Summary
Leiden University undergraduate Fletcher Barton shares how and why he left Texas for college in Europe. He also offers tips on deciding if it fits your goals well, what to expect, and how to get ready.

First, there’s the independence, which feels amazing. And this, this depends on, on the personality, of course, but I find the, the independence really exciting. And you get to explore a new country. At my university, there’s people from all over the world. 

That’s, you know, I, I get to learn so much more about the world and I get so many more opportunities to, to try new things like like new cuisines or practicing a lot of different languages. 

Useful Resources
Search By Country – Beyond The States

Admission and application – Leiden University
We’re Moving to Europe Community Pre-Launch Survey

Production Team

Host and Researcher: Casey Kelly-Barton – We’re Moving to Europe

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas – Unscripted Creatives

Time Stamps
00:34 – Introduction to the episode: Topic overview – college in Europe

00:53 – Meet the guest: Fletcher Barton, archaeology student at Leiden University

01:26 – Fletcher shares his study path and plans

02:24 – Regional limitations of certain degrees (e.g., law, medicine)

03:18 – How studying abroad impacts long-term career goals

04:33 – When to evaluate the transferability of a European degree to the U.S.

05:12 – Challenges of changing majors in European universities

06:36 – Fields that transfer well between countries vs. those that don’t

07:06 – Comparing educational quality: Leiden vs. top U.S. schools

08:15 – Breakdown of tuition costs at Leiden University

08:38 – Scholarships and financial aid considerations

09:25 – Differences in the admissions process (U.S. vs. Europe)

10:52 – Conditional acceptance and financial proof requirements

13:02 – How Fletcher found Leiden and selected his program

14:00 – Using the “Beyond the States” tool to find English-taught programs

15:29 – What it was like settling into life and school in the Netherlands

16:53 – Bureaucracy, housing, banking, and other logistics

18:50 – Fletcher’s experience as an American student abroad

20:07 – The social scene and student life in Europe

21:07 – European universities and the lack of traditional campuses

22:58 – Travel opportunities and transportation around Europe

25:11 – Practical advice for students and families considering this path

27:08 – Researching the right program and country fit

28:19 – Planning academic requirements early (e.g., AP classes)

29:25 – How to prepare between acceptance and arrival

30:03 – Learning the language and getting involved in campus life

31:12 – Working while studying and work permit limitations

32:26 – Cultural adjustment and food differences

34:22 – Final thoughts and wrap-up

Sound library

All the music was composed especially for the We’re Moving to Europe podcast by Sage Barton. Copyright 2025, Sage Barton.