Crazy thought: The US isn’t the only country with great colleges.

When thinking about college in another country, most students think of a gap year or a semester-long study abroad program built into their “normal” college experience. But what about making a college in another country your whole college experience?

You can.

There are a number of articles on various pros and cons of choosing to attend a foreign university, and I’d encourage you to explore them. We’re going to focus on the financial implications.

Financial Pros of Choosing to Go To College in Another Country

• Most obvious: Built in study abroad—rather than having to stitch together funding for multiple trips abroad during your college years, you will have figured out the costs in advance

• Less obvious: Lower tuition in many countries

  • 7 Countries With Nearly Free College

  • And in some countries, bachelors programs are 3 years rather than 4 → lower costs for you.

Financial Cons of Choosing to Go To College in Another Country

• Most obvious: Added expense of travel. Travelling home for breaks takes more serious planning than hopping in the car for a few hours.

• Less obvious: Sometimes federal or state aid doesn’t apply (in most cases*) beyond US borders. This means students who would qualify for the Pell Grant (more on this in the next section when we discuss the FAFSA) generally can’t apply the grant abroad. Also federal student loans are mostly not accepted at foreign institutions. (There are exceptions to this, such as these awesome institutions, as well as American universities that are located in other countries, as these are actually a kind of private college.) For this reason, international universities are typically the best financial fit for students in Quadrants #2 and #4 who wouldn’t qualify for federal or state need-based aid anyways.

  • There are some schools in the UK and Canada that accept the FAFSA and that students can take federal loans out for. Check here for more.

Here are some of the top countries where American students enroll:

1. United Kingdom

2. Germany

3. Iceland

4. France

5. Norway

6. Sweden

7. Finland

8. Slovakia

9. Australia

10. New Zealand

Two other super important, non-financial things to consider before deciding to apply to college abroad: 

1. Language: You may speak a second language fluently enough to complete college coursework in it. If not, you’ll need to ensure that the classes you’ll need for your desired major will be offered in English.

2. Licensing and accreditation: If you plan to pursue a career in a field that requires professional licensure (medicine, law, engineering, education, or even business, just to name a few) then you REALLY need to make certain that you can either become licensed in that country as a foreign citizen or that your degree from a foreign institution will allow you to return to the US to work in that profession.

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Action Item: If you think attending college in another country could be a solid personal and financial option for you, set aside one hour to research foreign universities either by program (if you know what major you’d like to pursue) or by country (if you know where you’d like to study). Once you’ve identified a university you think could be a fit, reach out to the admissions office to begin asking about your options as an American student. There is usually a designated admissions counselor for “international students,” which in this case would be you!

Which college type would you like to explore next?

• Public In-state Universities

• Public Out-of-State Universities

• Private Colleges/Universities

• Two-year Colleges

Or perhaps now you’ve got a solid list of 6-8 colleges you’re confident can be affordable and are ready to move on to the next of our four steps: the FAFSA.

Or maybe you need a break. Take it. Leave this tab open. It’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready.