Last year, there were over one million international scholars enrolled in U.S. colleges, drawn by the promise of an excellent education and increased professional opportunities. For students coming to the U.S. from abroad, however, applying to these schools can feel incredibly complicated, especially as application processes often differ from those in their home countries. Here, we’ve worked to cut through the confusion, offering our top tips for international students hoping to study in the U.S.
APPLYING TO U.S. COLLEGES AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT: TOP TIPS
Understand the challenges of applying as an international student
It’s no secret that top schools have become increasingly competitive, with Harvard, MIT, and Brown posting acceptance rates of 3.59%, 4.5%, and 5.16%, respectively. (If you’d like more details on these schools, we’ve broken down their Early Decision and Regular Decision acceptance rates on Instagram.) For international students, however, the acceptance rates are even lower, as most schools limit the number of international students to just 10-15% of each year’s incoming class. At Harvard, for example, 15.4% of students admitted to the Class of 2027 were international students; at MIT and Brown, the numbers were 10% and 12%. As we’ve noted before, this means that a school with a 20% overall acceptance rate likely has a 5% admit rate for international students. To make things even tougher, international students are competing for these few spots alongside applicants from over 70 countries. In such an enormous applicant pool, it can be incredibly hard to stand out!
Be strategic about your college choices
Given the challenges facing international applicants, it pays to be smart about your application strategy. You might choose to focus on schools that admit an unusually high percentage of international students. At Columbia, for example, 17% of students admitted to the Class of 2027 were international, while at NYU, 22.2% of enrolled students come from outside the U.S. Take a look at the following chart, compiled in the Open Doors Report, to see the schools in the U.S. with the largest population of international students as of 2023:
Targeting schools with robust international populations is often a smart strategy for students applying from outside the U.S.
In addition, international students can improve their odds of acceptance by applying with an interest in underrepresented fields. Over 50% of students from outside the U.S. apply to college with an interest in math, computer science, engineering, or business, making these fields incredibly competitive. Applying with an interest in a less saturated subject can differentiate you from other international applicants, thereby increasing your overall odds of admission.
Take advantage of opportunities to explore your schools of interest
In-person tours and information sessions are often the best way to explore colleges, but it can be logistically challenging and expensive for international students to visit U.S. colleges. If in-person visits are not realistic for you, take advantage of schools’ virtual offerings, which generally include online tours and information sessions. Some schools, like Davidson, even include virtual information sessions tailored to international students. You might also consider multi-school virtual offerings, like Exploring College Options, which will allow you to hear from admissions officers at Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University as part of one event. Taking part in virtual offerings will not only help you determine where you’d like to apply, but also allow you to show demonstrated interest in your target colleges.
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Understand standardized testing requirements
In order to apply to schools in the U.S., you will need to take a number of standardized tests. In addition to the exams required by your school (such as GCSEs or IB tests), you will likely want to take the SAT or the ACT. While many U.S. schools are test-optional (meaning you can apply without SAT or ACT scores on-record), an increasing number of colleges—ranging from Dartmouth to UT Austin— have reinstated testing requirements. Students hoping to apply to these colleges will need to report their SAT or ACT scores as part of their applications. In addition, many colleges require international students to submit an English as a second language exam, such as the TOELF or IELTS, to demonstrate their proficiency in English.
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Consider your extracurricular profile
In many countries around the world, college admission is based on grades or entrance exam scores alone. U.S. colleges, however, generally use a holistic admissions process, which considers not just grades and test scores, but also a students’ activities and personal achievements. With this in mind, you’ll want to develop a compelling extracurricular profile, including research, community engagement work, and school leadership to help yourself stand out in the U.S. admissions process. Take a look at our tips for selecting high-impact extracurricular activities here and work with a Senior Private Counselor who can help you taking meaningful action to create a strategic profile.
Be prepared for the cost of college
Attending college in the U.S. can be expensive. NYU estimates the cost of attendance for an on-campus student to be over $93,000 per year, while Northeastern calculates the annual cost of attending its Boston campus to be over $86,000. Universities generally require international students to provide proof of financial support to prove that they can meet these costs, and students must submit that documentation as part of the admissions process.
International students can apply for financial aid at their target colleges, but the competition for this funding is intense. The need for funding can also disadvantage students, as only a handful of schools—including MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, Amherst, and Bowdoin—are need-blind for international students. When possible, we encourage students to explore other avenues for funding, including opportunities offered by International Education Financial Aid, the Fulbright Commission, and scholarships offered by their home country.
While applying to college in the U.S. is often challenging for international students, attending school in the U.S. can be incredibly rewarding. Need help navigating the process? Feel free to reach out to us.
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