<p>Okay, so you probably think I'm another international student trying to gain admission to a great American college. But rather, it's the other way around. I currently live in the U.S., but I'm considering prestigious international schools for undergrad, especially Oxford and the *London School of Economics<a href="U%20of%20London">/i</a>. My questions:</p>
<p>(a) How difficult is it for American students to gain admission to prestigious international universities?
(b) What do British universities consider in the admissions process?
(c) How generous are their financial aid programs, and will it hurt me if I request financial aid?</p>
<p>(a) and (b) are rather complicated. To put it rather briefly, schools in the UK put a tremendous amount of weight on your SAT scores, grades, and IB scores. When you apply, they'll give you an unconditional (you're in no matter what), conditional (you're in but it depends on your IB scores in May), or rejection. An interview can also be important. Fox Oxford you're going to need at least a 1400 on the SAT (or 2100 on the new SAT, I guess). </p>
<p>(c) is an important question. British universities are HORRIBLE for financial aid at the undergraduate level. Basically, be prepared to pay full freight because you are not guaranteed any financial aid at all. In fact, some schools require you to prove that you can cover the cost of attendance before they admit you. There are merit scholarships, but they are very, very, very competitive.</p>
<p>a) I don't know how, if at all, American students are biased against in the international universities admission "race".
b) British universities, barring those with the interviews (Cambridge, Oxford/Medicine courses) usually offer conditional acceptances based on your IB predicted results, your essay and your counselor reference. The essay is a little more of a self-promotion than having an in-depth show yourself essay slant that most American college essays are like. Visit the UCAS site (<a href="http://www.ucas.ac.uk%5B/url%5D">http://www.ucas.ac.uk</a>) and perform searches on your intended major and what each university wants in terms of the whole IB score. If you get the IB score the conditional offer states you must have, or above, then you're able to enroll in the university.
c) I have no idea about the financial aid. I think scholarships, for the uK at least, is extremely hard to get...but for some other European universities, like International Uni of Bremen, they welcome American students and IB students and is, I understand, a little more generous with scholarship money.</p>
<p>I think the previous couple responses underestimate how biased foreign (especially British) universities are against American students. For the top universities, only a good IB score will get u in, some school even specifically say that they almost never accept students without some sort of assessment such as IB, the A-levels or whatever else. However, once you get down to the middle tier schools, you will see some unconditional offers for American students. I had a friend get an unconditional to U of Manchester with three 800 SAT II's and a 2280 on the SAT I. </p>
<p>And yes, the IB score they ask for is the predicted one. However, when they give you a conditional offer, they actually mean the score you need to get on ur exams in May. So, u won't know if ur in till about july.</p>
<p>I have to make my decision by May 1. So how exactly am I supposed to matriculate to a UK school if they don't accept me until July?</p>
<p>My predicted IB score will be at least 43/45. However, my biggest strength is my extracurriculars, which I hear that UK schools don't consider. My first choice is still Harvard, but I'm seriously considering LSE.. if not for undergrad than most certainly for my Masters.</p>
<p>wow, 43/45 is incredible. You'll probably get in. Of course, that will also depend on how difficult the IB program at your school is, because there is a HUGE difference in terms of marking among IB teachers around the world. This is why it's conditional, becaue it's the final exam that counts.</p>
<p>Everyone else is right. Admission to prestigious UK universities is incredibly, incredibly competitive for US students. The system is very different so it's pretty difficult to apply to schools in both - this is ultimately why I didn't apply.</p>
<p>Financial aid is basically impossible. There is no FA as such. The only real attraction British universities find in American students is the exorbitant rate they can charge them (more than four times what they're allowed to charge British students...oh, well the rate for UK students is going up next year I think? It's still more than twice). So there isn't any institutional aid and as UK universities aren't private, if they had to pick between an American student and a British student for the same price, they'll take the British student.</p>
<p>Needed predicted scores for LSE, University of London run around 38 pts or better for conditional acceptance. Reps are visiting us on Thursday. I will see if scores have changed in the last year or so.</p>