Deciding to study abroad is one of the biggest life decisions that a person makes, and it’s not
an easy one. A lot of factors have to be weighed while deciding what and where to pursue
one’s higher education, such as but not limited to
- The offerings in your current city/country – if a student feels that their current place
of residence is lacking in enough choices for higher studies, then she/he would want
to consider moving elsewhere for continuing their education. - Better universities – countries such as the US and UK are home to several of the best
universities in the world for different disciplines. Whether your interest is medicine,
business administration, scientific research, or even fine arts, sometimes the best
options are found abroad. - Better career prospects back home – studying at a university with a high global
ranking can give one a massive advantage when applying for jobs back home. It’s a
fact that jobs are always scarce, and high-quality jobs are even more so. So every
point of differentiation matters. - Ticket to move abroad – for various reasons, a person might wish to settle in a
different country. It’s not easy to just get a job in a country of your choice. In such
situations, a better strategy is to first study in the country of choice, excel in studies,
and then land a job offer on campus which can lead to a longer-term stay and
ultimately even citizenship if you play it right. - Your financial situation – whether you can go abroad to study depends in a large
part to your financial situation. Studying abroad is expensive. While you may find
affordable courses or even scholarships, paying for accommodation and everything
else is still not easy on the pocket. So one must look into this very closely before
deciding anything.
If you have weighed all your options and come to the conclusion that you would indeed like
to go abroad for higher studies, then the next step is detailed planning.
- Shortlist universities and courses – depending on the specialization you are seeking
and the amount of time you want to spend abroad, there are multiple choices. So
research long and hard about your choice of country, university, and course.
Students can pick from short-term courses to higher degrees. Find out what will
complement your skill sets and help with your career goals. Don’t put all your eggs in
one basket – one can never be sure of getting admission, so have a few options in
hand.
- Find out the fee structures and cost of living – every college and course has a
different fee structure and this must be known before applying. Living in a foreign
country is expensive, but some cities are known to be more student-friendly in terms
of budget accommodation, cheap food, and public transport. Find out which city
would best fit your budget. - Look into scholarships, grants, and loans – a big expense in studying abroad is the
tuition fee, but gifted students can apply for scholarships or grants to lessen the
burden. In some cases, a student can even get a 100% scholarship. So find out if you
can get a scholarship or a grant. If not, start researching the different student loan
options by talking to experts. - Understand the application process – once you have made your selections and
understood the finances involved, the next step is to start applying. Find out all the
relevant dates and the steps. It’s generally a multi-pronged process that can take
months, so be very focused while applying. Keep all your documents,
recommendations, and essays ready on time, and remember to submit everything
before the due dates. - Apply for a visa – once you have cleared all the steps and secured admission to your
choice of college and course, it’s time to apply for a student visa so you can live and
study in the new country. Look into the different categories and apply for the right
one well in advance. Never wait till the last moment.
You can do all these steps yourself or hire a consultant to help. There are many agencies out
there to guide students, but choose wisely and preferably one that is vouched for by
someone you know.
