Studying abroad: how to choose the right science and engineering course?

There are many excellent science and engineering courses abroad, whether in the United Kingdom in Switzerland Netherlands or to United States at Canada or Israel.

The UK offers both biology and general engineering courses (at Cambridge, Warwick or King’s College for example) as well as more specialized courses. When you apply, you’ll need to choose between mechanical, civil, biomedical, aeronautical and other engineering subjects. This is not always easy, as these are subjects you may not have had the opportunity to study in high school. So don’t hesitate to spend some time on the pages of the different courses to compare them. YouTube is also a very useful tool, offering numerous videos explaining the content of engineering courses (such as the video series Crash Courses).

Matthew, an engineering student atUniversity of Warwick in England, explains why he opted for a general curriculum in engineering : « Even before finishing high school, I was almost certain that I wanted to study engineering, but the various specializations (civil, mechanical and electrical engineering) remained a mystery to me: it was hard to get a clear idea before committing myself. It was therefore very important for me to be able to follow a curriculum that was initially similar to a “general” engineering degree, so that I could then specialize once I had a better idea of what I liked and didn’t like. Looking back, I’m very happy with my decision, because it gave me the information and time to think things through. I was able to make an informed choice in favor of mechanical engineering, while taking advantage of the general engineering curriculum to learn the basics of other specialties, which proved useful for cross-disciplinary group work. “

In Switzerland

The École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is one of the world’s leading engineering schools. To be admitted, however, you’ll need to pass your baccalaureate with honors (16/20 average) and get through the first year!

Nathan, a third-year microengineering student at EPFL currently on exchange in Madrid, talks about his experience. : « Even in high school, I knew I wanted to go to the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. However, I chose to enter the school a year after my baccalaureate, in order to spend a sabbatical year in preparatory classes. Studying at EPFL isn’t easy, and the pace is often demanding, especially in the first year, which is reputed to be extremely difficult and selective. On the other hand, the school is “federal” (public) and sponsored by the private sector, so studies are inexpensive in relation to the quality of teaching and the facilities available to students.

The campus is huge, a bit American in the sense that it’s a small town with several supermarkets, libraries, a bank, a pharmacy, restaurants, a bar (the nerve center of the campus), a large sports center, all set on the shores of Lake Geneva.

You might think that spending most of your time on campus is a bit anxiety-provoking, but it fosters a group atmosphere, a closeness with friends that’s very welcome when it comes to coping with the amount of work and sometimes stress.

What surprised me when I arrived at the school was that the Swiss are in the minority here, with students coming from all over the world. Even among the French students (who make up almost a third of the student body), a large proportion come from high schools abroad. To sum up, the EPFL is a tough place to be, and you have to be prepared to put in a lot of hard work, but the quality of life, student atmosphere and academic standards make it a great place to study engineering. “

In the Netherlands

Founded in the nineteenth century^e century, l’Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)) is one of the Netherlands’ most renowned science universities. It tops the list of the best universities in the Netherlands and is ranked 50th in the country.^e in the 2020 QS World University Rankings. It has around 24,000 students, and offers a number of bachelor’s degree courses in English, including: Applied Earth Sciences (applied earth sciences), aerospace engineering (aerospace engineering), IT and engineering (computer science and engineering) or nanobiology(nanobiology).

To apply for one of these courses, you will generally need to have taken the Mathematics and Physics-Chemistry specializations in high school.

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU Eindhoven) is world-renowned for its training in engineering sciences and technology. With its strong focus on research, Eindhoven maintains close links with a number of companies such as Philips and DAF, to which it provides scientific collaboration. Eindhoven is ranked 102^e position in the 2020 QS World University Rankings. It offers numerous programs in English, including applied mathematics and physics, data science and a psychology and technology curriculum. Selective programs at Eindhoven include industrial design, computer engineering and architecture, urban planning and building sciences.

What’s more, at Eindhoven you’ll be able to choose modules in other disciplines in addition to your specialization, to broaden your skills and bring a multidisciplinary dimension to your studies.

In addition to the high quality of engineering education and the reputation of technological universities in the Netherlands, tuition fees are also particularly attractive (around €2,140 per year for EU students).

In Canada

McGill University in Montreal offers a wide choice of engineering courses, but you’ll need to choose your specialty when you apply: between Bioengineering, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, Materials, Mining or even Software engineering for which the minimum marks to be obtained in the first and final years are between 13.5 and 16.5/20 average, and between 13.5 and 16.5/20 in math and science.

At Polytechnique Montréal, you can also choose from a wide range of specialties (Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Geological, Industrial, Mechanical, Mining, Physics, Aerospace, Biomedical, Computer and Software Engineering). Admission is generally conditional on satisfactory results in first and final year mathematics, physics and chemistry, and a minimum baccalaureate average of 13/20.

Finally, atConcordia University,you can choose between Building, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Industrial, Mechanical and Software Engineering, or Aerospace and Propulsion; Aerospace Structures and Materials; Avionics and Aerospace Systems, specialties for which the admission criteria are between 12/20 and 15/20 grade point average, and 12/20 and 15/20 in mathematics and physics/chemistry in the first and final years.

In Israel

The prestigious Technion University in Haifa also offers a course in mechanical engineering. (mechanical engineering) a four-year program taught entirely in English. For more information, visit the Technion International website.

Find all the answers to your questions about studying abroad. our book “Etudier à l’étranger après le Bac” (Studyrama Editions).

Would you like more personalized support to make your study abroad project a reality? Please do not hesitate to contact contact the Your Dream School team!