over as a first-year student even though you had to apply as a transfer student.</p>
<p>I just read your post again and I would like to correct my earlier post in response to your point #3. The one disadvantage of an international transfer applicant is that most colleges do not consider international transfer applicants for financial aid, even though international first-year applicants might be eligible.</p>
<p>I guess then I am pretty much screwed then seeing that it is harder to be accepted as a transfer applicant, plus of course the financial aid problem. :(</p>