Study abroad

View the 200 most international universities in the world 2016

When I started looking for my degree course, I knew that it needed to have a year abroad. I’ve always had a love for French, and I wanted to take advantage of this skill and try something different. I found my perfect degree, physics with European language, at England’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

For students looking for an international experience abroad or at home, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Hong Kong or even Qatar might be the best bet.

Times Higher Education has released its ranking of the world’s most international universities, and these countries are home to the five universities with the highest scores.

University of Geneva, both in the top five.

View the 200 most international universities in the world 2016

Ashley C. Pilipiszyn writes about moving from the US to Geneva to further her career opportunities in international policy:

I am originally from Chicago and was living in Boston prior to moving to Geneva. I currently am completing a master’s degree in international relations and political science with a specific research focus on environmental security, energy diplomacy and policy entrepreneurship within global cities.

As an international undergraduate student studying at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), I would say that throughout my period of study here I have been continuously challenged to grow outside of my comfort zone. My two years spent at HKU so far have been fruitful.

My name is Heidi Flinkman and I’m a third-year bachelor’s student in informatics at the University of Luxembourg. I come from Finland and originally arrived in Luxembourg as an incoming exchange student from a Finnish university. As my exchange period came towards its end, I made the decision to transfer my studies and complete my degree in Luxembourg. I had really enjoyed my exchange experience and the university offered courses in business intelligence and banking information technologies that were interesting to me.

For another side of the story, read medical student blogger Katie's defence of the admissions process.

A straight-A British student who was rejected before interviews to study medicine in the UK for a second year running is looking on the bright side as he reflects on his first months studying in Italy instead.

I am extremely fortunate to be studying not only in the Netherlands, but at Leiden University. Why would I call this fortunate, you may ask? I previously studied at St Andrews in Scotland and I would also say that I was lucky to have done that as well. But things have changed in the UK as we all know. My bachelors programme was around £1,800 a year. At that price, the level of education was fantastic, and I am still very glad I got the opportunity to study there.

Even though I have a huge imagination, what I am going to write is really something unexpected. 

Four things are recurring in this story: nutella, parmesan, my granddad’s backpack and a moka. 

When I imagined what life would be like on my year abroad, I pictured myself drinking beer with my new best friends (Günther and Julia) whilst watching Goodbye Lenin. When the film ended, we would devour a black forest gateaux and go on a hike (probably in the black forest) so as to utilise the sensible footwear and rucksacks that Günther and Julia would have inevitably brought with.

Wer die Wahl hat, hat die Qual - The bigger the choice, the harder it is to choose

My philological studies have satisfied me that a gifted person ought to learn English (barring spelling and pronouncing) in thirty hours, French in thirty days, and German in thirty years.