10 replies to this topic

[crisbeto]

Hello guys
I see that we have members here from many different countries.
This year i'm graduating and i'm planning to study abroad so could you guys give me some advice or information, mainly:

*what are the requirements to be admitted(tests, certificates etc)
*what are the tuition fees
*if possible some important dates that should be taken into consideration

Also helpful links are welcome too

Ps:I'm mainly planning ot studying in the EU and if possible in english

Edited by crisbeto, 13 September 2011 - 06:04 PM.

[Boysie]

Moved from nonse-nse

[Corman]

crisbeto, on 13 September 2011 - 06:04 PM, said:

Hello guys
I see that we have members here from many different countries.
This year i'm graduating and i'm planning to study abroad so could you guys give me some advice or information, mainly:

*what are the requirements to be admitted(tests, certificates etc)
*what are the tuition fees
*if possible some important dates that should be taken into consideration

Also helpful links are welcome too

Ps:I'm mainly planning ot studying in the EU and if possible in english

All three items are country-specific, and most often, even university-specific. First make up your mind on what studies you want to do, then in what country, and then what university.

[crisbeto]

Well mainly i want something related to computers like web design or programming(i already have some experience with them) also my main concern are the application requirements, because i've got 101 on the toefl and i've read somewhere that other bulgarian students have been admitted with a diploma of around 5,50 and mine is above that, and i'm concerned about other things like i've heard about like SAT(but afaik its only for the US).

Edited by crisbeto, 13 September 2011 - 06:37 PM.

[Corman]

crisbeto, on 13 September 2011 - 06:35 PM, said:

Well mainly i want something related to computers like web design or programming(i already have some experience with them) also my main concern are the application requirements, because i've got 101 on the toefl and i've read somewhere that other bulgarian students have been admitted with a diploma of around 5,50 and mine is above that, and i'm concerned about other things like i've heard about like SAT(but afaik its only for the US).

Again, first decide where exactly you want to go. We cannot help you before you do that. I can tell you how stuff is organized at the K.U.Leuven, najodleglejszy how it is in Krakow, others how it is at UCL, but it won't help you any further.

[crisbeto]

Well it's a start to tell me how the things at your university are organized, i doubt there is such a significant difference between universities, of course there are going to be some but not so significant.

[Corman]

Well, if you insist.

Belgian universities use a national system called 'studiepunten' (basically an extended version of ECTS-points). You get 180 points to spend over 3 years, 60/year. All our classes take up a certain amount of points: for example I have 3 classes with 4 points each, one with 6, one with 24, etc. When you pass the class, you get your points back. When you don't, you don't. Let's say you fail for every subject in the first year. You then have 120 out of the 180 points left (luckily there is a system that gets you back to 180: the first 60 points you win back come back doubled. So suppose you failed everything the first year, but you pass the second try, you're back on 180).

If you keep on failing, you'll run out of credit. Now this doesn't necessarily mean you can't enter ever again: credits come back over time, I think 10/year so you'll have to wait 6 years to try again, or, you lose any government sponsorship and you have to pay extremely high tuition fees (if you stay within the credit system, enrollment in uni is €580, if you leave the system we are talking about 1000's of euros).

Every Belgian citizen starts with 180 points as soon as you leave highschool, and anyone can start. We don't have to apply for universities to get in (except for medicine, where you have to pass an entry exam). I don't know how things are set up for foreign students though. I know my faculty (Philosophy) has very extended support for English-speaking students, but for example the faculty of arts doesn't. My guess is you still have to prove you know English, but I guess we are rather mild in what certificates are allowed. So, your TOEFL-certificate should be no problem.

For universities, classes start on September 26th; for 'hogescholen', classes start on September 19th.

[crisbeto]

Thank you it is helpful afterall i'm still kinda in a "research phase".

[najodleglejszy]

if you want to study in English in Kraków (where one of the best universities in Poland, Jagiellonian University, is located) you have to take IB exam (http://en.wikipedia....ploma_Programme), so if you finished the high school that prepares students for that exam, you shouldn't have big problem with it. otherwise, it can be tricky.

just FYI.

[crisbeto]

English really isn't a problem.Are the courses entirelly in english? Because i've read somewhere that you need both english and the native language.

[najodleglejszy]

there are separate classes for foreigners and everything is in English. but the IB exam is a bit specific. for example I know that in my high school I was taught very different things from those required by IB standards.