More than 325,000 American college students studied abroad in 2015-2016, according to the Institute of International Education. With globalization and the growing importance of international experience, U.S. colleges and universities have been expanding their global networks through setting up branch campuses overseas.
U.S. schools run a total of 77 foreign branch campuses according to the Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT), hosted at the State University of New York at Albany and Pennsylvania State University. More than 32 of them are in, China, a growing market for western education and the most popular outpost, just ahead of the United Arab Emirates. Other popular locations include Singapore, Malaysia and Qatar.
From language immersion to research collaborations, offshore branches can offer opportunities and cost saving to both American and local students and to the institutions that instruct them.
Tuition and living costs can be much lower than in the U.S. That is partly explained by the fact that the funding of New York University Abu Dhabi as well as other American campuses in Doha, including those run by Northwestern, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, Texas A&M and Virginia Commonwealth, mainly come from the host countries’ governments. Most students’ tuition and living costs are covered by the same funders. Temple University Japan in Tokyo costs 42% less than an out-of-state student at a public American university would pay for tuition and fees, and 57% less than a private American college or university student would pay. For students from these host countries, such a degree can also be more convenient and cost-effective to earn, compared to studying in the U.S., and the student walks away with a U.S. degree.
However, challenges abound. Schools setting up branches abroad are subject to the vagaries of local politics. Yale-NUS college, NYU Shanghai and NYU Abu Dubai have all been embroiled in controversies including unfair labor practices, academic freedom and human rights violations. Some degrees from foreign branches also might not be accredited in the U.S. Here are some of the top American overseas branches:
Yale-NUS College – Singapore: Fourteen majors are available. Admission is need-blind. Offers a free Experience Yale-NUS Weekend for admitted students (Yale pays for flights, accommodations etc). Accredited in Singapore only (degree awarded by NUS).
NYU Abu Dhabi — Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: One of the most selective and diverse universities in the world, it offers 22 majors. Admission is need-blind and all students are automatically considered for merit-based support. Admission includes Candidate Weekend, where invited applicants can visit the campus.
NYU Shanghai — Shanghai, China: The third degree-granting campus of NYU and the first American college to receive independent registration status from China’s Ministry of Education. Some proficiency in Chinese is required for graduation. Around half of the student body comes from China.
Georgetown University in Qatar — Ar-Rayyan, Qatar: It offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service and is home to the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS), GU-Q’s premier research institute, which focuses on issues facing the Middle East and the broader Asian region. It offers need-blind admission, need-based grants and a limited number of merit scholarships. Accredited by the U.S.
Northwestern University in Qatar – Ar-Rayyan, Qatar: It offers a liberal arts and media education with undergraduate degrees awarded in communication, journalism and strategic communication. It has need-blind admission and meets 100% of all admitted students’ financial need. Accredited by the U.S.
American University in Cairo — Cairo, Egypt : Founded in 1919 with more than 5,400 undergraduates and 37 bachelor’s degrees, 44 master’s degrees, and two doctoral degrees offered. Accredited by the U.S.
Georgia-Tech Lorraine — Metz, France : Home to a strong sponsored research program through the Unité Mixte Internationale (UMI), an international joint laboratory between Georgia Tech and the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). It also offers some double degree programs with French universities. Not accredited by the U.S.
Temple University Japan — Tokyo, Japan: The only university in Japan to offer comprehensive programs in English for degree and non-degree students, Some 40%t of students are American. Accredited by the U.S.
Franklin University Switzerland – Lugano, Switzerland: It offers Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees accredited by both Switzerland and the United States, with two weeks of travel each semester as a credit-bearing degree requirement.
Webster Vienna Private University — Vienna, Austria : Accredited both in the U.S. and in Austria. Webster University Geneva and Webster University Thailand are also accredited.
Saint Louis University Madrid — Madrid, Spain: A Jesuit university, SLU-Madrid offers six bachelors’ degrees in Spanish and English. All English majors must spend a semester in St. Louis. Accredited by the U.S.
Duke Kunshan University — Kunshan, China: Jointly founded by Duke University and Wuhan University of China. Accredited by China but not by the U.S.
SEE FULL LIST OF TOP COLLEGES 2018
