As October rolls around, college application season comes in full swing. Seniors prepare for long nights of writing supplementals and a season of anxiety awaiting them after the lengthy process. However, the endless opportunities beyond high school remain a motivation. For many students, the realm of possibilities extends not only across the US, but across the world through an exciting option: international colleges.  

Top Tier Admissions, a college counseling resource and blog, recounts a variety of factors contributing to the rising US student interest in international colleges, including affordability and the intrigue of an international experience. Westridge alumna Lily Johnson ’25, who is attending school in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh, said, “To know the most I am ever going to pay is something I can afford even if I have no scholarship or financial aid is really important to me.” 

Lily’s main tuition, even as an international student, equates to the reduced cost of an American college after significant financial aid. Students also save money through the standard three-year undergraduate degree available in many international universities in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe. Senior Skye I. believes the reduced costs internationally change her perception around college, especially in the Netherlands, where she is interested in attending college. She said, “[In the Netherlands], college is less of a business and more about teaching the students so that they can provide for the country.”   

The international experience also offers a more focused curriculum around a specific and engaging experience. Lily, who is majoring in Art History and Architecture, said, “For my major, it is great to be somewhere where you can travel around and go to those historical sites because my major is so centered around the physical artifacts of history. It really gives you a chance to be a little bit more hands on with your education.”

Though Lily decided to apply to international colleges before the results of the 2024 Presidential Election were released, she felt that being away from the US, especially with the political climate, made her feel better about the decision. While currently applying for college, Katie M. ’26 considers the US political environment. “The state of the US is heading so downhill that I think in order for me to be safe, I would need to attend a school that’s not in the US,” she said.

Some students like seniors Sage K. and Skye I. expressed an interest in international schools because of familial connections to European countries. Additionally, for Skye, attending college in Europe offers a gateway to a future career there. “All my family lives in Europe, and I want to live closer to them and have a career and family in Europe. In the Netherlands especially, they have a more easygoing atmosphere and attitude towards work and school,” she said. “You don’t spend hours working at the desk. When you go home, you’re done.”

Every year, around 10% to 20% of the Westridge senior class expresses interest in applying internationally. College Counseling has also begun surveying sophomores and juniors about their interest and has discovered that more sophomore and junior classes at Westridge are intrigued by applying internationally. However, Dr. Monique Eguavoen, Director of College Counseling, said, “When it comes time for seniors to apply, the numbers [of applicants for international colleges] are lower and historically more consistent.”

In response to growing interest, College Counseling works with UK College Admissions, a resource that provides office hours to guide US students interested in UK colleges. During the Jumpstart Workshop, a week organized by College Counseling to help seniors prepare for college applications, UK College Admissions hosted a virtual information session.  

Among the many differences, the application process is significantly different. In the US, college institutions prioritize a holistic approach: examining a student’s essays, experiences, grades, personal impact, recommendations, and extracurriculars. However, international application platforms like UCAS, a system for United Kingdom colleges, provide a more straightforward approach, asking about coursework and test scores. The system, Lily described, is “a shockingly rigid and academic experience.”  

As the application process diverges from that of US institutions, more students seek support with the process, especially from the Upper School College Counseling department. Dr. Eguavoen highlights the resources that College Counseling provides for students, with Ms. Kathleen O’Reilly serving as the International College liaison. College Counseling also hosted the first international college fair since the pandemic, which Sage commented was helpful for UK colleges, but not as much for other universities in Europe. “Having somebody from another main European country, not just England, to come and talk to us would be helpful,” she said.

Dr. Monique Eguavoen commented that the College Counseling Department reached out to university representatives from other countries for the fair, but received interest from UK, Greece, Spain, and New Zealand representatives.

However, some current seniors feel that the College Counseling Department provides more support for students applying domestically.  “I think it is the nature of being a college counselor in the US, like you are going to center around [domestic colleges],” Sage said.

“It would be helpful if they branch out like they do in the US; they encourage us to look at all the schools or a lot of schools, and I would like to see that with international schools,” Katie said.

As a result, students have pursued the international application process more independently. However, Dr. Eguavoen emphasizes the support she hopes to provide to students if they have questions. “In the same way the College Counseling team collaborates in researching and learning more about programs in the US, we do the same for international institutions – especially in a country where a Westridge student hasn’t applied before,” she said.

The international college thrill offers an exciting opportunity for students to learn more about themselves within the context of the world while immersing in a foreign culture. With the international college possibility, the world truly does become your oyster.  

Correction (11:22 a.m. Sep. 29):

 – A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the 2025 International College Fair was the first ever. However it was actually the first International College Fair since the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous version also did not acknowledge that the college counseling team reached out to colleges and universities from multiple countries but only received responses from the colleges that attended.