During the fall and winter months, Whitman’s halls fill with chatter as seniors discuss their college applications, acceptances and commitments. Close-to-home and top national schools seem to be the most popular, while international schools are notably missing from these conversations.
Students hoping for a college experience outside of the U.S. may feel excluded from peer discussions and counselor meetings as they struggle to find a sense of belonging. To provide students with more options and expose them to international opportunities, MCPS should invest more resources in educating high school students about colleges abroad.
Teenagers are one of the most easily influenced age groups, often relying on conversations with counselors, families and friends to help with the college decision process. As a result, seniors are more likely to consider higher education options closer to home and where their friends plan to attend, sometimes before taking into account cost and personal interests. To make decisions they won’t regret down the line, students need diverse guidance before committing time, money and energy to a school they don’t feel comfortable attending.
Due to the lack of information some schools provide students about international universities, entrepreneurs Petra Frey and Sharka Sengezener founded Europe Option to offer students guidance in the European application process. Sengezener said that her business’s mission isn’t to make students choose Europe, but rather to allow them to compare both systems of schooling so they can decide which fits them best.
“We always assure them that no system is perfect,” Sengezener said. “But it’s always better to try different things and form your own opinion.”
Sengezener and Frey guide students through a simple step-by-step process, beginning by showing them 10 to 15 schools to consider based on their intended major and interests. The counselors then consider personal wants such as school size and main campus language, and later discuss preferences surrounding budgets and locations. This encourages students to think more deeply about what they want in a college or university leading them to a few programs they would highly consider.
Part of the information Sengezener’s organization provides covers finances, a large determinant for students and parents, especially when applying to American colleges. The majority of private universities in the U.S. cost upwards of $50,000 per academic year. Future student loans and upfront payments may become the deciding factor when considering out-of-state colleges, potentially limiting students from going far from home.
While the high cost of American education often restricts students’ choices, looking beyond the U.S. reveals a very different financial reality at the same caliber of education. Just like the U.S., nations around the world also offer renowned universities such as Cambridge and Edinburgh in the UK, Bocconi in Italy and Peking in China. The key difference is affordability. Tuition at these top schools averages from $3,000 in China to $23,000 a year in the UK, depending on the degree and whether the college is public or private. In contrast, Yale, a private university in the U.S., costs around $69,000 per year.
While these numbers are striking, they represent only a fraction of the total cost of attendance. In the U.S., non-tuition expenses, including housing, food, and transportation, can inflate the annual cost of a private institution to upwards of $90,000. In comparison, European students benefit from a structurally lower cost of living.
Living expenses in nations like Germany or Spain are estimated to be 30-40% lower than in America. Countries in Africa and South America, such as South Africa and Argentina, are traditionally underrepresented in the higher education landscape, but both have estimated living costs of around $1,000 per month. This disparity suggests that even when accounting for the universal needs of housing and transport, education destinations abroad provide a more sustainable financial path.
In December 2025, senior Helena Bedrannaumann was accepted into IE University in Spain. During her college search, she primarily looked at universities in Europe, starting by selecting countries she was interested in, then looking for ranked schools based on her major and applying through their websites. Being born in Brazil, Bedrannaumann has lived far from home for most of her life, so the distance was less of a factor in her decision to go abroad.
“I think Europe has a lot more to offer in terms of culture, language and experiences,” Bedrannaumann said.
In an interconnected and increasingly globalized world, having international experience is not only crucial in the workforce, but also challenges individuals to grow in their leadership, communication and language skills. In recent years, American students’ interest in studying abroad has piqued, but the numbers demonstrate a fraction of the interest in domestic colleges. A 2022 survey by the National Center for Education Statistics found that out of the 15.5 million high school students in the U.S., only 281,000 students were studying abroad.
Many Americans who consider studying in places such as Asia or Europe fear the potential of a lengthy documentation process. The recommended steps for visa applicants begin with finding the exact requirements for the desired host country, applying to the university and completing the visa application. For long-term stays, general requirements include a valid passport, financial means, accommodation, health insurance and passing a basic language proficiency exam. Acquiring a visa can take a few days to a few months, as each country has its own requirements, so many students should begin the process around six months before the start of the school year. Third-party organizations can help streamline documentation if needed.
A major difference between U.S. and international universities is the flexibility of their degree programs and learning environments, which is due to the different primary and secondary education systems. American universities typically don’t require students to declare their major until their second year of undergraduate study and place an emphasis on well-rounded applicants — a combination of extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, GPA and various exams — unlike the larger emphasis on test scores in countries like China or India. In the UK, students must know what they’ll be studying before they apply, as they take specialized courses in three or four subjects in their final few years of school. As a result, majors in other countries are more rigid than in the U.S., with an emphasis on business and STEM, but allow students to skip general courses and dive into their desired area of study.
“If you can start thinking about what subject you want to study, ideally, in your sophomore or junior year, you can start doing research and exploring,” Segezener said. “European schools are a little bit more specialized in that sense; if you’re going to study law, you will go to law school.”
Despite the benefits of education abroad, cultural differences, isolation and financing non-tuition expenses like travel and living accommodations can make moving to a new country difficult.
Junior Max Bitko said he dismisses attending college abroad due to distance. While he has considered going international, Bitko said the long flights would make connecting with family challenging, as even bordering countries like Canada would feel too far.
“A lot of people say that going abroad for college is extremely fun, cheaper, shorter, among other benefits,” Bitko said. “I wouldn’t say I completely ruled it out, but if I were to get into Princeton or Oxford, I would without a doubt pick Princeton.”
Beyond the carry-on luggage, travelling abroad as an American student brings unique baggage. The current U.S. political climate leaves many international communities with a poor impression of Americans, leading to students experiencing prejudices and feelings of isolation in what is already a socially intimidating experience. Loneliness for international students is typically highest after the initial move, but the sentiment can persist when people are faced with xenophobia and language barriers or are considered racial minorities in the country.
Additionally, lower-income students may have difficulty paying for university, but some resources can help. Once enrolled, students can find support in mentors, peers and clubs to help with feelings of loneliness. In terms of cost, loans aren’t the only option: Nordic countries offer free education to students, with limited English-taught programs available. Grants and scholarships are also a great way to fund studies, while smart budgeting can offset additional living costs.
To help American students find the university that’s right for them and give them an edge in an evolving world, the American education system, more than ever, needs to provide a larger, more in-depth support system for students applying to international schools. A diverse pool of choices doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Instead it can be a new and exciting opportunity to continue their education in a completely different environment where they can grow as a person and a student.
“It’s not for everybody,” said Segezener. “Every student is different, but I think the people who took that risk never regret it.”
