This guide will help you apply to an international university.
I will walk you through the exact steps I took to apply to Aalto University myself, saving money while securing admission and scholarships.
Studying abroad is a dream for many international students, but the application process often seems expensive, complicated, and overwhelming. Many students turn to study abroad agencies, believing that applying on their own is impossible.
However, with the right guidance, you can complete your application for study abroad without spending thousands on third-party services.
While some study abroad agencies genuinely help students, many create the illusion that applying alone is impossible—when in reality, with the right approach, you can do it yourself and save money.
The mutual belief is that studying abroad and application and scholarship is like something underground, something mysterious and protected among a few chosen, something normal people don’t have access to. This belief is further fueled by parties that benefit, and profit financially from it.
However, it’s already 2025. Anyone with Internet connection and English reading comprehension can do their own research to find a way to apply for universities abroad.
This is a guide to debunk some of the common myths and help you start taking action.
Studying abroad is a dream for many ambitious students, yet a significant number of them are discouraged from even applying because they think that:
Sure, coming from a developing country, I empathize with your fear that expenditure in a more developed country (US, Australia, Europe, South Korea, Japan,…) can be much higher than what we’re used to.
In addition, it is true that as a student seeking education in another country, you’ll need to pay a million kinds of fee, including:
- application fee
- agency fee (if you go that way)
- documents fee (you’ll be surprised how much this adds up)
- tuition fee
- living expenses
- travelling expenses
- health insurance
- …
While the process to apply for universities in your home country might look transparent and clear, the abroad application process seems really ambiguous.
You don’t know the application steps.
You don’t know the deadlines.
You don’t know the required documents.
You don’t know when to start.
You don’t even know where to start.
The whole thing appears even more complex because some agencies made it seem somewhat shady.
Seriously, you might have heard advices like “you need to tweak your financial proof so that you look like you can afford studying abroad, but look poor enough to get a scholarship”. If you research the selection criteria of the scholarship you are applying to, you’ll know in a lot of cases, this is not true.
If you tell someone that you want to study abroad, most often you’ll be bombarded with a laundry list of things people believe you need to achieve to “beautify your profile”:
- Extremely high SAT/ACT/IELTS/TOEFL score
- Excellent GPA
- Leadership roles in clubs and organizations
- Extracurricular activities
- Volunteering
- A “wow” letter of recommendation
- A heart-moving motivational essay
All these create pressure on you, make you feel inadequate — you’re not good enough.
In addition, you feel confused because:
- Some people say you need to do SAT.
- Some say you don’t need SAT but you need to focus on IELTS.
- Some say you need to do social volunteer work to prove that you’re a contributing individual to the society.
- Some say that volunteer work doesn’t matter because universities only care about your academic achievement
- …
Frustrated and confused, you never dare to apply and miss the opportunities forever.
Or you spend the next 4 years pursuing a bachelor’s degree in your home country before deciding to get a master’s degree abroad only to realize that:
Do your own research and you will find that:
- Some public universities have very low tuition fee
- Some are even tuition-free
- Most have a merit-based scholarship program for high-achieving students, covering 50-100% of tuition, and sometimes even covering part of living expenses. World-class universities and private universities and included
Some examples from European countries (from my own research):
- Aalto University, Finland (where I’m at now): tuition fee of 12,000 euros/year + Excellence Scholarship waiving 50-100% tuition for high-achieving students.
- Ca’ Foscari University, Italy: tuition fee of 1,200 euros/year + Merit-based Scholarship awarding 10,000 euros annually.
- University of Padova, Italy: tuition fee of 900~1000 euros/year + International Excellence Scholarship including fee waiver and 8,000 euros for each academic year.
Because universities want to have students too. Especially young, bright, ambitious students like you.
You should be able to find everything you need to know about application on the university’s website. Here are some of the keywords you’ll need:
- admission criteria/pre-requisition/eligibility: so you know what you need to achieve to get admitted.
- program duration: some are 3, some are 4, some are 3+2 years. Read to know what they mean.
- tuition fee & scholarship: unless you don’t have to worry about money
- scholarship selection criteria: again, so you have a clear idea of what you need to work on
- curriculum/study plan/university courses: some program names are nuanced and attention-grabbing. Check the study plan to make sure you’ll study what you sign up for.
- language of instruction: to make sure you don’t accidentally sign up for a degree taught in Hungarian
- application period: so you don’t miss the deadlines and have to wait until next year
- …
Hopefully, I managed to make the studying abroad application process seem less shady to you.
You should feel confident that you can do the research (and apply your reading comprehension ability that you studied for to take the SAT/IELTS/TOEFL. The skills are helpful in real life, not just for the sake of passing tests.)
Because I will show you my 3-step framework on how to DIY your study abroad application.
It’s simple, really. I call it the ROA method: Research. Organize. Act.
Before you start Googling (or in this AI era, Perplexity-ing) application for study abroad, there are some questions you need to think of:
In other words:
What do you want to do when you grow up?
Most people (especially Asians) just follow the pathway set by their parents and end up being miserable later on in life.
Most people try their best to avoid this question. They only focus on getting into the best university, the most competitive major, just to realize it’s not really what they want.
Hence, even if it’s hard, even if it’s uncomfortable, ask yourself these questions:
- What makes me feel joy when doing?
- What field do I want to dive deeper in?
- What am I really good at?
- Do I have a role model that I want to follow?
- Do I need to find a high-paying job after graduating?
When you see a Youtuber sharing their student life in Italy, it’s exciting. It must be so great to be in Italy. Everywhere is beautiful, every scene is romantic, the coffee is good, the weather is nice, the architecture is extraordinary. What can go bad?
Then, your mother’s friend brags that her son is making 100,000 euros a year in Finland, and he has not even finished his degree yet. That’s a lot of money, and they have free healthcare and great social benefits. Now you want to go to Finland.
Don’t chase the trend.
Yes these stories might be true. But use them as information for your decision, not as your default.
Coffee, view, money, social benefit,… are not enough information to make up your mind yet.
Instead, try to research these factors before beginning your international study journey:
Furthermore, there are also differences between world-class Universities like Columbia University, Princeton University, and other partner universities in a European country.
Although the student experience is great in Finland for any non-EU student, it's also very VERY cold (-20°C cold).
If you cannot stand the cold as an international student, consider your study destination carefully-perhaps Australian universities, Swiss universities, or universities in Asian countries with warmer climates would suit you better.
In addition, during the winter, it gets dark as early as 2pm. The cold and darkness combined can cause seasonal depression, which you really don't want to experience when you're a mature student feeling lonely in another country.
Most university campuses have a cafeteria at universities with various options for students.
Are you a picky eater? Can you cook? Or do you want to spend your money eating out?
This affects your choice between universities that offer student accommodation with kitchens versus those near diverse dining options.
How much can you afford for your entire application process, including the application fee? Many overseas university applicants underestimate costs from application to graduation.
Do you plan to have federal student loans or scholarships that cover living expenses?
Do you plan to travel to other respective country locations across Europe during breaks?
Are you willing to share student accommodation for lower rent or do you want to protect your privacy?
How much will your lifestyle cost in each study choice - whether in Canadian university settings or in Australia, which is a favourite study destination for many?
Do you like to live in nature (like in a forest near Aalto University)?
Do you prefer college education or private universities in busy cities with nightlife?
Is your field of study better served at public universities in a quiet small town?
Do you want to attend a program of study close to historical sites (like near the Colosseum if attending university in Rome)?
Most universities have advisors or student ambassadors that are always available to answer these questions for you.
Instead of paying for an agency, why not ask the source directly (for free)?
Most student are confused because there must be a million of universities on this planet.
(Fact check: there are between 19,000 and 30,000 universities in the world.)
However, by focusing on your target major and where you want to live, you narrowed your choices down a lot.
Now, choose your target universities by looking into its ranking, program structures, tuition fees, scholarship opportunities, etc… Basically everything listed in the previous section.
Pro Tip: Use university websites to find application form for study abroad and official requirements.
If unclear, email admissions offices—they are there to help. They are nice. They want you—a high-achieving, hard-working student—to go to their school. They will provide you with the answer.
Condense your research to a list of 8-10 target universities. Create an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of their information and application deadlines.
You will also be able to create a list of things you need to work on to get admitted to your dream university and get the scholarship.
An example from my own application to universities in Europe:
- Certificates
- High SAT score
- IELTS 6.5+
- Documents
- Highschool diploma
- Transcripts
- Passport
- CV
- Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
- Motivational letter/ essay
- Visa
- Important timestamps
- SAT Test Date
- Application deadlines
- Scholarship deadline
- Payment deadline
- Enrolment deadline
This is just an example. Application requirements can change from year to year, from university to university, from major to major,… Do your research and make your own to-do list for your own study application.
Based on the to-do list, your plan of attack should be much clearer now. At least it should prevent you from getting FOMO every time you see someone else:
- get a 9.5 IELTS
- get a 1900 SAT (yes my mother actually mentioned that my 1600 is not high enough because her colleague’s daughter got 1900)
- score 64 in ACT
- score 160 in TOEFL
- become a club president (just to make you FOMO, I was the president of my high school baseball club. And no, all the universities I applied to did not care much).
- organize a great event
- excel every subject possible at school
- have great public speaking skills
- create nice looking presentation slides
It’s easy to get lost in jealousy or in the self-help mindset that “if they can do it, I can do it too”. However, if you refer all these to my to-do list, most of these are irrelevant.
Yes it must be cool to have a 9.0 IELTS, but the university only asks for a 6.5 to prove your English proficiency. Some (like Aalto) don’t even require IELTS.
Yes it must be cool to be a club president, but when I applied to Aalto they didn’t even let me submit any extra-curriculum certification.
By creating a to-do list, you don’t waste your time running around trying to chase everyone else’s achievement.
Instead, focus on what truly matters for your application. Your goal isn’t to be the 'best'—it’s to be qualified and strategic.
Use your time wisely and invest it in things that matter:
- Study for and take certificates. Distinguish which one you only need to get the bare minimum and which one you need to score as high as possible.
- Fill out the online application form for study abroad. Ensure accuracy and completeness.
- Prepare supporting documents. Including letter of recommendation, academic CV, essay for study abroad application, and more if needed. Tailor it to each university.
- Prepare required paperwork: passport, diploma, transcript, visa documents,...
- Submit required documents. Double-check deadlines.
- Apply for scholarships. Many institutions offer financial aid.
- Prepare for interviews (if required). Some universities conduct online interviews.
As you list these out, you’ll know roughly how much time each task should take. Thus you can focus on the ones that are the most time-consuming and start building your future.
Doing your own research ensure that you know exactly what you want, what you need to do, how you are doing, and make a plan early in advance, instead of blindly giving your money to someone hoping miracles happen.
Applying to universities abroad doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. By following the ROA method, you can take control of the process and successfully apply to study abroad for free (or at a significantly lower cost).
Self-application to study abroad is doable for anyone with an Internet connection and English reading comprehension ability.
It’s not easy.
It’s challenging.
It’s uncomfortable.
It’s full of obstacles.
But the result is very worth it.
I truly wish you the best on this journey.
If you’ve read this far, you already have the drive to study abroad. Now take the first step: choose a country, pick a few universities, and start your research today!