college essay international student

Complete Essay Writing Guide for International Students

If you are an international student and English is not your first language, academic writing may take extra practice. Learn how to write an essay for your US university classes.

For many international students, learning how to write an essay is essential to a successful college career in the US. (You may be required to write an essay when applying to college, too .) There are many types of essays and, when it comes to essay writing, there is more than one way to share your ideas and communicate well.

Here are some essay writing tips to build strong academic writing skills, even before you arrive at your US university.

Essay Writing Tips for International Students

No matter your major , writing essays is important to getting good grades – and good writing skills will help you succeed in any future internship or job. If you are an undergraduate student , you may also be completely new to writing academic essays for higher education.

Keep reading to learn how international students at United States universities can get comfortable with essay writing, especially understanding an essay outline, thesis statement, and paragraph structure. 

Create an Essay Outline

Working from an outline lets you plan the main points of your international student essay and put them in order. This makes it easier to stay organized once you start writing. 

“I always require my students to work on an outline before they draft their essays,” says Maad El-Gali, ESL instructor at the University of the Pacific . “Regardless of essay formats, an outline generally leads to successful writing because it allows students to picture what their essay would look like. [It also] allows me to give students feedback before they start [the student essay writing process].”

El-Gali teaches his students that every essay outline must have four parts: 

A thesis statement (also known as a central argument)

Topic sentences

Major and minor supporting arguments

A conclusion

Once you have created an essay outline containing these four elements, you are ready to begin the academic writing process.

Do Your Research 

Student essay writing requires research! Brainstorm ideas for your essay’s focus and look into existing material on the topic you’ve selected. Writing down your ideas and thoughts helps you organize them and plan the arguments for your college essay as an international student.

After brainstorming, it is time to dive into your research. Review existing literature on your ideas to find additional concepts and material to support your main points, and remember always to cite sources when you paraphrase or quote ideas that are not your own. Plagiarism is a serious offense in the US educational system, especially in academic writing. Remember to give due credit to the authors of the material you use! 

Form a Thesis

After finishing your research, it is time to formulate a thesis. A thesis statement introduces your academic essay’s main argument and provides a roadmap of the supporting points for your readers. Good thesis statements show your interpretation of the subject, convey the central idea of your argument, and hook readers into learning more. 

There are three types of thesis statements:

Argumentative - presents a disputable claim and defends it.  

Expository - presents a claim and explains what the reader should learn.  

Analytical - compares and contrasts themes. 

To decide which type of thesis statement best fits your academic writing assignment, it is important to learn more about your topic, also known as your essay prompt.

Understanding the Essay Prompt

The first step toward writing your international student essay is making sure you understand your essay prompt. An essay prompt is the topic or subject you need to write your essay on. The prompt you receive can be written in different formats, such as a statement, a question, or a set of data. The following is just one example of an essay prompt: “Reading more books improves your skill as a writer. Explore this statement.” 

With the above example, your next step would be to break down this prompt and understand the different areas involved in the topic. Ask yourself questions about the prompt which helps to define the topic in your essay, for example: How does reading books improve one’s writing skills? Do certain books help improve writing more than others? Is this true for all kinds of writers and writing? 

By asking yourself these types of questions, you can gain a better understanding of which components your college essay should include. As you usually have a limited word count and/or page length for your essay, as well as a specific due date to turn it in, it is important to plan out how you want to structure your essay to make it easy to read while still containing a compelling argument supported by thorough research. 

Intro Paragraph

The introduction is the first paragraph of your international student essay and gives the reader a brief overview of the topic you are writing about. This is one of the most important elements of your essay, as many readers use an introduction to get a first impression of your content. 

Your introduction should immediately get the reader’s attention and encourage them to take an interest in what you have written. The essay introduction should contain a valuable or interesting piece of information to the reader, such as a statistic, an unexpected fact, a relatable scenario, or a compelling quote. 

Additionally, the introduction should have a clear and brief outline of what is discussed in your essay, such as the sections to follow, questions to be answered, and even the intended audience. 

Finally, the introduction to academic essays typically has a clear thesis statement: a central argument to be defended with supporting research in the pages to come. 

How to Write a Strong Thesis

For a typical college essay or academic paper, the first part of writing a strong thesis is to present a clear thesis statement. This statement presents your argument to your reader and gives a glimpse into what you cover over the course of the essay. With your thesis statement, explain how your argument joins the conversation of the overall topic it relates to, and how it contributes to this discussion.

Your thesis should be specific and focused. Avoid deviating too far from your central idea and make sure your supporting evidence is relevant and helps the reader understand your most important points. To better support your argument, your essay should go into deep detail and define what your argument is, the importance of your argument and why you are presenting it, and the approach you have taken to explain it.

A strong thesis is also unique, and your supporting points should emphasize your argument and its validity in larger discussions and contexts. Analyze your argument impartially by exploring multiple angles. By including counterarguments from different perspectives, you can highlight the depth of your research — and better make your case to your reader. 

Body Paragraphs

The body of your essay will have multiple sections which break down your central argument with supporting evidence. Your goal is to present your thesis and research in a way that is easy to understand, while also covering critical information. 

Here is a good sample structure for the body of a college essay:

Begin with a definition—Explain what your topic is and its most important aspects. Give your readers context and the basic knowledge they need to understand the more advanced information that comes next.

Go into detail—As you dive deeper into your topic, describe its simpler components first and move on to more advanced sections as necessary. Make sure each section comes under its own heading and paragraphs are short and easy to read.

Focus your content—Avoid generalized information and make sure all information is relevant. Focus only on one major concept in each paragraph. Your paragraphs should transition naturally and create a logical journey through your essay. This helps the reader understand your main points in a structured way.

Explain your point—After helping the reader learn more about the topic and giving clear context, you can start presenting your thesis statement. Your argument should tie in all the information you presented before and use it as a basis to explain the validity of your argument. Use references, data sources, examples, and other supporting evidence from reputable sources to emphasize your claims and add credibility.

Evaluate counter arguments—If relevant, present the positive and negative sides of the topic you are arguing. This shows you have conducted a deep analysis and you aim to avoid bias, which improves the authority of your essay. You can also use this section to emphasize why the positives of your argument outweigh the negatives.

Once you are satisfied with the content and structure of the body of your essay, it is time to end your essay with a strong conclusion.

Conclusion Paragraph

The conclusion is the final segment of your international student essay and should wrap up your main points. This section should not introduce any new information; instead, it should summarize what you have discussed while emphasizing the importance of your point or argument. 

Your conclusion should connect back to your introduction and how the points you have discussed contribute to your central argument. The challenge in this section is summarizing your most important points without sounding repetitive. 

To present an effective conclusion, rather than repeating your introduction statement, try rephrasing it:  Since your introduction or thesis statement presented the topic before the reader had context, your conclusion should now speak to the reader as one newly informed and familiar with your research and point of view. 

Your conclusion should end with a positive note which promotes your central argument, provides your reader with a sense of closure, and presents broader implications encouraging the reader to learn more, like a final suggestion, course of action, solution, or a question. 

Top 3 Tips for Essay Writing

Become familiar with different citation styles.

The referencing style you use depends on your major, course, and university. Typically, your professor’s preferred citation style will be listed on your syllabus . Understanding different citation styles helps you follow your assignment, correctly attribute your sources, and avoid possible issues with plagiarism. 

Some of the most common referencing styles used in the US are 

American Psychological Association, or APA

Chicago Manual of Style

Council of Science Editors, or CSE (Common for biology, physics, chemistry, and geology)

Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE (Common for engineering, computer science, and information technology majors)

Modern Language Association, or MLA

You will not be expected to get familiar with an entire style guide right away: There are many resources available for academic writing. If you have any questions about using style guides, speak to your professor, university writing center staff, or your Shorelight advisor for citation assistance. 

Utilize Online Writing Resources

Some online guides for specific citation styles include the Purdue Online Writing Lab and the official APA and MLA websites. Many offer subscriptions, where you pay a fee for unlimited access over a specific period of time (e.g., one year).

Using free online tools such as Grammarly and Turnitin can also improve the quality of your writing, catch errors and mistakes, and check for plagiarism. Since most online writing aids are operated by artificial intelligence (AI), use caution: It is important to remember these programs may not pick up on every error and might misunderstand certain sentences, depending on your writing structure and/or tone. While using these tools can be very helpful, try not to rely on them entirely and use them more as tips or clues for areas to improve in your essay.

You may want a peer or advisor to take the last look at your essay before you submit your work. 

Start Early!

Giving yourself plenty of time before your essay deadline takes the stress out of the essay writing process. Don’t rush your brainstorming, researching, writing, or revising. More time means you’ll be more intentional, improving the overall quality of your essay because you won’t need to rush. You will also have more time to ask and integrate any feedback from your friends and mentors into your writing. 

Revise Your First Draft

After completing the conclusion, the first draft of your international student essay is now complete! The first draft of your essay is the first version and contains all your raw ideas and unedited writing. The next step in writing a good essay is to revise your draft to bring it closer to the final version.

Why should you revise your first draft? Think of it as a newly constructed house — with the overall structure completed, it is time for you to do a thorough inspection and spot possible faults or areas for improvements. This can take two or even three more draft revisions, but the most important part is to ensure your essay is improving in quality each time so you can put your best work forward.

During your revisions, you may notice your first draft is very long. As you write down your ideas and research findings, it is very easy to repeat information or get sidetracked into topics outside your focus. As you revise, read each segment carefully to spot any repeated information and excessively long paragraphs or sentences and shorten these as needed.

Remember also to look for areas where you may need to add more detail — a first draft is often written quickly as ideas come to your mind, and some sections could benefit from additional information or evidence you had not initially considered. At the same time, check that your sentences flow in a logical sequence and order: Read paragraphs out loud to see if they sound right to you — if they do not, readers would notice this as well.

As you revise your first draft of your essay, keep the following tips in mind.

Do’s and Don’ts of Essay Writing

1. Don’t write more than you need to. Do make sure your words matter. 

“Multilingual writers (aka international students) tend to be focused more on the quantity rather than the quality of writing,” says El-Gali at the University of the Pacific. “They believe that writing more means having a higher grade on writing assignments, which is not necessarily true.” In fact, adding too many extra words can result in a paragraph structure that is difficult for the reader to follow.

2. Don’t forget about your reader. Do find clear, clever ways to make your point.

Keep your reader in mind as you write and try to make your writing interesting, engaging, and relatable. Remember: Different languages have different writing rules and phrases. While writing, be aware of your readers’ perspectives and always aim to communicate clearly so your words are understood.

3. Don’t just run spell check. Do edit and proofread essays thoroughly.

“This is crucial so that the English-speaking reader will understand the writer’s intention,” El-Gali says.

If you want more advice on improving your writing or general writing tips, reach out to a Shorelight advisor! They are always ready to provide essay tips and academic support for international students . (They also provide dedicated international student services such as helping you improve your English skills, evaluate graduate programs , prepare for visa interviews, and much more.)

Check out Shorelight’s international student guidebook >

Common Mistakes of a First Draft

Your first draft is the blueprint for your final essay and should be considered the first of several drafts. As a blueprint, your first draft should focus on including key information and building the overall structure of your final essay. Some students make the mistake of not revising and turning in their first draft as the final (which is often not their best work and can lead to a lower grade). 

Here are common mistakes of a first draft to watch out for:

Focusing on grammar, style, vocabulary, or particular word choices—In the first draft, ideas come first. (You can worry about style in a later draft!) Your main priority is to ensure all the critical points of your argument are covered.

Adding too many details—Adding too much detail to each of your points in your first draft can make it difficult to effectively structure the essay’s overall flow. Your first draft only needs the most important points determined and mapped out.

Starting late—The earlier you start, the better! You want plenty of time to research, write, and revise. If you are forced to rush, the quality of your essay may not be as high compared to starting early and being able to take your time.

Editing while writing—Since you are likely to go through several drafts before your final essay, it is not important to edit your spelling and sentence structure in these initial stages. You may even replace certain sections as you revise, which makes editing early unnecessary.

Once you have written a well-structured first draft as a guide, you can proceed to your next draft. Refine your research and supporting details, while also addressing grammar and style, as you work toward your final draft.

Finalizing Your Essay

The final draft is what you submit to your professors for grading, so it is important for it to be comprehensive, detailed, and polished. Your final draft is the last one, the product of your many rounds of feedback, changes, and revisions. It should reflect everything you have learned about your essay prompt throughout the time you have spent researching, writing, and revising your essay.

Here are some tips for finalizing your essay:

Final Checks 

Read your essay out loud. It is easy to miss details during multiple revisions. By reading out loud, you can spot errors in both content and grammar. You can also use Text to Speech software to hear your essay out loud.

Check for inconsistencies in logic in your arguments, gaps in knowledge, and anything you might have missed from your outline. Remove or restructure arguments that interrupt your essay’s flow.

Ensure your essay covers the prompt and matches university standards and style guide requirements. This includes checking your document’s margins, heading structure, citation style, and other specific areas your professor has requested. 

Ask a friend or mentor for feedback. A new reader may spot issues you might have missed after working with the essay for a long period of time. 

Essay Writing Help  

For many international students, college-level essay writing is a new skill. If you have outlined, written, and edited your essay and are still not sure whether it is ready to turn in, do not be afraid to ask for help. 

ESL students can get assistance with how to write an essay and receive general writing tips from a writing coach at the writing center on campus, or check with your Shorelight academic advisor to find relevant resources and support services.

Remember, the more college-level essays you write, the more familiar and comfortable you will be with the student essay writing process. 

Follow these essay writing steps to develop strong writing skills. Keep up the good work!

Ask a Shorelight advisor about academic support for international students >

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Published August 01, 2021

Tips for International Candidates Writing the Common App Essay

Lisa Mortini

Senior Assistant Director, NYU Abu Dhabi Admissions

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

“Give Me 10 Minutes and I’ll Write a Superior Essay”

You’ve spent hours scouring the internet to find tips for international candidates about writing the Common Application essay. You’ve singled out the perfect essay question to answer within the seven recommended prompts. Nervous with excitement, you’re finally applying to your dream school and you’re all ready to go. Yet, hours later, you’re still not sure what to write about. Why is it so tough to get started? Surely, it should be simple at this stage, right?

It’s Not That Simple

The truth is that writing a thoughtful, outstanding essay is not that easy for anyone, let alone YOU, an international student who may not be fully familiar with the added complexities of applying to colleges outside of your own country.

Here is my advice to conquer these essay-writing fears and put your best self forward in the process.

1) “I’m Not Sure What U.S. Colleges Want from Me”

If you were applying to university back home, there might not be any essay to write or maybe the essay has to focus exclusively on your academic subject of choice (looking at you, unis in the UK). As a result, that’s what you’ve been preparing for and the Common Application prompts may seem odd. In contrast, U.S. colleges prefer to assess your academic interests and results through transcripts and recommendations. Above all, this means the essay should focus on an aspect of your application that can’t be found elsewhere— your personality .

Through the story you carefully weave, U.S. admissions counselors will expect to get a sense of “fit” for their school . They hope to glimpse evidence of what will make you a great addition to their campus and how well you will contribute to their community. If you’re unsure if you might be a good fit for NYU, I’d recommend checking out my colleague Eudora’s excellent blog post here .

One of the top tips for international candidates writing their essay is simply to be yourself, be honest, and write in your own voice . If you try to “fit in” by changing who you truly are, chances are you will not thrive at that school after you get in—and that would be a shame!

2) “That’s Fine but… Who Am I and What Do I Stand For?”

Writing a good Common App essay does require a certain level of self-awareness . This can be difficult to figure out, especially if the culture you grew up in did not prepare you for this kind of introspection. Maybe you are not used to talking frankly about yourself and the very idea is puzzling or terrifying! Don’t worry, being self-aware and sharing inner thoughts can be hard at any age and for people of all backgrounds.

Establish What Truly Matters

One of the more practical tips for international candidates writing their first draft is to jot down two lists . One should feature people and activities that make you happy and motivate you. The second should record unnerving things that you’d like to change in the world. Such detailed lists will help you define your priorities and the impact you wish to have around you . Universities will be particularly receptive to these themes.

3) “Great. So, What Should I Talk About in That Essay, Really?”

Maybe boasting about accomplishments is frowned upon in your culture and modesty is appreciated. Maybe you have no issue being proud of your achievements but can’t quite see how the University will relate to them. Regardless of which essay prompt you choose, universities will want to read a story around something that happened to YOU . But which one? You could always make more lists to figure this out. You may have noticed by now, I am an unashamed fan of lists (and spreadsheets).

Story of Your Life

Why not make a blueprint of your life’s events, big and small ? Write down your proudest achievements (for example, sports competitions, good grades, personal successes, overcoming fears) on one side. Then record failures or things you wish you’d done differently—and what you learned from them—on the other.

When you start writing your essay with a prompt and a theme in mind, these lists will certainly help narrow down your focus on one impactful event or experience that will become the core of the story.

4) “I Don’t Feel That I Can Be Myself”

You may find it easier to tell friends a story in your mother tongue and struggle a little to find the right tone in English for this essay. English may not be your first language, and that is OK! You will undoubtedly produce multiple drafts to refine your style. The key here is to find the balance between your natural voice and the level of academic writing expected in a university application .

The Byzantine Nature of This Treatise Is Importuning Me...

For that reason, do not overuse the thesaurus . It can be unnerving for a reader to realize quickly—and we do, trust me—that either someone else has written this essay for you or that every simple, logical word has been replaced by a more obscure, over-polished version. If it feels like you are trying too hard, you are.

5) “Will They Really Get ‘Me’?”

If your narration holds elements unique to your country or civilization (or even your community or school), feel free to briefly explain them to help the reader gain more insight into your world. For instance, when speaking about culture-specific events, behaviors, or traditions, you may want to provide some context. Customs which may seem obvious to you might be unknown to others. On the other hand, application reviewers are often well-traveled or even international citizens themselves!

Don’t Forget:

We are all human beings with many commonalities. There is no need to suppress your personality or culture here to conform to what you think a foreign university may want. One of the best tips for international candidates applying to a school in the United States is just to be yourself and let your personality shine in the essay — that’s truly all you need to do .

Lisa is a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions for NYU Abu Dhabi and the Global Admissions Team, based in the London office. Born and raised in France, Lisa also lived in Denmark and spent a couple of years in leafy upstate New York.  She is a dedicated gardener, a keen traveler to India and Japan, and loves watching the tennis at Wimbledon. She now spends her free time playing with her little rescue terrier dog, Cooper.

More from Lisa:

Finding Your College Fit as an International Student

How do you figure out if a school is the right fit when you can’t visit? Check out Eudora’s tips for international students about how to approach the college search process.

College Fair 101: Tips for a Great Conversation with Your Admissions Rep

How to make the most of your conversation with an institutional rep at a college fair.

3 Tips to Choose the Right Common App Essay Prompt

A few tips to help you make the right choice when faced with the seven Common App essay questions!

International Student College Application Guide

In this article,  CollegeAdvisor.com  admissions expert Lara walks us through the college application process for the international student. For more guidance on the college application process in general,  sign up for a monthly plan to work with an admissions coach 1-on-1.

Note: in this article, the word  ‘ college ’  is taken to mean a 4-year program normally completed after high school and before postgraduate degrees such as Masters or Doctorate degrees. While many countries make a distinction between ‘university’ and ‘college,’ where ‘colleges’ are often 2-year programs that do not grant Bachelor’s degrees, for the purposes of this article, ‘college’ in the U.S. is equivalent to what is termed ‘university’ elsewhere.

Why apply internationally?

Applying to college in the United States can be a daunting process, especially if you’re an international student who may not have access to a college counselor or advisor at your school. As an international student, you likely don’t have the same insight into the application process as a domestic applicant might.

However, international students have so much to offer to colleges. The different perspectives and cultural insights they bring can enrich any campus community. Studying in the U.S. might also allow you to take part in research as an undergraduate, apply to prestigious internships and summer programs, and explore a wide variety of academic disciplines.

International student application requirements

If you’re considering a U.S. college, the most important thing to do early on is to learn the application requirements. Typically, this includes a standardized testing requirement—either the ACT or SAT—as well as an English proficiency test like the IELTS or TOEFL.

ACT and SAT

The ACT and SAT are both standardized tests that students in the U.S. take in order to apply to college. They assess your academic skills in English and math (as well as science, in the case of the ACT).

You might choose whether to take the SAT or ACT based on which is available in your area. Most colleges do not have a preference for which of these test scores you submit. Applicants usually choose by taking practice tests and assessing which score is better. They may also consider which score they foresee being able to improve the most.

You can take these tests multiple times, and you will only submit the best score(s) to colleges.

Applicants from the U.S. usually take their first standardized test in the spring of their junior year. This corresponds to the first half of grade 11 out of 12 in many international systems. Depending on their scores, students usually take the test 2 or 3 more times until they are satisfied.  For students in countries where these tests are not offered regularly, it is especially important to plan ahead depending on available testing dates.

IELTS and TOEFL

The IELTS and TOEFL are standardized tests that assess your English proficiency. Colleges generally require you to submit one of these scores if English is not your first language or the primary language in which you were taught throughout high school. If you have a score of over a certain threshold in the English section of the ACT or SAT (this threshold varies between institutions), you may not need to take these tests.

Both tests contain reading, listening, speaking, and writing components. There is usually a minimum overall score you need to obtain in order to apply to any specific college. Similar to the ACT and SAT, you can take the IELTS and TOEFL multiple times and will only submit your best score(s).

High School Transcript and GPA

To apply to college you will also need to submit your transcript, which is your high school academic record. Since high school in the U.S. is four years long, spanning from grade 9 to grade 12, your marks from these four years will be assessed in your application.

Domestic applicants usually also report a GPA, or Grade Point Average, which is often on a scale from 1.0 to 4.0 (where 4.0 is the best). The GPA reflects one’s average academic performance throughout their high school career.

How to convert grades as an international student

Many international students will have different grading systems, whether this is a letter grade (A+, A, A-, B+, B, etc.), a percentage (score out of a 100), or a GPA on a different scale. Furthermore, it is often difficult to interconvert accurately between these different grading scales, since an ‘A’ in the U.S. is often 90% or above, while some international students might only need to achieve a score of 70% or above to reach the most prestigious grading category.

When reporting your grades in the Common Application, you should not attempt to convert to the U.S. system. Instead, report your grades as-is. Rest assured that Admissions Officers likely have the experience required to evaluate your academic achievements relative to your own educational system. If your transcript is in a language other than English, you might also need to get a certified English translation.

Recommendation Letters for International Students

Another required component of the application process is the submission of letters of recommendation. These letters should come from teachers or school counsellors who know you well and can attest to your ability to thrive in the rigorous academic environment and diverse community of U.S. colleges. Your recommenders should be able to speak positively about your personal qualities as well as your academic abilities.

As an international student,  it is especially important to ask your recommenders for their letters far ahead of the deadline , since they might not know how to format their letters and what to include. In general, meaningful anecdotes illustrating your positive qualities are better than abstract mentions of these qualities.

Who should I ask for a letter of recommendation?

Who you ask for letters of recommendation depends on your academic interests and what qualities you want to emphasize.

For example, if you hope to study physics, it will be more impactful to get a letter from your physics or mathematics teacher than from your foreign language teacher. Similarly, if you are not as confident about your ability to get an excellent English score on your standardized or English proficiency tests, it could be beneficial to get a recommendation from your English teacher about your eagerness to master the language.

International Student College Essays

The essays you submit through the Common Application form another crucial aspect of your application. This includes the standard CommonApp essay (650 word maximum) as well as supplementary essays for each college.

It is important to plan ahead, especially since the format of these essays might be unfamiliar to you. For the 2021-2022 application cycle, there are  7 CommonApp essay prompts . These prompts ask you to discuss your identity, recount a formative experience, or reflect on your interests.

Regardless of what you choose to write about, you should use this space to show facets of yourself that may not appear in your academic or extracurricular record. Possibly the single most important piece of advice for writing this essay is to “show, not tell” —  show  your qualities through anecdotes instead of simply  telling  the Admissions Officers what your positive attributes are.  Use your chosen topic to convey how you approach problems and add value to the lives of those around you, as well as who you see yourself to be.

For international students, it can sometimes be particularly impactful to include some cultural context in the essay where relevant. This helps Admissions Officers understand how your upbringing shaped your identity and what you might bring to their community.

International Student College Application Timeline

It is important to understand the application timeline, especially if your country has an academic schedule that is different from the U.S. system where the academic year starts in late August or early September and ends in May. The vast majority of students will apply for fall intake (to start their university studies in September). However, some do apply for spring intake, meaning that they will start in January.

ED, EA, and RD

There are three methods of applying to college – Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA), and Regular Decision (RD).

Regular Decision applications are normally due in early January (often January 1). However, some may be due earlier, as in the case of colleges in the University of California system. Regular Decision applicants are usually notified of their admissions decision in late March or early April.

For both Early Decision and Early Action applications, you have an early deadline (usually November 1 or November 15) and also get your admissions decision back earlier. However, Early Decision is different from Early Action in that if you are accepted to a school under their Early Decision program, you are obligated to attend.

Building a college list for international students

It is important to choose the colleges you will apply to strategically. Colleges are often categorized as either ‘safety schools’, ‘target schools’, or ‘reach schools’, depending on how your application compares to that of the average accepted student at that institution.

‘Safety schools’ are colleges where you are likely to be admitted, taking your grades in high school, standardized testing scores, extracurricular involvement, and other application components into account. ‘Reach schools,’ in contrast, are those that would be difficult, but possible, for you to get accepted to.

How to measure your chances as an international student

For international students who may have different grading systems and varying levels of extracurricular opportunities available to them, one of the easiest ways to roughly determine which schools would fall under which category for you is to compare your standardized testing scores with that of previously accepted students.

If your SAT or ACT score is better than the 75th percentile score for a particular institution (meaning that you did better on your standardized tests than 75% of students who were accepted), this is potentially a safety school for you. However, this also depends on how your extracurriculars, essays, and letters of recommendation compare. It should be kept in mind that outstanding test scores do not in any way guarantee your admission to a particular college, so you should have several of these ‘backup options.’

What to consider when building a college list

However, you should not only consider your likelihood of getting accepted — many other factors will help you determine where to apply. As you build your school list, consider various attributes including weather, accommodations, financial aid and tuition cost, and types of extracurriculars or academic strengths.

For international students, it can be useful to follow schools you might be interested in on social media. Colleges might post photos of students enjoying activities on campus, inform you about research opportunities, and generally give you a better idea of college life.

Virtual campus tours can be particularly helpful. These tours allow you to explore campus and learn what makes that institution unique (who knows, you might even use a fun fact from a tour in a supplementary essay!). Virtual information sessions provide a complementary opportunity to hear from admissions officers, and sometimes even current students, about campus life. Here you might be able to ask the more specific application-related questions you have, as well as gain a more detailed insight into what qualities the college is looking for in applicants.

Final thoughts

Lastly, though applying to college as an international student might be a challenging endeavor, keep your reasons for doing so in mind. Whether you hope to pursue graduate school or employment in the U.S., do undergraduate research, or just take advantage of a flexible but rigorous academic system, attending college in the U.S. can be incredibly rewarding.

Once you complete the extensive and often stressful application process, you can look forward to the prospect of engaging with bright minds from around the world on a college campus in the United States.

This university guide for international students was written by  Lara Van Rooyen , Harvard ‘23. If you want to get help with your college applications from Lara or other  CollegeAdvisor.com  Admissions Experts , click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Guide To College Essays For International Students

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Learn how to write a great college essay as an international student.

Chris Lombardo will walk through the best techniques international students can use to write an awesome essay for colleges in the United States. He'll share the main things that admissions officers at these colleges are looking for in an essay from an international student, what really stands out to them, and what turns them off.

He'll also open up the floor for a Q&A where he'll answer any and all questions about writing essays as an international student

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to apply for college in the us as an international student.

College Admissions

According to the Institute of International Education , more than a million international students studied at colleges in the United States last year. If you’re hoping to be one of those students, then this guide is for you.

To help you through the college application process, this guide will go over all the steps you need to take, from translating your transcript to taking the TOEFL. Before jumping into the process of international student admissions, let’s review how your application process is the same as a U.S. student's and how it’s different.

Applying to College: International vs. Domestic Students

As an international student, you'll largely take the same steps to apply to U.S. colleges as students from the U.S.  You'll just need to add a few extra steps to account for differences in languages, school curriculum, and grading systems. Below, you'll find an overview of the main similarities and differences between applying for college as an international student in the U.S. and applying as a domestic student.

How Applying Is the Same

Many of the steps you’ll take to apply to college in the U.S. are the same ones that domestic students take. You should apply to several schools to increase your chances of getting accepted. Eight to nine is a good number, but some students apply to even more.

You’ll apply by an early deadline , usually in November of senior year, or a regular deadline , usually in January or February of senior. Some schools have even later deadlines that fall in the spring or summer. You might use the Common Application or Universal Application, both of which can just be filled out once and sent to several schools. If any of your prospective colleges don’t accept those applications, then you’ll fill out a separate one.

Your application will contain your personal information, like your name and date of birth, as well as any extracurricular activities, jobs, or internships. You’ll also send a personal essay, one or more letters of recommendation, a transcript with your high school grades , and, for most colleges, SAT or ACT scores. A few colleges also ask you to answer supplemental essay questions, which call for shorter responses than your main personal essay.

The bulk of the application process is the same for international and domestic students, but international college students do have to take some additional steps. Read on to find out what these steps are.

How Applying Is Different

There are a few extra steps if you’re applying as an international student. First, you might have to take the TOEFL if you’re from a country where the official language is something other than English. The TOEFL (or its alternative, the IELTS) is a test that demonstrates your English language proficiency.

Second, you may need to get your transcript and any other academic credentials evaluated by an approved organization. This evaluation puts your courses and grades into U.S. terms so that admissions officers can understand them.

If financial aid is important to you, then you’ll have to figure out whether you can obtain aid directly from colleges. Federal financial aid is only available to U.S. citizens. You might also apply for  outside scholarships open to international students .

Finally, you’ll need to sort out the legal requirements of living in the U.S. by applying for a student visa. Usually, you apply for your student visa after gaining admission to a college and accepting a place in the next class. ( For more information on the US student visa application process, check out our guide .)

Now that you have a sense of the unique requirements for international student admission, let’s dive into the application process, step by step.

Read on to learn how each piece of the international student application fits together!

How to Apply to College as an International Student

Many colleges are seeking to make their campuses more globalized and welcome international applicants. At the same time, there aren’t as many spots available for international students in the USA as there are for domestic applicants, so you should make sure you understand the college process and can send off the strongest application possible.

Colleges vary in their individual policies and requirements, but for the most part, they all ask for the same materials. Most colleges ask for the following:

• Application
• High school transcript 
• SAT or ACT scores
• TOEFL scores
• Personal essay (and any supplemental essays)
• Letters of recommendation

Many of these components take months or even years to prepare, so college planning should start early in high school. Let’s talk about each of these application components in detail, along with tips for preparing each.

The Application

You can think of your application - the actual forms that contain your personal information - as the umbrella that covers all the other documents you’ll send. Each school has its own application, but many accept the Common Application and/or the Universal Application . These are both free services that allow you to fill out just one application and send it to several schools.

Colleges that don’t accept these applications, such as state schools in California and Texas, have their own application systems. Regardless of whether you use the Common Application or a school-specific application, you’ll find that both look pretty similar.

Applications will ask for your personal information, like your name, address, schools attended, and any extracurricular activities . If your school requires an essay, then you’ll usually paste your essay into your application. You may also invite recommenders via email to upload their reference letters.

While creating an account and filling out your application is free, submitting it requires a fee. Some schools have no application fee while others cost as much as $80 or $90. The average application fee is around $35 to $40. If the fees are burdensome, you may be able to obtain a college application fee waiver from the colleges that you’re interested in.

Below you’ll find a few more tips to help you prepare your college applications.

Tips for Your College Application

Preparing to apply to college is a process that can start at the beginning of high school. Colleges will look at all four years of your classes, grades, and extracurricular involvements, so it helps to consider your college goals as you make choices throughout 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade.

Most students apply to several colleges; typically, eight or nine is a good number. That way they can maximize their chances of getting accepted. Students usually apply to two to three safety schools , or ones where their credentials are well above that of the average accepted student. They also apply to schools to which getting accepted is more challenging - usually two to three match schools and two to three reach schools .

The application forms themselves are not all that time-intensive. You should give yourself at least a month before your deadlines to fill them out and proofread for any errors. As an international student, you might be in a good position to emphasize any language skills or unique multicultural experiences that you have.

The aspects of your application that require months, if not years, of planning, are your SAT/ACT scores, TOEFL scores, essay, and letters of recommendation, as you’ll learn more about below. First, let’s consider another piece of your college application, your high school transcript.

Depending on college policy, you might need to translate your transcript.

High School Transcript

To determine admission, colleges look closely at high school grades . To show schools this important information, you’ll send an official transcript. Usually, your school must send your transcript in a sealed envelope.

For some schools, you can send your transcript directly. Others will ask you to get it translated and certified by an official credential service. If your school uses a different grading system than the 4.0 scale used in the U.S., then you may have to send off your transcript for evaluation.

This transcript service may cost around $100. The company should be a member of NACES, the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services , like World Education Services, Inc .

Some colleges will allow you to use unofficial translators. Tufts, for example, says “Acceptable translators include English teachers or other school officials, professional translators, or a local EducationUSA office. Students do not need to utilize credential evaluation companies of any sort.”

Read on a few tips for sending your high school transcript to U.S. colleges.

Tips for Your High School Transcript

Colleges look at your grades throughout high school, as well as your course selection . They consider your commitment to your academics, your progress in particular subjects, and the extent to which you challenged yourself  with higher level courses.

Each college sets its own admissions policies, so make sure to research each school on your list about what it wants you to do with your transcript. You should be able to find this on the international admissions page on its website. If you can’t find this information online, you should email or call the admissions office directly.

If you need to use an evaluation service, then you'll have to plan especially early. These services typically take about seven business days after receiving your documents. You might start the process about a month before your deadlines to make sure everything arrives in time.

In addition to your grades, your SAT or ACT scores are another important part of your college application. Below we'll take a closer look at the standardized testing part of your college applications.

Schools may be very different from one another, so standardized tests, like the SAT and ACT, are used to bridge the gap.

SAT or ACT Scores

For most four-year U.S. colleges, your SAT or ACT scores are an important part of your candidacy. Colleges consider both tests equally, so it’s up to you to decide which one you’d rather take. Some colleges additionally require SAT Subject Tests , though they usually waive this requirement if you send ACT scores.

While you can self-report your scores on your application, you’ll need to send official score reports via your College Board (for the SAT) or ACT, Inc (for the ACT) accounts. If you send multiple score reports, many colleges will “superscore” your results , or take your highest scores by section and recombine them into the highest possible composite score.

The SAT and ACT require lots of prep and planning, and we have tons of resources to help you achieve your target scores. For now, let’s go over a few of the most important tips for planning for these important tests.

Tips for the SAT and ACT

The SAT and ACT are challenging tests, and both require a lot of prep to do well. To start your planning, you first need to decide which test to take. Familiarize yourself with their similarities and differences , and choose the one on which you can gain the higher score.

Then, you can set a goal for yourself. Determine your target scores based on personal goals and your colleges’ expectations. Most colleges publicize the average SAT or ACT scores of accepted students , and you can also find this information on PrepScholar’s database of schools by searching for "name of college + PrepScholar." Once you know the average, you can aim for an even stronger score to be a competitive candidate.

You might start your prep with a timed practice test to gauge your current scoring level and diagnose your strengths and weaknesses . Depending on how much you seek to improve, you can figure out how long you need to study . A score improvement of only 30 points on the SAT may just call for about 20 hours of studying, for example, while a score improvement of a few hundred points could require over 150 hours.

Lots of students take the SAT or ACT more than once to achieve their target scores. As mentioned above, many colleges superscore your results,  so you don’t have to worry about increasing your score in one section but decreasing in another. If retaking the SAT or ACT is in your plans, then you’ll need to leave yourself enough opportunities to retest.

You might take the SAT or ACT for the first time in your sophomore year. That way, you can take it again as a junior, and even in the fall of senior year if you seek improvement. Your SAT and ACT scores show that you have the academic skills to succeed at the college level. If you’re a non-native English speaker, then you may also have to take the TOEFL to demonstrate that you have college-ready English language skills.

Hope you're feeling chatty! The TOEFL will get you speaking in English.

TOEFL Scores

If your native language is something other than English, then you may have to take the TOEFL (or its counterpart, the IELTS) to demonstrate your English language proficiency. Unlike the SAT or ACT, the TOEFL is computer-based in most countries. Its scoring scale ranges from 0 to 120, and it tests your Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing skills.

Many schools require a minimum TOEFL score. If you don’t have the requisite TOEFL scores, then the rest of your application doesn’t matter! The TOEFL is definitely a test to be taken seriously if you want to study at a U.S. college. Like the SAT or ACT, you could take the TOEFL more than once to achieve your target scores.

Here are just a few examples of colleges with a TOEFL requirement. The TOEFL iBT is the internet-based test; the less common TOEFL PBT is the paper-based test, and its scoring scale ranges from 310 to 677.

A few schools will waive the TOEFL requirement if you achieve a minimum score on the verbal sections of the SAT or ACT. Because these sections require strong English skills, they can sometimes act as a stand-in for the TOEFL. As with every other part of your application, you’ll need to research each college of interest to learn about its stance and plan accordingly. Below you’ll find a few more tips for planning for the TOEFL.

Tips for the TOEFL

As an international student, you may have the double challenge of prepping for the both the SAT or ACT and the TOEFL. You’ll have to set aside time to study for both tests and arrange a testing schedule that works for you.

Like the SAT or ACT, you may want to start studying at least three months before your first test date. Set aside several hours each week to review with high-quality practice materials and take practice tests. The earlier you start, the more available test dates you’ll have to retake the TOEFL if need be.

If you have strong language skills early in high school, then you might consider taking the TOEFL in 9th or 10th grade. Then you can devote even more time to other tests and application components. If you wait until later in your high school career, then you should take the time to devise a study plan that balances your time between both the TOEFL and the SAT (or ACT).

In addition to your grades and test scores, admissions officers are also interested in learning more about you as a person. One way that they accomplish this is by reading your personal essay.

Your college essay can be about whatever you want! This one about the megastore, Costco, got its writer into five Ivy League schools.

College Essays

Many 4-year colleges claim to use a holistic admissions process, in which they consider not just your grades and test scores, but also your personal qualities and motivations. One way that they get to know you as a person is through your personal essay.

In your personal essay , you’ll typically be asked to reflect on a meaningful experience in your life and how it shaped your identity. What you choose to write about should reveal something significant about your values, and your essay as a whole will show your writing style and thought process.

If you use the Common Application to apply to colleges, then you’ll choose one of five prompts for your essay. Here are just three examples of Common Application essay prompts:

• The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience
• Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
• Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

As you can see, the essay prompts ask you to share something personal and meaningful. Schools that don’t use the Common Application will likely have their own essay prompt. They might look similar to the ones above or simply ask why you want to attend the college and to describe some of your future goals.

Some colleges, especially the more selective ones, will ask additional supplemental essay questions. These are shorter in length, perhaps a few paragraphs or less, and vary by school. They might ask why you want to attend the school or to talk about a favorite book or artist. Some are abstract, like Tufts’ question, “What makes you happy?” Others are kind of random, like the University of Virginia’s recent prompt, “To tweet or not to tweet?”

Whatever the supplemental questions, they vary by college and should not be overlooked. Below you’ll find a few tips for writing your college essays.

Tips for Your College Essays

The college essay is a unique piece of writing. It requires you to be introspective and to share something that’s meaningful to you on a personal level. The best essays tend to zero in on a particular experience that reveals something significant about the writer’s identity.

The personal essay’s a challenging assignment, so you should give yourself several months to work on it. You might take several weeks to brainstorm the right topic . Once you come up with a draft, you might share with teachers, friends, and families for feedback. Ultimately, though, the essay should be in your voice and stay true to who you are.

As an international student, you may be able to bring unique multicultural experiences or language skills to campus. Your essay’s a great opportunity to share your perspective and show admissions officers why it should be represented on campus.

Supplemental essays, while not as lengthy as the personal essay, are also an important part of your application. Probably the most common mistake that students make with supplemental essays is rushing through them and producing generic answers. Your supplemental essays should be specific and customized to each school.  They’re typically an opportunity for you to show what you know about the college and your particular reasons for wanting to attend.

While admissions officers learn about you from your personal essays, they also get to know you through your recommendation letters. Rather than hearing your voice, they hear what your teachers and/or counselor have to say about you.

Ask a teacher who's happy to paint a flattering picture of you in her letter of recommendation.

Letters of Recommendation

The final important piece of your college applications is your letters of recommendation . Requirements for reference letters vary; some colleges don’t ask for any, while others ask for one, two, or even three.

Usually, colleges want to see one or two recommendations from teachers and one from your school counselor . If you don’t have a counselor, then you might get one from a principal or other administrator.

You’ll choose your recommenders and ask them if they’d be willing to provide you with a recommendation. Then you’ll invite them to submit their letters through your online application.

Your recommendation letters should speak to both your academic and personal qualities. Like your essays and the rest of your application, they should give admissions officers insight into your strengths and skills as a student, as well as your personality and character. In addition to our in-depth guides on recommendation letters for college, you’ll find a few tips below.

Tips for Your Letters of Recommendation

Just as you should give yourself plenty of time to write your college essay, you should give your recommenders sufficient time to write your letters . You should ask your recommenders at least one month before your deadlines. You might also ask at the end of junior year.

It’s best to ask teachers who had you recently and for a whole year; junior year teachers tend to be a good bet. If your teachers write in another language, then you’ll have to get your letters translated.

The best letters come from educators who know you well, so you should ask teachers with whom you have a strong connection. You might also share your own thoughts and ideas via conversation and a “brag sheet,” a document you can prepare to help your teachers. You could talk about your favorite classes, significant experiences, and academic and personal goals for college.

For many colleges, your recommendation letters are a very important part of your college application. Admissions officers are sifting through many strong applicants and trying to gain a clearer idea of who you are as a person. Your recommendation letters are a great opportunity to showcase your positive relationships with your teachers and successes in school.

Now that we’ve gone over the main parts of your college application - the application itself, transcript, standardized testing scores, essays, and letters of recommendation - let’s consider some final tips for applying to college as an international student.

Keep these final tips in mind as you make plans to grow academically and personally at a U.S. college.

Applying to College as an International Student: 3 Final Tips

Applying to college is a complex process, and it becomes even more complicated for international college students due to additional steps, like taking the TOEFL and having your materials translated and certified.

By familiarizing yourself with the entire process , you can make sure that you have enough time to prepare all your materials by the deadline. With this knowledge, you can produce a competitive application that will secure you a spot at a U.S. college.

As you work your way through the steps, remember these three key tips.

#1: Don’t Underestimate the SAT/ACT or TOEFL

Doing well on standardized tests is important for all college applicants, and it becomes even more significant for international students in the USA. The TOEFL shows admissions officers that you have the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills to succeed in college-level classes. The SAT and ACT, furthermore, show your academic skills and college readiness.

These tests are meant to measure students on a level playing field, regardless of differences in individual high schools and curriculum (though of course, how well they do this is a matter of debate ). Admissions officers may be unfamiliar with your school abroad, so they especially rely on these test scores to make sure you have college-ready skills.

As discussed above, you should set aside several months to prep for each test and leave yourself additional test dates if you want to retest and achieve your target scores. If your sights are set on a U.S. college, then make sure you have the SAT or ACT and TOEFL scores to compete with other applicants.

#2: Remember that Many Colleges Use a Holistic Process

While test scores are important, remember that they’re not the only part of your application. Many colleges use a holistic process to admit students, in which they consider your personal qualities and impact in your school community.

Admissions officers want to learn about your interests and pursuits in and out of school. They’re interested in your extracurricular involvements and any leadership positions. They want to see if you’ve done community service, volunteered, or worked a part-time or summer job. They also gain a sense of your role in your school community through your letters of recommendation.

Admissions officers tend to be more impressed by deep involvement in a few areas than scattered participation in many areas. You might keep this in mind as you move through high school and choose your activities, as well as when you describe your involvements on your application .

Ultimately, applying to college requires a lot of self-reflection about your identity and goals for the future. Think about what’s important to you and what you hope to achieve. Then, reflect this self-awareness through your essays and application as a whole.

#3: Plan Early! 

Finally, the importance of planning early cannot be emphasized enough! There are a lot of moving parts that go into a college application, and none of them can be completed in a short time frame.

Admissions officers are interested in all four years of high school, so planning early will help you make informed choices about your courses and involvements. For instance, you should try to challenge yourself in one or more upper-level classes and stick with an activity or two throughout your time in high school. Follow your interests and you may have a sense of what subject you’d like to choose as your major once you arrive at college.

In the end, you college application will tell a story to admissions officers about your high school experience and identity. By planning early, you can make the most of these years with a goal-oriented, proactive mindset. All of your hard work will pay off when you send off a great college application that gets you accepted into your dream school!

What’s Next?

Are you figuring out where to apply to college? This guide will help you research colleges and find the best ones for you .

Looking for schools that are specifically great for international students? We've gathered a list of the top 25 colleges in the US for international students , as well as the best international student scholarships .

Will you be taking the TOEFL and the SAT? Check out this comprehensive guide to learn about the TOEFL and SAT and how to prepare for both .

Are you getting ready for the SAT? To help you prepare, we’ve compiled our best articles in the Ultimate Study Guide for the SAT . Plus, choose your best test dates with our updated compilations of international SAT and ACT dates .

Want to make sure your high school curriculum reflects the rigor necessary for admission to a college in the US? The AP international diploma or the Advanced International Certificate of Education can both show your commitment to challenging yourself academically.

Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT.

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A Guide to Scholarships for International Students

Prospective international undergraduates can demonstrate leadership and writing skills to win U.S. university scholarships.

International Student Scholarship Guide

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Experts recommend contacting a school's financial aid office and using scholarship search tools to find out about scholarships awarded by colleges and universities in the U.S.

Finding scholarships for international students may seem next to impossible, but they exist. As prospective undergraduate students research their options for studying in the U.S., they should be aware of what might land them a coveted scholarship award.

"A strong applicant will have demonstrated leadership and teamwork, strong letters of recommendation from teachers who know them and a consistently strong academic record which includes writing but also demonstrates follow-through and discipline," says Meredith Twombly, associate vice president of enrollment management at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island.

Here are some things to know about scholarships for international students.

Schools Can Be Scholarship Gold Mines

Schools tend to be one of the best resources to find scholarships for international undergraduate students. Experts recommend contacting a school's financial aid office and using scholarship search tools like InternationalStudent.com to find out about scholarships awarded by colleges and universities in the U.S.

Applicants should look for scholarships open to all students rather than just U.S. citizens and permanent residents, as well as carefully review requirements, such as test scores, essays and additional materials like videos or letters of recommendation.

Numerous university-based scholarships are open to international undergraduate applicants. The Wien International Scholarship Program , for example, was established in 1958 at Brandeis University in Massachusetts and has brought more than 890 scholars from 115 countries to the school, says Julie Jette, a Brandeis spokeswoman. She says Wien Scholars "are committed leaders with a proven record of academic excellence and desire to effect positive change in their communities."

Evelyn Levinson, director of international admissions at American University in Washington, D.C., says the school has two endowed partial scholarships – one for an international student from Turkey and one for an international student from anywhere in Cyprus – that are available every few years rather than annually.

The school also offers partial merit scholarships based on academic excellence and rigor to first-year applicants, including international students, that range from $8,000 to $20,000 a year, she says.

The Presidential Scholarship offered by Clark University in Massachusetts is offered to domestic and international students and covers full tuition and on-campus room and board for all four years, regardless of financial need.

"Not all scholarships are listed on Common Application as many require a separate application, so do your research," says Presidential Scholarship recipient Maha Akbar, a Pakistani national who graduated in May 2020 from Clark with a B.A. in political science and minors in economics and business management.

Lynn A. Mosesso, retired former director of graduate and international recruitment and admissions at the University of Arkansas, says the school offers several scholarships to undergraduate international students. These include the New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award Scholarship, which provides an annual award of $9,500 to $17,000 per year based on 30 hours of enrollment.

The school also offers several college and departmental scholarships, as well as scholarships to currently enrolled students who have excelled in their academic program or demonstrate financial need, Mosesso says.

Skills Can Boost Scholarship Chances

Strong leadership skills can make international students more competitive scholarship applicants, experts say.

"Being the head boy or captain of your school, leading the school paper or even setting up your own entrepreneurship club shows your leadership potential. In the end universities want to look at students who are going to be future leaders of the world and they want to see evidence of that from an early age," Karan Gupta, CEO of Karan Gupta Consulting in India, wrote in an email.

Passionate leaders with strong academic records on a scholarship application stand out, says Emily Roper-Doten, vice president of admissions and financial assistance at Clark. “And while we certainly value their intellectual curiosity, we also appreciate their desire and commitment to serve their community ,” she says.

Strong writing skills also help. Pakistani national Fareha Abid was the 2019 recipient of the Emerging Global Leader Scholarship offered by American University. Abid graduated in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in international studies with a concentration in justice, ethics and human rights with a focus on Europe and MENA regions, and a minor in international business with a focus on sustainable development and marketing. She says she sharpened her skills through writing-intensive, advanced-level courses as well as launching and running her high school's magazine.

The most critical part of a scholarship application, she says, is the personal statement , which allows admissions officers and scholarship committees to really get to know a student.

"That is where a certain degree of self-awareness and the skill of knowing how to tell your story comes in handy. My identity as a Pakistani girl, life experiences and being true to myself were a few of the things I highlighted," Abid says.

Scholarship essays level the playing field, experts say, giving students from various backgrounds and with different accomplishments an opportunity to win an award.

"If you have good writing skills you will be able to communicate strengths about your profile with ease," Gupta says. "This in turn will enhance your chances for scholarship."

Mistakes Can Work Against You

Not writing your own essay and waiting until the last minute to apply for scholarships are mistakes international students should avoid, experts say.

"Students should avoid the temptation of plagiarizing essays or even full sentences from the Internet or from past submitted essays," Gupta says.

That includes not using ChatGPT to write your scholarship essay, experts say. Gupta advises that international students be honest in what they write, especially about their achievements and extracurricular activities, and adds that scholarship committees "can very easily tell if an essay actually depicts a student's potential."

Levinson says students should carefully review, reread and edit scholarship essays and use spellcheck before submitting their essays to a university. International students should ask their school counselor, English teacher or EducationUSA adviser to read and review their essays before submission, she says. (EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State-supported network of advising centers that assist students interested in studying in the U.S.)

Ceasing to apply for additional scholarships after being awarded one or two is not a good idea , experts add, as students should maximize opportunities to get more money for college.

Mosesso says scholarships are highly competitive and students should give themselves plenty of time to prepare a strong application and communicate their goals for university study, career aspirations and why they decided to apply to a specific university.

Finally, Mosesso says, “Do not wait until the last minute to ask school counselors for a letter of recommendation."

Facts About Merit Aid Scholarships

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The Interlochen Arts Camp application closes this Friday, May 17

College essay writing.

Write a compelling essay for the Common App and a supplemental essay for a college of your choice, under expert guidance and with a structured process that takes you from start to finish in 30 days. 

The college essay is the most personalized part of a college application. It’s an opportunity for you to share your unique stories and showcase the valuable experiences and qualities you would bring to a school’s campus. In this four-week course, you’ll be guided through the writing process for your own essays to set you apart in the competitive landscape of college admissions. The course will focus on the essay required for the Common App, the application used by 1,000+ colleges and universities, in addition to how to approach and write the supplemental essays specific to each school. 

The course begins by exploring what is required of the Common App essay and essays that have been successful. By the end of the first week, you’ll create an outline for your essay. In the second week, you’ll draft your essay, learning how to write captivating introductions and compelling body paragraphs with personal anecdotes and vivid imagery. In the third week, you’ll work on polishing your essay with a focus on strengthening your voice in it and adding details. In the final week, the course turns to supplemental essays and how to write targeted responses while conveying authenticity.

All throughout the course, you’ll work directly with your instructor and receive personalized feedback on your work. You’ll also have opportunities to participate in peer sharing sessions to receive additional perspective and recommendations on how you can revise and strengthen your writing. By the end of the course, you’ll have completed your essay for the Common App and at least one supplemental essay that resonates with admissions officers.

What you will learn:

✔ Write your Common App essay and one supplemental essay for a college or university of your choice  ✔ Tailor your essay responses to specific colleges' values and mission statements  ✔ Craft attention-grabbing introductions and well-balanced body paragraphs using effective narrative techniques and specific sensory details  ✔ Revise your writing by following a comprehensive checklist

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• Computer or mobile device with Internet. Internet speed must be at least 1.5Mbps download and 800Kbps upload. For students using a mobile device, download the Canvas mobile app and select “Interlochen Online” as your school.
• Word processing program, such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word, that can create PDF files
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• Review Essays That Worked for John Hopkins University

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Interlochen Online courses are designed to be inspiring and flexible with weekly learning units that combine video segments and guided instruction that you can complete on your own schedule during the week. You will interact regularly with your teacher and peers inside the learning environment. 

You can also participate in an optional weekly hour-long video class meeting, where you can learn from the teacher and interact with your classmates in real-time. At the beginning of the course, you will complete a survey indicating your preferred times for the class meeting. The teacher will make every best effort to identify a meeting time that works for everyone. The teacher will also post recordings of the meetings and you can view them when it is convenient. 

The goal is that you walk away not only with practical skills and friendships but that you are inspired and motivated to pursue your art and realize your potential.

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• International Student
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• Sample Essays

Sample Scholarship Essays

If you’re applying for a scholarship, chances are you are going to need to write an essay. Very few scholarship programs are based solely on an application form or transcript. The essay is often the most important part of your application; it gives the scholarship committee a sense of who you are and your dedication to your goals. You’ll want to make sure that your scholarship essay is the best it can possibly be.

See the sample essays:

The book that made me a journalist, planners and searchers, saving the manatees.

Unless specified otherwise, scholarship essays should always use the following formatting:

• Double spaced
• Times New Roman font
• 12 point font
• One-inch top, bottom, and side margins

Other useful tips to keep in mind include:

• Read the instructions thoroughly and make sure you completely understand them before you start writing.
• Think about what you are going to write and organize your thoughts into an outline.
• Write your essay by elaborating on each point you included in your outline.
• Use clear, concise, and simple language throughout your essay.
• When you are finished, read the question again and then read your essay to make sure that the essay addresses every point.

For more tips on writing a scholarship essay, check out our Eight Steps Towards a Better Scholarship Essay .

I was taking a composition class, and we were learning how to write persuasive essays. Up until that point, I had had average grades, but I was always a good writer and my teacher immediately recognized this. The first paper I wrote for the class was about my experience going to an Indian reservation located near my uncle's ranch in southwest Colorado. I wrote of the severe poverty experienced by the people on the reservation, and the lack of access to voting booths during the most recent election. After reading this short story, my teacher approached me and asked about my future plans. No one had ever asked me this, and I wasn't sure how to answer. I said I liked writing and I liked thinking about people who are different from myself. She gave me a book and told me that if I had time to read it, she thought it would be something I would enjoy. I was actually quite surprised that a high school teacher was giving me a book titled Lies My Teacher Told Me. It had never occurred to me that teachers would lie to students. The title intrigued me so much that on Friday night I found myself staying up almost all night reading, instead of going out with friends.

In short, the book discusses several instances in which typical American history classes do not tell the whole story. For example, the author addresses the way that American history classes do not usually address about the Vietnam War, even though it happened only a short time ago. This made me realize that we hadn't discussed the Vietnam War in my own history class! The book taught me that, like my story of the Indian reservation, there are always more stories beyond what we see on the surface and what we’re taught in school. I was inspired to continue to tell these stories and to make that my career.

For my next article for the class, I wrote about the practice of my own high school suspending students, sometimes indefinitely, for seemingly minor offenses such as tardiness and smoking. I found that the number of suspensions had increased by 200% at my school in just three years, and also discovered that students who are suspended after only one offense often drop out and some later end up in prison. The article caused quite a stir. The administration of my school dismissed it, but it caught the attention of my local newspaper. A local journalist worked with me to publish an updated and more thoroughly researched version of my article in the local newspaper. The article forced the school board to revisit their “zero tolerance” policy as well as reinstate some indefinitely suspended students. I won no favors with the administration and it was a difficult time for me, but it was also thrilling to see how one article can have such a direct effect on people’s lives . It reaffirmed my commitment to a career in journalism.

This is why I’m applying for this scholarship. Your organization has been providing young aspiring journalists with funds to further their skills and work to uncover the untold stories in our communities that need to be reported. I share your organization’s vision of working towards a more just and equitable world by uncovering stories of abuse of power. I have already demonstrated this commitment through my writing in high school and I look forward to pursuing a BA in this field at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. With your help, I will hone my natural instincts and inherent writing skills. I will become a better and more persuasive writer and I will learn the ethics of professional journalism.

I sincerely appreciate the committee’s time in evaluating my application and giving me the opportunity to tell my story. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Scholarship Essay Do's and Don'ts

Being African, I recognize Africa’s need for home- grown talent in the form of “planners” (assistants with possible solutions) and “searchers” (those with desperate need) working towards international development. I represent both. Coming from Zimbabwe my greatest challenge is in helping to improve the livelihoods of developing nations through sustainable development and good governance principles. The need for policy-makers capable of employing cross-jurisdictional, and cross- disciplinary strategies to solve complex challenges cannot be under-emphasized; hence my application to this scholarship program.

After graduating from Africa University with an Honors degree in Sociology and Psychology, I am now seeking scholarship support to study in the United States at the Master’s level . My interest in democracy, elections, constitutionalism and development stems from my lasting interest in public policy issues. Accordingly, my current research interests in democracy and ethnic diversity require a deeper understanding of legal processes of constitutionalism and governance. As a Master’s student in the US, I intend to write articles on these subjects from the perspective of someone born, raised, and educated in Africa. I will bring a unique and much-needed perspective to my graduate program in the United States, and I will take the technical and theoretical knowledge from my graduate program back with me to Africa to further my career goals as a practitioner of good governance and community development.

To augment my theoretical understanding of governance and democratic practices, I worked with the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) as a Programs Assistant in the Monitoring and Observation department. This not only enhanced my project management skills, but also developed my skills in research and producing communication materials. ZESN is Zimbabwe’s biggest election observation organization, and I had the responsibility of monitoring the political environment and producing monthly publications on human rights issues and electoral processes . These publications were disseminated to various civil society organizations, donors and other stakeholders. Now I intend to develop my career in order to enhance Africa’s capacity to advocate, write and vote for representative constitutions.

I also participated in a fellowship program at Africa University, where I gained greater insight into social development by teaching courses on entrepreneurship, free market economics, and development in needy communities . I worked with women in rural areas of Zimbabwe to setup income-generating projects such as the jatropha soap-making project. Managing such a project gave me great insight into how many simple initiatives can transform lives.

Your organization has a history of awarding scholarships to promising young students from the developing world in order to bring knowledge, skills and leadership abilities to their home communities. I have already done some of this work but I want to continue, and with your assistance, I can . The multidisciplinary focus of the development programs I am applying to in the US will provide me with the necessary skills to creatively address the economic and social development challenges and develop sound public policies for Third World countries. I thank you for your time and consideration for this prestigious award.

It is a cliché to say that I’ve always known what I want to do with my life, but in my case it happens to be true. When I first visited Sea World as a young child, I fell in love with marine animals in general. Specifically, I felt drawn to manatees. I was compelled by their placid and friendly nature. I knew then and there that I wanted to dedicate my life to protecting these beautiful creatures.

Since that day in Orlando, I have spent much of my spare time learning everything there is to know about manatees. As a junior high and high school student, I attempted to read scholarly articles on manatees from scientific journals. I annoyed my friends and family with scientific facts about manatees-- such as that they are close relatives of elephants--at the dinner table. I watched documentaries, and even mapped their migration pattern on a wall map my sister gave me for my birthday.

When I was chosen from hundreds of applicants to take part in a summer internship with Sea World, I fell even more in love with these gentle giants. I also learned a very important and valuable lesson: prior to this internship, I had imagined becoming a marine biologist, working directly with the animals in their care both in captivity and in the wild. However, during the internship, I discovered that this is not where my strengths lie. Unfortunately, I am not a strong student in science or math, which are required skills to become a marine biologist . Although this was a disheartening realization, I found that I possess other strengths can still be of great value to manatees and other endangered marine mammals: my skills as a public relations manager and communicator . During the internship, I helped write new lessons and presentations for elementary school groups visiting the park and developed a series of fun activities for children to help them learn more about manatees as well as conservation of endangered species in general. I also worked directly with the park’s conservation and communication director, and helped develop a new local outreach program designed to educate Floridians on how to avoid hitting a manatee when boating . My supervisor recommended me to the Save the Manatee Foundation so in addition to my full-time internship at Sea World, I interned with the Save the Manatee Foundation part-time . It was there that I witnessed the manatee rescue and conservation effort first hand, and worked directly with the marine biologists in developing fund-raising and awareness-raising campaigns. I found that the foundation’s social media presence was lacking, and, using skills I learned from Sea World, I helped them raise over $5,000 through a Twitter challenge, which we linked to the various social media outlets of the World Wildlife Federation.

While I know that your organization typically awards scholarships to students planning to major in disciplines directly related to conservation such as environmental studies or zoology, I feel that the public relations side of conservation is just as important as the actual work done on the ground . Whether it is reducing one’s carbon footprint, or saving the manatees, these are efforts that, in order to be successful, must involve the larger public. In fact, the relative success of the environmental movement today is largely due to a massive global public relations campaign that turned environmentalism from something scientific and obscure into something that is both fashionable and accessible to just about anyone. However, that success is being challenged more than ever before--especially here in the US, where an equally strong anti-environmental public relations campaign has taken hold. Therefore, conservationists need to start getting more creative.

I want to be a part of this renewed effort and use my natural abilities as a communicator to push back against the rather formidable forces behind the anti-environmentalist movement. I sincerely hope you will consider supporting this non-traditional avenue towards global sustainability and conservation. I have already been accepted to one of the most prestigious communications undergraduate programs in the country and I plan to minor in environmental studies . In addition, I maintain a relationship with my former supervisors at Save the Manatee and Sea World, who will be invaluable resources for finding employment upon graduation. I thank the committee for thinking outside the box in considering my application.

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What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.

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Five false college beliefs that harm international students.

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False beliefs about college lead international students and parents to suboptimal outcomes.

More harmful than not knowing is believing something false to be true. Higher education, with its mix of self-appointed expertise, high cost of failure, and aversion to deviating from collective wisdom, is a domain in which false beliefs readily emerge. Sometimes, these lead to misdirected efforts in high school. Other times, they lead to suboptimal college choices or set the wrong expectations for life after college. While they cannot be prevented, they can be exposed, and their influence disipated.

Advanced Placement Is A National Curriculum

For students from countries with heavy-handed ministries of edcucation and highly regimented board examinations, it can be hard to accept that the United States does not have a national curriculum. In the search what must be the de facto national curriculum, Advanced Placement emerges as a logical choice.

What parents and students do not realize is that colleges have been suspicious of the quality of Advanced Placement for at least 30 years. This is why although a score of 3 is supposed to be considered passing, few top colleges award credit for anything less than a score of 4. And while the number of exams available continues to increase, the number of exams that top colleges accept has been decreasing.

Advanced Placement does not impact admissions like proper national curricula do. While Stanford University’s Admissions Office requires international students in IB or GCSE schools to submit board exam results, they do not for students in Advanced Placement. Advanced Placement exam results are a weak signal, having little to no impact on admissions.

Graduate Student Experience Translates to Undergraduate

While no one believes graduate and undergraduate experiences are the same, what people often do believe is that the stories they have heard from relatives or friends of parents about big state universities in the United States are somehow relevant. The reason why these stories have little relevance is that they are usually about graduate school. There are tremendous differences between being a graduate student and an undergraduate, not least of which is that graduate students are usually paid to be there while undergraduate students pay for the privilege. Other differences include class sizes, faculty interaction, and housing. The uneven distribution of resources that makes graduate school enjoyable often makes undergraduate life less than ideal.

Cannes Film Festival 2024: Stars Arrive On Red Carpet For Annual Event

Televisaunivision 2024-25 slate touts latino culture, vix growth, juanpa zurita, william levy deals, judge says up to 20 million fintech depositors are at risk from synapse bankruptcy, students will graduate in four years.

Most international students know that university in the United States is intended to be four years. What they do not know is that most students take longer. Only 50.2% of international students, and 44% of domestic students, entering college as undergraduates should expect to have a degree within four years. Indeed, the fact that four-year degrees typically take longer than four years to complete is why the statistic most often given in the discussion of graduation rates is the six-year graduation rate .

A College’s Selectivity Is All Important

While there are clear economic benefits to earning a college degree, many misconceptions exist about the importance of a college’s selectivity as measured by its admissions rate and its ultimate implications for career success.

A report from the American Enterprise Institute entitled “ Does More Selective College Equal a Bigger Paycheck? ” concludes that four years after graduation:

• Median earnings for college graduates from less selective four-year institutions appear broadly similar to those for graduates from more selective schools.
• The earnings of graduates from less selective colleges appeared to increase more rapidly than did those from more selective colleges.

While selectivity can correlate with career success, it often does so not because of what a student gains in college, but because of other factors such as legacy status.

A 2021 study reached conclusions about the relationship between selectivity and career success: “We find that recent college graduates in only two majors—business and the social sciences—experience a selectivity premium.”

The authors speculate that the higher earnings for degrees in the social sciences is a result of many elite colleges not having undergraduate business degrees, and consequently of business-direct students majoring in subjects like economics. The authors further note that what you study matters more than where you study. Parents would do well to keep this in mind when allocating resources to college admissions consultants rather than to actually improving their students.

You Are Not The Patsy

The final false belief that parents need to shake is that universities operate for the good of their students. While this may sometimes be true in the aggregate, it is rarely true in the specific instance. Schools want all their graduating students to be successful, but they are satisfied with success measured from a portfolio perspective rather than on a student-by-student basis. Parents and students would be wise to remember an oft-quoted adage from the world of poker that Warren Buffet summed up nicely in a shareholder letter: “If you’ve been in the game 30 minutes and you don’t know who the patsy is, you’re the patsy.”

I encourage parents, especially international parents, to carefully consider why colleges are recruiting their students. Are they mission-driven institutions with a long history of developing student talent, especially in students like yours? Or are they state-run institutions with a long history of seeking new revenue sources? They may be both, but if you do not know why they are recruiting you, I can suggest at least 40,000 reasons a year why they might be.

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