Maybe the Best College for You Isn’t in the United States

For a long time, the answer to the question “Where should I go to university?” felt pretty straightforward for many families: the United States. American universities have a lot going for them—beautiful campuses, an incredible range of majors, and a college experience that Hollywood has been marketing to the world for decades. Think football games the size of small countries, dorm rooms filled with instant noodles, and professors who may or may not own tweed jackets with elbow patches. But lately, more families, especially those living overseas, have started asking a slightly different question: does college actually have to be in the United States? 

Between rising costs, shifting immigration policies, and a political climate that can feel like a 24-hour reality show, some students are beginning to look a little more closely at universities around the world.

For students who have grown up internationally (often called Third Culture Kids) this question feels pretty natural. Many of these students hold American passports but have spent their lives in places like Beijing, Budapest, Dubai, or São Paulo. Returning to the U.S. for university can sometimes feel less like “going home” and more like moving to a country they’ve mostly experienced through summer visits and Netflix. Meanwhile, universities across Europe and Asia have been quietly expanding English-taught degrees. Today a student can study engineering in the Netherlands, business in Spain, or computer science in Germany, often for a fraction of the price of a typical U.S. university. And as a bonus, weekend travel might involve hopping on a train to another country rather than a six-hour flight and three airport delays.

And if you are a US citizen, there is a good chance that your FAFSA can be applied to a university outside of the US.

None of this means American universities have suddenly stopped being excellent. They remain some of the most dynamic and innovative institutions in the world. But one of the biggest changes in higher education today is that students have real choices. The question is no longer just “Which American university should I apply to?” but also “Where in the world will I thrive?”  For some students, the answer will absolutely be the United States. For others, it might be a university somewhere they hadn’t considered yet, possibly in a city where tuition is lower, the campus is international, and the student cafeteria still serves decent bread. The good news is that the university search can now be as global as the students themselves.

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