U.S. students flock to get their undergraduate degrees abroad

<p>I don't know about undergrad, but I'm gung-ho for foreign universities for my grad degree. Tuition per year for a masters student in the US is about $20k in my discipline ($30k+ for places like U. Mich.). Conversely, a year as an international student at Alberta in Canada will be $9k including fees, and living costs won't be much different.</p>

<p>How would either of the IR programs at St. Andrews or Richmond compare to the top IR programs in the US? Would job placement be difficult with a foreign degree?</p>

<p>I've never heard of Richmond. St Andrews has one of the best IR programs in the world. It would compare favorably with Princeton, Georgetown, Columbia, etc.</p>

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My friends who got rejected from UMichigan rolling, NYU, Bates all got in there. Some of them decided to attend, because it's supposedly "prestigious" and abroad, so there's no embarssment for not going to great American schools.

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<p>Aside from the fact that the vast majority of Asian-American students attend community college or a state university, it's interesting/amusing to note that the usual suspects aren't here pontificating about how these students are just "prestige-mongers."</p>

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they don't care about your high school grades at all, they don't really trust most American high schools no matter how good they are, they want exam grades.

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All universities in the UK judge mainly on academics. ECs are no more than a couple of lines in your personal statement usually.

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<p>Oh, the horror!</p>

<p>Where is all the sniping commentary (that comes up when discussing universities in Asia and their admissions policies)?</p>

<p>Anyway - this article is a bit overblown.</p>

<p>A segment of the "elite" in the US have always gone overseas (well, to Europe, esp. the UK) for higher education.</p>

<p>Doesn't really impact the general population.</p>

<p>I do not think the tuition, room, and board is cheaper than a US alternative. When you add up all of the costs, I think it is in the $40K range. Of course, it all depends on the exchange rate.</p>

<p>Hi, I don't really want to study in UK, but I'd be interested in Ireland, specifically, Trinity College. </p>

<p>I was wondering if I would get any aid? I'm guessing no, because I'm an international, but who knows. Tuition is like 20k Euros, so about 25k USD, not too bad, but add all the other costs of being international, and I'm looking at 40k+.</p>

<p>I'd probably major in business, but how would job placement be in America? Because I can't stay in Ireland, right? I might join the military, my degree would still be recognized, right? </p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>Any one have any experience with PhD funding at universities in Scotland (St Andrews, etc)??</p>

<p>PhDs in the US are fully funded as to tuition and a living stipend in exchange for teaching or research duties. It does not seem to be the same case in the UK :(</p>

<p>St Andrews isn't all that cold compared to Montreal or Toronto. I don't think it's even cold compared to Chicago. The dorm food is pretty bad, and it's quite isolated (you have to take a fairly long bus or taxi ride to get the train station). There seems to be a lot more students from England than from Scotland. Dorms are fairly spartan. Town is amazingly quaint, with beaches and the North Sea adjacent to the town and university. Seemed to me like a place better suited for Americans seeking a grad degree in 1 or 2 years...can't imagine spending 4 years there.</p>

<p>For a moment I did think about the University of Toronto and McGill for undergrad...and now I'm thinking about University of Toronto for law school (McGill requires French proficiency, so that complicates things significantly). As far as practicing goes, no problem, I'll just practice in Canada ;)</p>

<p>Hong Kong universities offer decent programs. Some fields are quite good; actuarial science at HKU is probably better than any in the US.</p>

<p>I had looked into going to a foreign school, especially in London. I had my heart set on Richmond American University in London, right up until the point I found out that the maximum scholarship would only cover half of tuition. For the most part, it isn't cheap to study in the UK...</p>

<p>St. Andrews...isn't that where Blair Hornstine ended up going?</p>

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Oh, anther personal anecdote. My SAT tutor whom I worked with over the summer is there right now as a graduate student. He went to Harvard for undergrad. He's a bartender at one of the bars that undergraduates love to go. He says most of the undergraduates at St. Andrew's are snobby, rich, and have no concern about studying or future. Just there on daddy's money.... to party.

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<p>... sounds like the US ivies, eh?</p>

<p>also, are you trying to make the point that there are not many students with "wealthy" parents at ivy league schools?</p>

<p>If you are going to apply to a foreign country, I suggest that you sample the university ranking of that country. It helps if you make an effort to look through the UK rankings done by the Times, for example.</p>

<p>My cousin goes to St. Andrew's and the next school year she is coming over to Seattle for a study abroad year. She's Scottish.</p>

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I think these are the key questions. The article shares what the addition of US students does for the foreign schools (MONEY) but not much about what the students get from the experience other than the living abroad in a different culture part. It even mentions the lack of global job recruiting at St. Andrews. I suppose it would be ok if you were planning grad school? Even working in the UK is not an option due to visa restrictions - I think they allow UK educated foreigners to work up to 2 years in the UK?</p>

<p>Editing to add that I think this trend is similar to the "buy my kid an internship" program that I have seen in foreign countries. Companies pay a local wage for the internship which is hardly anything and the student pays the flight, apartment rental and living expenses and has minimal duties at the company but gets to put it on their resume as a foreign work experience.

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<p>No working opportunities in the UK is brilliant, and there are lots of very lucrative careers in the City of London, experience with the BBC World Service, etc. </p>

<p>For getting work: yes there are obstacles. People who are EU citizens (UK is in the EU) can work in the UK and anywhere within the EU. For Americans, you need a work permit. I know of an American girl who studied a MSc at LSE and is now working for BarCap now. Another American got employed for a M&A datamine, got an offer but couldn't secure a work permit, but that was like 10 years ago?!</p>

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I had looked into going to a foreign school, especially in London. I had my heart set on Richmond American University in London, right up until the point I found out that the maximum scholarship would only cover half of tuition. For the most part, it isn't cheap to study in the UK...

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If you really want to have a foreign experience, enrol in a UK university, specifically an English one. If you do certain branches of science or engineering in an English university, you will be surprised at the level of work you will be doing at the first year.</p>

<p><a href="UK%20is%20in%20the%20EU">quote</a>

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<p>Pity, isn't it? ;) Britain can do better at governance than the Eurocrats, dangit!!</p>

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Pity, isn't it? Britain can do better at governance than the Eurocrats, dangit!!

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Yes we can, but it is never smart to take sides between the US or the EU. It's much better to just ride the tide.</p>

<p>Indeed.</p>

<p>Though at the moment I'd side with the side that isn't plagued by violent radical rioters ;)</p>

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Indeed.</p>

<p>Though at the moment I'd side with the side that isn't plagued by violent radical rioters

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I assume you are saying France (Europe). Not really, more troubles are going to come for the US. BofA and Wells Fargos probably need to raise fresh capital again, and, after sub-prime, credit card loans are next as Americans are too in debt. It is fortunate that London has a pretty good relationship with the middle-east and is also the only Islamic finance centre in the "western world." There are lots of rich Indians buying properties in London and an influx of Chinese. It's important to be a pragmatist instead of an ideologue.</p>