I’ve recently been looking at unis in England and I fell in love! I want an education at a top uni or name that people recognize and know, but still is realistically acceptable for me to get into. I’m a US citizen and id also like to know if the colleges there would financially assist me. Thanks!
No they will not provide financial assistance. UK schools admit US citizens because they are prepared to pay full price. In some cases, that is lower than full price in the US, but that’s it.
UK universities will not provide financial assistance at all. In addition, the odds of going to a university that’s recognized in the US (outside of grad schools) is very, very low. Pretty much no one’s heard of Durham or would have any idea whether Glasgow or Manchester are good or crummy 3rd rate “city colleges” (they are top schools - Russell group).
Also, typically universities in England such as Oxbridge have a 3-year curriculum; so you have to basically know what you want to study when you matriculate. In Scotland, the universities have a 4-year curriculum, and so are structured a little more like U.S. universities in that regard; but you may still have issues with flexibility in changing your program of study at those universities should you decide to do so.
UK university admissions are heavily based on standardized testing: SATs + APs/SAT IIs. Based on your other thread, your stats simply aren’t there for the universities that many people in America have heard of (that is, Oxford, Cambridge and LSE; depending on the audience maybe Edinburgh, UCL, KCL).
And, the other posters are right: there is virtually no scholarship money for non-nationals.
Yes, UK higher education is VERY different from that in the U.S.A. It is very unlikely that you would get financial aid. However, there are some relative bargains among UK universities and some schools do greatly encourage international students to check them out. One is Queens University Belfast in Northern Ireland. There’s a YouTube video of two American young women (undergrads) studying at QUB. Check it out.
Queens Belfast is excellent (Russell group) and, as long as one has read up a little about North Ireland before going so as to avoid major faux pas or cultural insensitivity, Belfast is a great town for college students.
Agree with LakeWashington (who has done her homework)- there are some good bargains, and plenty of great programs, if the OP can get past the ‘prestige’ name piece (which seems to be an important element).
Your posting history shows an SAT of 1900. That will preclude merit aid at most US schools.
I’ve had a look at some of your other threads and see your current high school doesn’t offer any APs. That basically puts any UK university out of reach for you, I’m afraid. Your only option would be to do a foundation or access course first; these are typically a year long. Financial aid for either these courses or full degree courses is very hard to come by.
What can you afford to pay, and what subject are you interested in studying? Foundation courses are a bit broader, but once you start the degree you need to commit to a specific subject or combination of subjects.
Regarding costs, keep in mind that it’s only a 3-year program at UK universities. Also, if I understand correctly, there are few, if any, assigned textbooks. Students are free to acquire the textbooks for their programmes as they see fit. If that were the case in the U.S.A. students would save hundreds of dollars in costs, particularly STEM students.
No kidding, @LakeWashington! D1 is in the UK in a humanities subject, and has not had to buy a single book. D2 i sin the US in a STEM subject, and her (required) text books are regularly $100+ each. There are rental / buy-back / second hand options (which we use as much as possible) but it is still a big chunk.
Financial aid in the U.K. is not on the basis of citizenship but of residence. A US citizen can get a grant provided he or she meets the requirements for residency. Also, you could be a British subject and still not be entitled to a grant if you have not been a resident there for the last three years.
IQM: a US citizen would need to not only be resident but also to have permanent residence legal status, i.e. be on the path to citizenship.
In any case, it’s irrelevant for the OP.
“Only” 100 bucks, Collegemom3717? LOL. When Lake Jr. began studies at his STEM university I got weak in the knees when I saw the price of STEM books. Huh? I’ve said before on this board that if money is tight, parents and students in STEM should seek out lower cost options for textbooks. The Britons have it right.