What are the Different Options for International Higher Education?

International higher education — that is, university-level studies in a country not one’s own — can be a valuable experience on any number of fronts. In some cases, international higher education may give a student the opportunity to receive a better education than is otherwise available in his or her home country. Other times, it can be a chance to experience a new culture, and a rare opportunity to spend an extended period of time abroad. The options for international higher education are similarly diverse, ranging from degree programs at either the undergraduate or graduate level to semester or year abroad programs.

Higher education programs are available in most countries of the world, but on different scales. The number of colleges and universities in bigger countries like Canada and the United States far outweighs the comparable number available in smaller countries like Ireland or Japan, for instance. Students native to smaller countries may want a wider pool of options, or may be seeking a certain prestige not available at home. Older educational institutions, such as Oxford and Cambridge in England, Harvard and Yale in the United States, and the Sorbonne in France, carry with them a prestige that is internationally recognized.

The most traditional option for international higher education is the pursuit of a degree abroad. Students will choose a university or college that has certain desirable attributes, be they prestige, location, or program selection. The student will then apply as an international student. International higher education degrees are frequently pursued for both undergraduate and graduate studies in any number of disciplines.

Overall value of the international degree is an important consideration for any student considering enrolling in a foreign degree program. There are no universal international standards of higher education, which means that some foreign schools are necessarily better — and better respected — than others. While a degree from a school like Oxford or the Yale is likely to be internationally recognized, not all foreign universities carry that benefit.

A university degree is a timely and costly thing to pursue, and a student should be sure that the degree to be earned will be transferable, not to mention recognized, back in the home country. This is a particular concern for graduate students in professional programs. Professional degrees like medicine and law may not be recognized outside of the degree-granting institution’s country, and students interested in these programs should research the matter before investing time and energy into earning the degree.

A more common option for international higher education is a semester- or year-long study abroad program. Study abroad is a way for a student to integrate into a foreign college or university as if he or she were a student there. The study abroad student lives, studies, and takes classes with the regularly enrolled students, but at the end of the allotted time, returns back to his or her home institution. Many higher education study abroad programs are organized by a student’s home university, which eliminates worries that credits may not transfer or courses may not be recognized.