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Can I attend a american high school when I'm not american?

Studying Abroad: What advice would you give to an American high school student looking to attend college in England?

  • I am currently a sophomore at an American high school. I want to earn my bachelor's degree in English and/or Instrumental Music at an English university. What information should I be aware of? What universities accept foreign students, and what requirements must I meet? What should I expect? Is there a special track I should be taking? What's it like to attend college in another country? What will the cost be, and what are ways to combat that? I appreciate answers concerning all aspects of the experience, before, during, and after.

  • Answer:

    First off, Britain is an expensive place to study.  The fees will be similar to attending a college in the US.  Expect to pay £10-15,000 per year (about $20-25,000).  Scholarships are also much rarer than in the US.  You are allowed to work part-time, up to 15 hours a week on a student visa. Accommodation is also expensive in the UK.  You'll need around $500-1,000 per month on top of that.  If you study outside of London, the rent is not as expensive and you'll get more of a taste of student/campus life.  Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow, Bristol and Leeds are recommended if you like partying.  Durham, Oxford, Cambridge, Sterling and York are recommended if you like history and want to have an 'on campus' experience. Sharing a room is very uncommon in British Universities.  You'll probably be offered rooms on campus in your first year, but then most students move into a house/flat share with friends in the subsequent years. If you go to University in Scotland, your degree is four years, but you automatically get a Masters degree. St Andrews, Oxford and Cambridge and the University of London are the most prestigious, followed by the so-called Russell Group: http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/our-universities.aspx Entry to the most prestigious Universities is quite competative, though less so for overseas students, as they pay more!  I don't know the American high school grades system, but in the UK, you'd need to be getting straight As or Bs to attend the Russell Group/Oxbridge.  Some of the newer Universities will accept just about anybody.  I would add that, if money is an issue, you should consider studying elsewhere in Europe.  Many European Universities have degrees which are taught in English and cost hundreds rather than thousands of pounds. All Universities accept, indeed welcome, foreign students.  Getting a  student Visa as an American to do an undergraduate degree is no problem.

Kerry Smallman at Quora Visit the source

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While it is true that education in the UK is quite expensive, the actual courses are often shorter than their counterparts abroad so it could work out being cheaper overall. Depending on your visa, you may also be able to work part time during your course (which is quite popular among UK students) so it will also help with the cost. As Kerry said, most universities (if not all) accept foreign students and you shouldn't have any difficulties getting a student visa to attend. As a native English speaker, you will not need to take any of the standard language assessments for foreign students, but you will need to meet the grades necessary to be admitted - this depends entirely on the course and university that you choose. You may find some useful information on this blog: http://study-in-uk-blog.com/ Although it's a small country, the regions and universities are very different; studying in Leeds is very different to studying at Cambridge, and the local culture is amazingly diverse for such a small island. One of the other benefits of moving to the UK is that it is so close to other European countries and you will be able to explore Europe with relative ease; Paris is just a few hours from London on the train. While there is no 'special track' to take to get into university in the UK, it's always useful to have a helping hand in the process. You could use a study service or immigration consultant (http://www.globalvisas.com/study_abroad/study_in_the_uk.html) to help you choose a university, apply, and relocate. You will probably want to get accommodation at the university for the first year, and then move out with friends afterwards. You should also remember things like opening local bank accounts, getting a local phone and shipping your belongings. If you want to decide on a good university for your studies, Times Higher Education ( http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk) is very reputable and gives a lot of information. Many universities also have an 'alternative prospectus' made by students to give you the 'real' information rather than university PR.

Mark Harris

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