Being an international student is not easy, but there are lots of people and organizations working hard to support you! Here is the compilation of the best tools that will guide you from an early application process to arriving on campus:

Applying to Universities

1. Borderless - biggest community of international students sharing their experiences. Yes, it's us😉 Thank you for being here!

2. College Essay Guy - a hub of resources on writing essays, college list, and financial aid. Additionally, College Essay Guy has a podcast and YouTube Channel.

3. Applying to U.S. Universities course by the University of Pennsylvania, available on Coursera. It's created for international students, especially those who do not have access to university counseling.

4. Education USA - program by U.S. Department of State with 430 international student advising centers all over the world.

5. YouTube channel SuperTutorTV: tips, tricks, and advice on the ACT, SAT, college applications.

6. Yale University podcast Inside the Yale Admissions Office by two actual admission officers who provide lots of insights into how applications are evaluated.

7. ApplyingToCollege Reddit community with the most up-to-date discussions on college applications (note: it is not only for international students)

8. QS and Times Higher Education for university ranking and other quick facts. Please use it wisely, meaning do not select universities based on ranking only.

9. Admissions Mom with more tips on college applications.

10. Glossary of Higher Education terminology by US News. If you don't understand what certain words on the university website mean, I bet you will the definition there.

Finding Scholarships

There is no one good database of scholarships for international students (not yet, we are working on it!), but you can still find everything you need.

1. Google! Search using relevant keywords, for example, "Undergraduate scholarships in Italy for international students".

2. Opportunities Circle Instagram page

3. Scholarships Corner Instagram page and website

4. International Scholarship LinkedIn page

At University

Once you arrive on campus, you will be supplied with amazing resources by your own university, but here are our must-haves:

1. Grammarly - the best tool to help you with writing anything in English. We recommend using it for writing college essays as well.

2. Mint - budgeting app for students. If you do not like, or can not use Mint, try any other app that will help you keep track of your finances from the very first semester.

3. Meetup - an app to find events in your area and get to know locals outside of your campus.

4. Headspace - a must-have meditation app. Because college life could get super overwhelming!