education

Colleges attract foreign students

U.S.-based college programs here are proving popular with international students.

la prensa

students eye u.s. studies 1145478

Panama has seen an increase in international students who are coming here to study at either Florida State University or the University of Louisville, both of which have Panama campuses.

“I want to graduate in the United States,” said Natalia Rodríguez, a Colombian who is currently studying at the University of Louisville. “And coming here gave me that opportunity.”

FSU has 309 students, 186 of whom are foreigners and 40 of whom plan to eventually continue their studies in the United States.

Louisville, which has partner programs with several other schools, has 23 foreign undergraduate students and eight who are graduate students.

Students come from Venezuela, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Europe.

By coming to Panama to study, a student can save as much as 50 percent in tuition fees as opposed to going directly to the United States.

This savings has prompted some students from the U.S. to come here to study first before they attend the main campus.

In addition to the two U.S. universities, Panama is also seeking to become a hub of academic research through the expansion of the City of Knowledge, which is located in Clayton.

Student groups travel to Panama regularly to conduct studies on subjects such as tropical diseases and sustainable development.

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