A branch campus is one that operates in one country, but is owned and operated (at least in part) by a university that is based in a different country, according to the SUNY Albany-based Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-Bert). C-Bert maintains a list of institutions that meet its definition of an international branch campus (along with links to branch campus websites). Note that this website is not specifically focused on admission procedures. Some college guidebooks, including Fiske Guides, also identify several branch campuses that draw a diverse student body, including US students.
More than 100 US colleges and universities operate one or more branch campuses in another country, offering additional opportunities for students to earn a US college degree outside of the United States. Additionally, six international universities operate branches within the United States. Most US branch campuses operate very similarly to their main campuses in the United States, with courses typically taught in English. However, a branch campus is usually smaller in size than its home campus and boasts an extremely diverse student body.
There are various models associated with the branch campus concept. Many branch campuses are organized as part of a hub, in which several branch campuses—for example from the United States or other countries—are operating alongside one another. Major hubs can be found in Qatar, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and China. Education City in Qatar, for example, includes six American universities, one British university, and one French university, each offering a degree program in a field for which the institution is well-known. Alternatively, Yale-NUS College in Singapore is sometimes viewed as a branch campus by virtue of its affiliation with Yale, however it does not award a Yale degree. Rather, it awards a Yale-NUS degree. New York University offers another model, where its campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai form a global network with its main campus in New York and 11 international academic centers.
Enrollment at branch campuses is open to local nationals who meet admission criteria and other students coming from around the world. Many US universities that operate branch campuses welcome US students to these locations for short-term educational experiences, and some actively recruit US students for full degree programs. The following represent examples of US student enrollment at branch campuses:
The number of majors available at any one university’s branch campus tends to be fewer than what the home campus offers. Marist Italy, a branch campus of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, offers four-year degrees at its Florence campus in majors such as studio art, art history, conservation studies, digital media, fashion design, interior design, and Italian language.
It is important to note that some governments place restrictions on teaching and research, potentially influencing the types of programs offered. This also raises concerns about academic freedom.
Many branch campuses follow an academic calendar that is similar to that of the home campus. In some cases, the application process, fees, and other admission-related policies and procedures are similar for US students at both the home and branch campus. However, because admission representatives at branch campuses review applications from a very diverse applicant pool, standard US admission requirements—for example the SAT or ACT—may or may not be factored into admission or scholarship decisions. Exceptions tend to be context-specific. For admission to NYU Shanghai, for example, Chinese nationals must take the gaokao as part of the university’s agreement with the Ministry of Education in China.