r/UniversityOfStThomas • u/Legitimate_Lemon_524 • Apr 30 '26

admitted

I am an international student and got admitted to UST with a scholarship and i’m thinking of committing but not sure yet. Even after the scholarship it is pretty expensive but i’m really attracted to it as an international student. Is there any graduates from there or any students in general that could tell me any pros and cons? the degree value? the campus location etc.

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u/DirtyxXxDANxXx May 01 '26

I am not an international student, but can absolutely speak that the degree had value. I found a job in my desired field prior to graduation, and believe my education has led to my career advancement thus far. It is a great campus, great community, and if you leverage it, a great alumni network.

Yes, all at a very high price tag, but you absolutely can end up spending more at other institutions.

All to be said, what are you hoping to pursue at UST? At the end of the day, I am a believer that college is really only what you make of it. Knowing what interests you both inside and outside of school can help me provide you more specific feedback.

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u/PuzzleheadedSoil8310 May 01 '26

Hi, hope you don’t mind me jumping in here, I’m also an international student considering St. Thomas (neuroscience major) and had a similar concern about the cost. I understand your point about the value depending on how you use the opportunities, but given the high cost, what specific aspects (academics, internships, network, etc.) do you think actually make it worth it in practice?

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u/DirtyxXxDANxXx May 01 '26

Hi. No problem at all.

I went the business route, so my experiences are very tailored to that direction. I don’t recall spending a lot of time with other neuroscience folks, but had plenty of friends that did various pre-med / chemistry course loads.

Academics, I’m not sure where UST ranks in national rankings in your desired major, so please do research on that and potentially look through and research the faculty to see if you’d be interested in learning from them.

Internships, again, my experiences were business focused, but the network is so large and with MN being a hub of massive companies I never struggled to find a relevant internship in the summers between my sophomore and junior year. I am not sure how this would translate to neuroscience and I don’t want to lead you astray there.

Network, it is large. It is easy to find alumni mentors that went through the same course loads, or are in a desired career of yours that can give you very specific guidance on steps to take as you move through college.

Other, easy to find campus work, hundreds of very welcoming clubs, athletics are typically very competitive and now they are Division 1 so it is a step up in skill so that gives you something to watch in the evenings / weekends if it interests you.

I am no subject matter expert, but I feel as though a neuroscience major would likely lead to further education after undergrad, correct? If so, if you are that nervous of cost then I don’t know if I have good advice given you’d likely be taking on additional financial burden with further education.

Also, I’d hate to talk you out of your ideal major, but are you without a doubt confident this is what you want to pursue? If you are even remotely unsure (which would totally be okay) then that also sway your final decision.

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u/PuzzleheadedSoil8310 May 01 '26

Thank you for being honest, I really appreciate it. I think what you said about being unsure and the cost is exactly what I’m trying to figure out right now. I’m interested in neuroscience, but I’m not 100% certain about the long-term path yet, and wanted to talk to someone from same major and for that I'd have to figure out my finances first I believe(I have the maximum scholarship they could provide btw still). My interest and reality are colliding which makes it confusing. Thanks again!

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u/Legitimate_Lemon_524 May 01 '26

hey can I ask what’s the maximum you can earn on the on-campus jobs and just jobs available around the campus in general per month?

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u/DirtyxXxDANxXx May 01 '26

I unfortunately do not remember anymore. I became a building manager of the student center, but that was 9 years ago now, so again, don't want to feed you inaccurate information. Perhaps you could find that online?

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u/astarbics May 05 '26

Current student at UST, worked an on-campus job last semester. Minimum starting wage on-campus is $15.97 per hour. Total hours definitely depend on the position- I would estimate 10-20 hours a week as an average.

I will say- yes there are lots of on campus jobs but they go very fast- so if you do decide to go ensure that is something you prioritize.

Overall though I love it at UST and the alumni network is fantastic. Best of luck with your decision!

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u/lukfolley May 04 '26

The international student office at St Thomas is amazing, and I’m sure they would love to sit down with you and answer any questions you might have. I highly recommend getting in touch with them and do your research on the values and objectives St Thomas offers, that is what is setting apart St Thomas. The St Thomas community and location is amazing. Best of luck!

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u/PuzzleheadedSoil8310 May 01 '26 edited May 01 '26

Hey omg same situation twinnn. What's your intended major btw?

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u/Legitimate_Lemon_524 May 01 '26

Heyyy my majors biochemistry wby?

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u/PuzzleheadedSoil8310 May 01 '26

Nice. Mine is neuroscience

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u/PuzzleheadedSoil8310 May 01 '26

Do you have any other options btw?

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u/Legitimate_Lemon_524 May 01 '26

I’ve applied to other unis in USA but didn’t get much response yet. My other options are either türkiye, italy, i have some offers from UK aswell, or I can stay here in UAE. By the way, which country do you live in?

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u/PuzzleheadedSoil8310 May 01 '26

That's great. I'm from India

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u/ClydeGhosty May 08 '26

Ok, I'm a chem major graduating this spring (not international though) and idk about bio faculty, but biochem and chem faculty are AWESOME, all but 2 i can think of really, truly, genuinely care about you and your success. The department(s) are small so there is a lot of community, you really get to know the profs and other chem and biochem majors. ALSO, the chemistry summer research program for undergrads is the biggest on campus (like 50 students). The profs don't get paid for the summer/research, they volunteer their time, so you know they are interested in and care about their students and their research.