International Student Scholarship

I know how hard it can be to find the money to study in another country (especially the US) and as an international student it is even harder! One of the most expensive costs at college can be your text-books. I was on goSwoop the other day and they are offering a $250 book scholarship for prospective and current international students!

It looks pretty simple you just have to register for goSwoop, fill out your personal and education profiles and then write stories about the topics posted on goSwoop about your personal education.

The contest starts on July 6th so you might want to sign up soon! I already signed up and am looking forward to winning the $250!

I would definitely sign up if I were you because this could be one of the easiest ways to get a college scholarship.

Study in the USA… What about Study in Japan?

The major destinations of study continue to be native English speaking countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, etc. I know during my experience that I didn’t really consider countries other than the ones previously stated but why not? Many non native English speaking countries are creating English campuses at their institutions to encourage more students to come and study.

Personally I wish I had considered these institutions slightly more. I have heard that schools in Japan have great English curriculum and very reputable programs. I was looking on goSwoop and found that Yuki Ota had written about her experience with Japanese higher education. If you are interested in attending an institution not in the English speaking world you may want to take a look.

Here is a snippet from what she had to say…

There are lots of great universities in Japan. The worldly known Tokyo University, Kyoto University, Keio University, Waseda University, Sophia (or Jouchi) University etc etc.

Today, more universities are opening new campuses for the foreign students – these new campuses are called the “English campus” where lectures are held in English by Japanese or Foreign professors. These campuses are located nearby each other – just minutes away by walk or a subway station away.

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In Japanese universities, there are excellent facilities for everything and many students around the world wishes to study in Japan at some point. But it isn’t as easy to get in. Many universities in Japan (whether it be the main campus or the English campus) now require TOEFL, SAT (depending on the major, SAT II), IB or AP scores. Applicants must be age 18 or older (I applied to Sophia University (the English campus of course), and they rejected me because I was only 17). Some good universities (such as Tokyo U., Kyoto U., Waseda and Keio) require an interview followed by an entrance exam. Read more…

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If I happen to go back for another degree at some point in my life I think I am going to have to check out schools in non native English speaking countries. Now not only will I be able to earn a reputable degree but learn a new culture and even a new language!

International Baccalaureate: An International Student Perspective

The international Baccalaureate was created with the intent of having an international curriculum that would be accepted by universities around the world. Now more than ever the IB program is more and more popular and I know that I faced the issue of determining if I should participate in the program starting my junior year of high school.

There are many things to consider when determining if one should enter the IB program. I know that the IB program still hasn’t caught up in popularity to the AP system in the U.S. or the A-level system in the U.K. and also the HSC system in Australia. But that doesn’t mean the program should not be considered. There are many opinions about taking IB’s and here is one opinion I read and thought to be interested from a Japanese student, Yuki Ota who is currently studying in the U.S.

Counselors highly encourage students to take the IB because for many reasons; 1) students learn a course in great detail and gain knowledge, 2) students experience college level courses that is extended to two full school years, and 3) if a student took IB in high school, colleges may give credits! Another advantage of IB is that many schools (other than European and US schools) are recognizing IB its becoming worldwide!! Taking which courses is up to the students, except for a mandatory course; Theory of Knowledge. If youre interested in the social studies field, you can take as much social studies courses your school offers and same applies to other subject fields. So many advantages of taking IB!

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Some of the disadvantages of IB are that students cannot randomly start IB courses in their senior year of high school; they must start from their junior year. However the advantage is that students can drop their diploma during their study periods. Another disadvantage is that international schools dont offer a great range of courses. British schools are usually equipped with all the possible IB courses students can take.

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Yuki also weighs some other pros and cons to the IB program and is definitely worth a read. You can read more about the IB topic from Yuki’s perspective here…

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There are some other interesting perspectives on the IB program as well as the AP system at goSwoop. Just a quick browse through some of the stories written on goSwoop I was able to find this additional perspective on the IB Program and how it will affect your college career.

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If you have more questions about this topic be sure to ask your questions at goSwoop where there are plenty of experienced international students who can help you out!

The Credit Crisis: International Student Style

Money, Money, Money. I know how hard it is to be living in the U.S. and not having easy access to money. Setting up a bank account to have cash transferred to or to deposit money earned in the U.S. (legally of course) can be a task. However the ultimate test is getting a credit card. As an international student studying in the U.S. I am sure you know how hard it can be. Sometimes banks ask for a credit history or income and as a student who has difficulty getting a job with my student visa having either of those criteria is nearly impossible. But don’t worry, we will try to help you prospective international students with some tips so that your experience is a much better one than ours.

So the best way I can offer to go about getting a credit card is to learn from experience. There is a friend of mine who was nice enough to share his experience on goSwoop with all of you in hopes of helping you find a way to get a credit card. Check out a little of what he had to say…

“So this week I tried to set up a credit card account. This would have been my second attempt at this seemingly impossible feat. The first time I applied to my own bank, TD Banknorth, where I have a checking account. I have a checking account with them because there is an ATM in the University Center which allows me to conduct transactions effortlessly. Anyways, after I went to the bank location next to my school, I found out that as an international student you cant really apply at the location, I would have to call the bank and do it over the phone. Ok, I said, no problem, and proceeded to submitting my application over the phone. After a few minutes I was done hoping that everything would be set and I would get my card a few weeks later in the mail. A few weeks later I did get a letter in my mail. Let me just say it didnt contain a credit card in it. My application was being rejected on the basis of my low income. This was at the end of last year.”

I know after reading the previous passage most of you are now a little bit worried about applying for your credit card but have no fear, with a little persistence it can pay off…

So as you read in the previous chapter, I applied to Banknorth and American Express for a credit card. I got rejected by both. One rejected me on the reason of not having a credit history, which is ridiculous in my opinion and the other because my income was not enough. They were advertising a student card specifically mentioning the words “for students to build up credit” and this is the reason they rejected me. Anyways, I heard from my friends that they got their card from Bank of America. So I went there and accidentaly talked to the same person that opened up my account two years prior and completed an application for a credit card.

Three weeks later, I was already thinking that I was going to get rejected again, I got my first Credit Card here in the US. Not only that but it had a $900 limit on it, meaning I can spend money and build up credit faster than with a $500 limit card. Even though I can go spending $900 now and not worry about it for a while, I only spend it on stuff I really want to buy and stuff that I can actually afford. This is a golden rule that many people don’t follow and that’s how they get into credit trouble.

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So as you can see even though some roads might be blocked I would recommend being persistent. There are many banks in the U.S. that offer credit cards to students and even though you might have trouble with some banks don’t be afraid to keep trying.

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You can read the rest these experiences of getting credit cards here… (Don’t forget you are going to need a goSwoop username and password but it is quick and easy to get and very very worth it in my opinion)

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Good luck to everyone and if you have any questions about getting your credit card you can ask them at goSwoop.