Higher education turned the United States into the country it is today. The United States is the number one choice among international students because of its top-notch universities. However, nowhere else can tuition be this high, leaving many people in debt.
On March 29, World's hour-long feature, “The Price of Higher Education,” will focus on how international students pay for a college education in the United States and explore how other countries fund higher education. We investigated whether
This special project was part of the ongoing project 'The World's Global Classroom' on the intersection of international students and higher education, with support from the Lumina Foundation.
Check out the complete list of the special's 11 stories below, along with illustrations by Yunyi Dai.
Student loans can be made “easy” and “automatic.” Other countries also offer lessons for the United States.
Higher education turned the United States into the country it is today. Being a top-notch university, it is the first choice among international students. However, there is no other place where tuition fees are so high. Nor are there so many people in debt. GBH education reporter Kirk Carapezza looks at how the U.S. got here and how other countries fund higher education.
Denmark pays students to attend university. But free education comes at a price.
Borrowers in the US and UK have the highest debt burdens in the world. Tuition is free in Denmark, and students receive subsidies for food and housing. Very few people take out loans. But free education comes at a price, writes Joshua Koh from Aarhus, Denmark.
Despite lack of government funding for universities in Cambodia, students are getting by
Cambodia is still recovering from the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge, in which most of its academics were killed. Today, the university has been rebuilt, but most people in the poor kingdom cannot afford to pay even the lowest tuition fees. Leila Goldstein reports that people who want to pursue higher education have to be either lucky or extremely resourceful.
High tuition fees paid by international students are helping U.S. universities make ends meet
The United States is the world's most accessible country for higher education, with more than 1 million international students earning more than $40 billion each year. These families have been saving for decades and using their full tuition to subsidize U.S. students. Carolyn Beeler of the World speaks with Karin Fischer, a reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education who writes Latitudes, a weekly newsletter covering international higher education.
An open secret: Some international students in the U.S. are starving
Samantha (we will not use her full name) initially had enough money to pay her tuition. But after her family's business in South Africa collapsed, her mother's friends and relatives pitched in to help her mother finish college in the United States. Samantha also had to work under the table, she admits. If she is arrested, she will lose her F1 visa and be deported. Andrea Gutierrez reported from Los Angeles that U.S. colleges and universities know that some international students are desperate and others are going hungry.
American education is already paying off for some people
International students are not eligible for federal financial aid and pay much higher tuition fees at state schools. But for five Indian science and engineering students earning master's degrees at San Jose State University, the opportunity and potential high paychecks are worth it. KQED reporter Maddie Bolanos said their cramped shared apartment didn't dampen their spirits.
Visas significantly delay 'once in a lifetime' opportunity for Indian students and workers
Obtaining a visa to travel to the United States is never easy for certain nationalities, even for students who have already been admitted to a U.S. university. Visa processing delays lasted more than a year during the pandemic. Sushmita Pathak reports from Delhi that students are being forced to rethink their educational future as the large number of applicants continues to cause significant delays.
'University of the People' offers tuition-free degrees to marginalized students around the world
The University of the People claims to be the first nonprofit, tuition-free, U.S.-accredited online university. They are all true. Thanks to advances in technology and the acceptance of online learning, the nature of higher education is rapidly changing. But are the university's 137,000 students from more than 200 countries receiving a quality education? Emily Haavik reports on how universities work.
International students talk about the hurdles and successes of studying in the United States
For many international students, attending a university in the United States is part of a lifelong dream. But doing so can be difficult to overcome. Nevertheless, The World spoke to many students who are forging their own paths to higher education in the United States. Here are some of their stories in their own words.
