The Foreign Service Journal, June 2022

66 JUNE 2022 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT Utrecht. “The diplomas are globally rec- ognized, and the universities place high in many different rankings.” Popular Dutch programs include the liberal arts colleges, but options are not limited to these degrees. Students can complete a STEM degree completely in English at several universities there. Outside the Netherlands, the Carl Benz School of Engineering at Karlsruhe University in Germany or the Czech Technical University in Prague are but two among the other options that exist for English speakers in Europe. Some European, U.K. and Irish uni- versities offer dual degree programs in partnership with American universities. For example, the prestigious French university, the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences-Po), partners with more than 80 U.S. uni- versities, including Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern and the University of California system. The University of St. Andrews in Scotland is another example; it has a partnership with the College of William and Mary. And Trinity College Dublin now offers a dual bachelor’s program through its partnership with Columbia University. American universities throughout the U.K., Ireland and Europe also feature an American approach to education with four-year degree programs. These universities are regionally accredited in the U.S., nonprofit and operate on U.S. academic credit systems. How do I find out more, and how does the application process differ from the American system? If a student is interested in studying abroad, be prepared to spend more time researching the basics and organizing information independently. Admis- sions requirements can vary by program or course of study (degree) and need to be researched university by univer- sity. UCAS (the University College and Admissions Service) has a great tool for researching programs through its website (www.ucas.com ). The Nether- lands also has an excellent site at www. studyfinder.nl. Some universities are found on the American application platform, the Common Application, which makes it easy to add another university to the application list. If students depend on finding a university using that only, however, they will miss out on a sub- stantial number of opportunities. British and Scottish universities use UCAS, a centralized system that allows students to apply to up to five universities. The Irish universities have their own unique application, the CAO (Centralized Application Office, found at www.cao.ie ), as do many other uni- versities. Generally, the most important ele- ments that universities abroad look for are the high school transcript, grades, personal statement, perhaps a letter of reference (recommendation) and stan- dardized testing (look on each website to confirm what is needed for each major and course). Extracurricular activities in many foreign universities are not scrutinized as closely as in the U.S., yet some private universities in Europe clearly state that they look for meaningful engagement and examples of leadership during the student’s high school years. Regarding the timeline for applica- tions, universities will publish the date their applications open and close, and the expected time it takes to render a decision. Appli- cations open and close at different times of the year, too. Because it takes extra diligence to research and organize all the options, it’s important and a wise strategy to start earlier than the action date the applications open. What about testing in a test- optional world? Since the United States does not have a national curriculum with leaving, or exit, exams, it’s more difficult for foreign universities to understand the various experiences and opportunities that American students have had. Therefore, students on track to receive a standard American high school diploma need to demonstrate some commonly accepted level of competence in certain subject areas. The SAT and ACT are relevant in these situations. Universities abroad tend to be very specific, however, about the required scores to meet the standard for different programs at their institutions. Related VECTORJUICE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM