Hello! I am currently a student in G12 in international school in Georgia with an IB diploma curriculum. I want to apply for international relations majors in the US and Europe (other countries is also under consideration). Im planning to work in the field of diplomacy in NGOs, since I found it inappropriate to work as an ambassador of my country, which is now occupied under the illegitimate regime of Luskeshenko (I’m from Belarus). I want to study in a school, which offers along with a strong department of politics and international relations, high-qualitative courses in languages.
stat and info ab me:
IB subjects and grades IBY1 (HL: Eng lang and lit - 5, History - 7, Glo Po - 7, Math AI SL - 7, Bio - 6, Belarussian self-taught - 7) overall 39/42
Duolingo English Test - 125 (planning to pass TOEFL on 110+)
1-10 Grade was in Belarusian state school - (sry i don’t know how to convert it to gpa still) grade 9 - 9.07/10.0, grade 10 - 9.3/10.0
Also a small question within: is it worth it to pass sat, despite the fact that it is optional this year in many universities and i prbly won’t get 1500+?
and, generally, if you have some tips for me, as for international student with high financial need, I would appreciate it a lot, since I am not really familiar with the topic of applying abroad. i was planning to apply only to Belarussian universities, but eventually won a scholarship to study in the IB program in Georgia.
The difficulty in being international with high need cannot be understated.
Are you a boy or a girl?
Are you in a United World College?
Some US colleges have UWC scholarships and special partnerships. Those should be your first choices.
If you speak a little French, the Sciences Po program in Dijon (I Think it is offered in English but check ) would likely love to have a student from Belarus (who escaped). Their focus is Eastern Europe.
You usually wouldn’t need to take the TOEFL if you have a Duolingo score.
Thanks a lot for the pieces of advice. I appreciate it.
I am the girl and not a part of UWC colleges. But I really liked the variant in France. Thanks once more.
Yes… but most of the schools on that list are also need aware for international students. This means the students level of financial need will be considered when their application for admission is reviewed.
There are excellent women’s colleges but they’re need aware, meaning that if you need significant financial aid, they may like what you bring but won’t be able to “afford” you.
Your Belarusian grades probably place you in the top 1% nationally and your 39 is competitive anywhere.
You do need to improve your English HL score, if you’re doing it as Language A see if it could be Language B instead?
Have you studied any other foreign language?
What score do you think you can get on the SAT or ACT? 1500 is very difficult to reach (fewer than 1% do), but 1430 could unlock some scholarships. However I also know that students in educational systems that rest on long-form writing do very poorly compared to their actual level when it comes to these standardized tests.
Right now, fill out the “request info” form or the “join our mailing list” form at
Mount Holyoke
Smith
Bryn Mawr
Agnes Scott
Scripps
Brandeis
Middlebury
Dickinson
Plus the usual suspects: HYP, Amherst (they are need blind, meaning they won’t care about your financial need when making their decision, and they are full need, meaning that if they admit you they’ll provide you with enough scholarships to attend. Your odds are, of course, minuscule, because there are only a few seats per school and thousands upon thousands apply).