Forbes has highlighted 15 international colleges for US students across 12 countries, comparing 2026–27 tuition, admissions routes, degree lengths and English-language undergraduate options.
The list ranges from lower-cost options such as University College Freiburg in Germany, where annual tuition and fees are about USD 3,900, to more expensive institutions including the University of Oxford, where overseas tuition can reach roughly USD 85,600.
Admissions requirements vary by institution and may include SAT, ACT, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credentials. Several universities also offer direct application routes or accept the Common App.
Degree lengths generally range from three to four years, with many of the institutions offering substantial or fully English-taught undergraduate programs.
McGill University — Montreal, Canada
A large, primarily English-language public research university with more than 28,000 undergraduates. Major fields include arts, engineering, business, science, agriculture and environmental sciences. Degrees generally take three to four years. U.S. applicants apply directly to McGill; testing requirements vary by program. The fall admission deadline is January 15. Bachelor of Arts tuition and fees are about $40,400 (CA$56,000) annually, with costs varying by program.
Sciences Po — France
Founded in 1872, Sciences Po specialises in social sciences and humanities, including political science, economics, law, history and sociology. Students study in Paris or at one of six regional undergraduate campuses, and every bachelor’s student spends the third year outside France. The degree takes three years. U.S. applicants can qualify through combinations of SAT, ACT, AP, IB and high-school results. Annual tuition and fees are about $17,400 (€14,900).
University College Freiburg — Freiburg, Germany
Part of the University of Freiburg, this small college offers an English-taught Liberal Arts and Sciences degree. Only around 80 students are admitted annually. Students begin broadly before specialising in areas such as governance, culture and history, life sciences, or environmental and sustainability sciences. The program lasts four years. There is no application fee, while annual tuition and fees are about $3,900 (€3,380).
University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong
HKU is Hong Kong’s oldest university and teaches in English. Programs cover architecture, business, engineering, law, medicine, science, humanities and social sciences. Most undergraduate degrees take four years. U.S. students generally apply with combinations of SAT/ACT and AP scores. Annual tuition is about $28,600 (HK$224,000) for non-STEM programs and $31,800 (HK$249,000) for STEM.
Trinity College Dublin — Dublin, Ireland
Founded in 1592, Trinity is Ireland’s oldest university. It offers English-language degrees across arts and humanities, business, law, engineering and health sciences. Most undergraduate programs run for four years. U.S. applicants can use combinations of SAT, ACT, AP, IB and school results. Most annual tuition and fees range from about $26,300 to $34,500 (€22,580–€29,570).
Bocconi University — Milan, Italy
Bocconi is particularly strong in economics, finance and business, while also offering English-taught degrees in political science, data science, artificial intelligence and global law. Most bachelor’s programs take three years. Applications accept the SAT, ACT or Bocconi’s own test. Annual tuition and fees are about $19,800 (€17,000).
John Cabot University — Rome, Italy
An American-style liberal arts university founded in 1972. All classes are taught in English, with 15 majors covering business and economics, political and social sciences, and humanities. Around 28% of its roughly 1,900 students are from the U.S. Degrees take four years. Students can use the Common App, and SAT/ACT scores are optional. Annual tuition and fees are about $30,000.
Waseda University — Tokyo, Japan
Waseda offers complete English-language undergraduate degrees through six schools. Subjects include political science, economics, international liberal studies, social innovation, Japanese culture, science and engineering. Degrees take four years. SAT, ACT and IB credentials are recognised, although requirements vary by school. Annual tuition and fees range from about $7,900 to $11,900 (¥1.26 million–¥1.89 million).
Tecnológico de Monterrey — México
Known as Tec de Monterrey, the university operates more than 20 campuses and has major strengths in business, engineering, technology and entrepreneurship. It offers a four-year English-language Global Business bachelor’s program at selected campuses. Applications accept SAT or ACT scores and admissions are rolling. Annual tuition and fees are about $21,600 (MXN365,580), excluding some insurance and protection charges.
Amsterdam University College — Amsterdam, Netherlands
AUC is a small English-taught Liberal Arts and Sciences honours college jointly run by the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Around 300 new students enter each year and build interdisciplinary programs in sciences, social sciences or humanities. The degree takes three years, and housing is guaranteed throughout the program. Non-EU/EEA tuition and fees are about $23,800 (€20,430) annually.
Yonsei University — Underwood International College, South Korea
Yonsei’s Underwood International College is an English-language liberal arts division with about 3,000 students from more than 70 countries. Its 16 majors include economics, international studies, political science, culture and life sciences. Students begin at the Songdo campus before moving to Seoul. The degree takes four years. Annual tuition and fees are about $9,600 (₩13.23 million).
IE University — Madrid and Segovia, Spain
IE enrolls students from more than 160 countries and offers English-language undergraduate programs in business, international relations, law, technology, architecture, design and humanities. Most single degrees take four years. Applicants submit a personal statement, SAT or ACT results, an IE assessment and an interview. Standard annual tuition is about $31,000 (€26,500); the Global BBA costs about $51,000 (€43,800).
University of Cambridge — Cambridge, England
Cambridge has 31 residential colleges and more than 30 degree programs covering over 65 subjects. Its strongest areas include mathematics, natural sciences, engineering, computer science, economics and humanities. Most degrees last three years, although some take four or longer. Admission is extremely competitive; Forbes reported that only about 5% of 597 U.S. applicants were accepted in 2025. International tuition ranges from roughly $39,600 to $60,300, plus college and living fees.
University of Oxford — Oxford, England
Oxford uses its famous tutorial system, combining lectures with intensive small-group teaching. Popular courses include economics and management, computer science, biomedical sciences, mathematics and law. Degrees generally last three years, with some extending to four or more. U.S. applicants typically need strong AP results plus at least a 1460 on the SAT or a 31 on the ACT, depending on the course. Overseas tuition ranges from around $51,000 to $85,600 (£37,380–£62,820).
University of St Andrews — St Andrews, Scotland
Scotland’s oldest university offers a more flexible four-year undergraduate system than many English universities. Strong subjects include mathematics, art history, chemistry, English and environmental sciences. About 42% of its more than 8,000 undergraduates come from outside the U.K. Applications can be submitted directly, through the Common App or via UCAS. Annual tuition for Arts, Divinity and Science programs is about $45,000 (£33,250) for 2026–27.
