<p>My neighbor and her daughter are closet CC addicts and I am posting this following a conversation we had the other night. The daughter is a rising 11th grader with great grades scores and ecs, even by CC standards. She's also very adventurous and likes to take the unbeaten path.</p>
<p>The subject of our discussion was the number of internationals who go to school in the U.S., and especially those seeking substantial financial aid. One of this girl's criteria is that she wants to go to a school with a large population of internationals because she wants the exposure to a global world and wants to make friends from across the continents.</p>
<p>All of this lead up to...what about US students who want to take their college years in a foreign university? She's not interested in England, she wants a completely different experience. Not a study abroad program, but as a regularly enrolled student. Is it possible for a US student to go to college in India or China or Korea or Sweden? What financial aid is available?</p>
<p>This girl would do it in a heartbeat if it is a possibility. Does anyone have any experience or advice?</p>
<p>I really can't answer the question for you...but one thing is that the student should be fluent in the language in which the courses will be taught. I want to venture that at least some foreign universities do not teach their courses in English.</p>
<p>Not much to go on. I know, and know of, kids who have done this in England and Aurstralia, but that's not what you mean. I know lots of kids who have done this in Canada, but that's REALLY not what you mean (although McGill, an anglophone university in a francophone city, might be a practical option here).</p>
<p>There was a thread within the last year about applying to the Grandes Ecoles in France that was very informative; you should search for it. (They have a website, natch, with a fairly full discussion of what it takes for a foreign applicant to be accepted, and that gives the impression that a few foreign applicants are accepted from time to time.) It also appears to be relatively easy to register at one of the colleges constituting the Sorbonne, but also relatively difficult to get a good overall educational experience there. One of my daughter's college friends, however, spent two semesters as a student there outside of any packaged study-abroad program.</p>
<p>Last year, my son befriended a girl he met at a conference in Washington. She is from Costa Rica, and is in some program where she did her last year of high school in Taiwan and will go to the national university there, in Mandarin of course. She isn't paying for this; someone's government is (although whether it is Costa Rica's or Taiwan's I don't know). That sounded unbelievably cool and brave to me. I have no idea what the program is, but knowing it's out there might help you find it.</p>
<p>Would she consider attending American University that has a campus in another country? Everything taught in English there, all scholarships are applicabale and it is in a middle of Europe.</p>
<p>She should think long and hard about the differences in educational systems.</p>
<p>Many countries have a much bigger emphasis on rote learning, or expect students to focus on specific subject matter beginning year one.</p>
<p>For example, when I attended a German university as an exchange student (many moons ago), the emphasis was on passing the exit exams, so students didn't worry too much about attending class. Since it was entirely government funded, the classes tended to be large lectures.</p>
<p>That being said, one student who just graduated from my daughters' high school (and who does not appear to be French) will attend "Inst. d'Etudes Politiques, Paris," so there's one school that accepts American students.</p>
<p>Is it the best school? No. Is it a wonderful, life-changing experience? Yes. Especially if a major reason for attending is being immersed in another culture/language. One becomes fluent quickly in that setting!</p>
<p>I would think twice before going to a foreign college. If you intend to live and work in the US, a diploma from a foreign institution can create all sorts of trouble. Many employers now require verification of educational credentials and their US equivalency by an accredited organization. A friend was changing jobs, and the new employer requested this documentation from her in spite of well-established career, publication record and recommendations from her former US employers. She had to get a letter from one of such places that her French Ph.D. was in fact equivalent to a US Ph.D. degree (to to the tune of $300!). Study abroad for a semester or two would be a more desirable option, IMHO. Plus, the dollar is still sinking.</p>
<p>Another possibility would be for her to do a year of student exchange with AFS, YFU, Rotary or another organization. Some of these organizations may even have openings for the 08-09 school year. She could try the international experience, get a look at universities in the country where she is located for that year, and make friends with other exchange students from around the world.</p>
<p>United World Colleges used to offer different two year programs in interesting locations around the world. They would also be good to look at.</p>
<p>I don't know how hard it is to be admitted to Australian universities, but I do know that students automatically get a work permit (I think it is for 20 hours per week) and can find jobs wherever they like, rather than being limited to only working on campus.</p>
<p>It may also be easier for her to get her graduate degree in another country rather than undergrad. By then, she won't have the same worries about "specializing" too soon.</p>
<p>Americans wanting to study abroad can register directly with the university in question. So, say your D is interested in Sweden: she can research which school appeals to her the most, and then contact the school about their admission/financial policies. Of course, at most of these universities, she'd be expected to know Swedish (or Chinese or Korean -- unless they had special English-language courses for other Internationals.) The fees will vary -- in some countries they can be laughably low compared to the US.
That said, a student needs to work closely with their own university if she/he wants credit: getting credit from studies at International universities can be tricky. Some schools will only grant credit from certain "partner" schools with which they have agreements -- and you usually have to go on the home school's program (like study abroad) and pay the appropriate -- and usually very high! -- fees. Google 'direct enrollment' and you'll find all kinds of info.</p>