As seniors finalize college decisions, some Chapel Hill High School students are looking far beyond the 50 states. Eight seniors from the Class of 2025 will be attending college internationally, opting for programs in Scotland, England, Ireland, Spain and Canada.
Guidance counselor Julia Royal said that students from Chapel Hill High School apply to international schools each year, with the United Kingdom and Canada being the most popular destinations. While counselors are familiar with international applications, she noted students often do much of the research themselves.
One of those students, Alex Ruiter, will study biochemistry at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He was first introduced to the school when his sister considered it for graduate studies, and he was drawn by its global environment and academic history.
“I chose to attend school internationally because I really like learning about other cultures, and this is a great way to immerse myself in that,” Ruiter said. “I’ve been fortunate to travel and study abroad in Toulouse, France, and I’m excited to bring those experiences together in Scotland.”
St. Andrews, founded in 1413, is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world. In 2023-24, its student body included students from over 135 countries.
“I’m also excited to learn about the history found in the buildings of St. Andrews, like the 800-year-old church and castle,” Ruiter said. “There are many ‘ghosts’ throughout St. Andrews, and some of their faces are imprinted on the school’s walls.”
He also looks forward to school traditions like the May Dip, in which students run into the North Sea at dawn on May 1 to “promote good luck on exams and cure any academic sins,” according to the university’s student association.
Senior Lucy Giordano will also study in Scotland, at the University of Edinburgh. She plans to complete a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in Spanish and linguistics in four years.
“I wouldn’t have studied Spanish if I stayed in the United States because I would have been focused on education,” she said. “There I get to completely focus on Spanish, which is really great.”
Giordano has strong international ties—family in the U.K., a middle school experience in Wales and a summer abroad in Spain. She discovered Edinburgh through the U.K.’s central application platform, the Universities and Colleges Admission Service.
Though she may miss American-style school sports, she’s intrigued by the structure of athletics in Scotland.
“There’s City of Edinburgh sports. You don’t necessarily play soccer for your college—you’ll play for your city,” Giordano said. “There’s a different kind of socializing, but going from my dorm to a football game won’t be happening.”
Thaddeus Borun will head to Ireland to study biology and biomedical sciences at Trinity College Dublin. In his third year, he’ll specialize in a specific area like botany or neurology. Borun visited Ireland last summer during a STEM research program.
“I found when I visited that the people in Ireland were very nice and welcoming,” Borun said. “Studying there gives me a chance to live in a big city with lots of events like live music and very good food.”
He also pointed out the global advantages of earning a degree in the European Union.
“The useful thing about getting a degree outside of the United States, especially in Ireland, is that the degree is recognized anywhere else in the world,” he said. “Having my degree will make it easier to work internationally.”
Career Development Coordinator Jennifer Walker agrees that global education can be a valuable asset.
“Understanding how businesses operate in other countries can be a valuable asset to career growth,” Walker said. “Learning about cultures in other countries allows one to communicate and work more effectively with others outside our country.”
Xiao-Yu Kearon will attend Universidad Carlos III Madrid in Spain to study bilingual journalism. A product of a language immersion program, Kearon wants to build on her Spanish fluency while exploring a new culture. A unique aspect of the school—a Formula racing team—helped seal the deal.
“I’m excited to meet immigrants and hear different languages from all over the world,” she said. “I’m a citizen of the European Union, so I’m hoping that during my breaks I’ll go on many trips.”
Xander Lesemann and Josie Popkin are both headed to the University of Toronto in Canada as International Scholars. Lesemann will study physics and Popkin will pursue mathematical and physical sciences.
Lesemann was drawn to the university’s top-ranked physics program and Toronto’s urban environment.
“The location is just really beautiful,” he said. “Toronto is one of the most diverse cities. Getting to know people from all around the world and learning about their culture and history is really exciting.”
Like Ruiter and Giordano, Lesemann studied abroad in France and said he learned to adjust “piece by piece” to a new environment.
Two other Chapel Hill seniors will also study abroad. Leyna Dunbar will major in business management at the University of Greenwich in England, and Anna Thorpe will study psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
