In today’s world, relocating abroad for education has become a very normal and attractive practice among students, especially in several Asian countries. How to decide on your study abroad destination? One of the major reasons why students migrate from their native Asian countries to abroad is the high Population which hinders a major chunk of them to get admission to reputed institutions in their countries. Besides this, the quality of education in some western countries is far more superior and practical as compared to the rest of the world, which opens up doors for much more considerable career opportunities.
Coming out of all this, pursuing education overseas leads to the all-around personality development of students as they encounter a whole new range of experiences in life that stimulate their intellectual and emotional development. They get an opportunity to see the world beyond education and comprehend how to survive and deal with situations all by themselves. The students who come from Asian countries are particularly attracted by the new world that studying abroad offers to them. One of the reasons for this is their culture, in which children stay dependent on their parents for the entire span of the education cycle. Migrating abroad allows them to embrace a new world of possibilities, which proves to be a very enriching life experience for them.
Discovering diverse cultures, learning self-reliance, and seeing life from a different lens by attaining a global mindset are some of the fruitful and precious experiences that going overseas for education brings for students. And of course, this is in addition to the large international job prospects. But finding the right place to go is something that most people end up making foul choices and regret later. So here read this full article it will be of tremendous help for you if you are someone who is considering pursuing your future education overseas.
Given Below are a few parameters numbered as per their importance that you should consider while making your decision to choose your ideal foreign destination for education.
- Cost of Living and Education
If you are an Asian, this is something you should consider on priority as the currencies of most Asian countries are weaker in comparison to the currencies of foreign countries, especially those situated on the European and American continents. So before moving on to decide on the right university for yourself, do consider the expenses of education and living in the respective country as taking too many loans may end up becoming an anchor that pulls you down for the rest of your life. When you move to a whole new country for education, it incurs a lot of expenses beforehand like getting admission, traveling expenses, and complex documentation. See the amount of money you can arrange conveniently and then shortlist the country according to that. One more very important point to consider while deciding the country to which you wish to migrate is how the relations of your native country are with that country. If the relations between the two countries are not good, in that case, you might have to face problems relating to discrimination and unbiasedness. You should avoid migrating to any such country.
- Your Subject/course of interest
So now once you have an awareness of the countries where you can opt for studying according to your financial situation, you may start looking for the universities/colleges that are offering degrees/diplomas in the field of your interest. You should do some thorough research on the insights of the course and then shortlist courses which best suit your requirement. Enrolling in the right course which excites you is very important for every student as it is easy and enjoyable to excel in the field in which you have a keen interest. After all, everyone wants a career that brings inner joy and happiness besides high pay scales.
- Suitable College/University
So now you are well aware of colleges/universities which are offering your desired course. Now, you need to make a list of universities where you wish to take admission (make a list according to priority. For example, the most preferable college/university coming on the top of the list). You can shortlist colleges/universities according to their overall rankings in the world, their fee structure of the course and miscellaneous expenses, placement and job opportunities further, etc. You can also explore whether any of the colleges/universities have links with the institution where you are studying/graduated in your home country as it may help you with some sort of extra benefits. You could try to talk to someone who studies in the respective institution which you have selected to know about the atmosphere out there.
- Admission Process
Do thorough research on the whole admission process of different institutions at different places as processes varies from institution to institution. I would suggest that if you’re taking the help of an educational consultant, do ensure that he/she is someone who holds considerable experience. Do thorough research about his/her background, and consider multiple education consultants before choosing the right one (this is necessary because nowadays many incidents of fraud are coming into the limelight which is done by so-called educational consultants.) Always apply to multiple institutions as per your priority list for future safety. If your admission application is rejected by one institution, in that case you can consider the other one so that your year doesn’t get wasted. Always attach legitimate documents in the application process if some suspicion comes into notice in the future, then you could land into some serious trouble.
- Application Requirements
By doing research or taking the help of any educational consultant you will come to know about the different requirements of different institutions for giving admissions. When going abroad for education you need to qualify for some of the tests like ILETS (which is an English language exam taken by people who want to migrate abroad to judge their proficiency in the language) and apart from such exams, some institutions might have a certain age or work experience requirements for enrolling in a particular course. Apart from this education system in many countries might differ from the system of your native country and you might have to pass some entrance tests beforehand to take admitted there, so do find out if there are any such conditions or requirements stated by the institution where you are planning to apply for admission.
- Plan
Your decision of selecting the destination for your education can also be influenced by your plan. If you wish to work and settle down in the country where you are going after your education is complete in that case you need to do some extra research on the topics which are concerned with the respective plan (like researching about jobs opportunities in your interested field in that country, getting a PR there, how developed it is, basic healthcare and future security facilities, etc.). If you are someone who wishes to come back to your native country or move to some other place then you need not research the respective country in which you are going in much detail.
- Part-time Jobs
Migrating to another country for education is quite expensive and to meet some of the expenses students who go abroad do part-time jobs there. So, you can research the availability of part-time jobs where you are going, what is the average wage rate and read about the guidelines for international students for working in that country. Different countries have different rules for example- In Canada, you can only work for 20 hours a week if you have gone there on a student visa. Also, research about kinds of part-time jobs are usually available and which one pays more. By doing all this research you will be well aware of the kind of job you need to find once you reach that country.
- Travel
One of the many reasons why students want to study abroad is to experience the opportunity of seeing the world and experiencing individual freedom. If you are someone who dreams of globetrotting during your studies, it will a good option for you to opt for visitor-friendly countries. For example- one can opt for studying in any one of the Scandinavia countries which are very close to each other and one can move freely from one country to another without any restrictions. Because if you are someone who is wanderlust and enjoy traveling, meeting new people and learning about diverse cultures you can consider such options too as traveling leads to all-round personality development of an individual and enhances his skills and confidence to deal with the outer world too.
- Activities/Hobbies
If you are passionate about any activity or sport which you play here in your native country you could also research the popularity of that sport in the country were you planning to go. Common interests often help in making relationships much easier especially when you are going to a place which is different than your native country moreover actively practicing/playing activities which you like also help in the recreation of mind and body.
- Finding support/network
Today it is a world of social media, you can easily search for people who belong to your community and are residing in the country where you are planning to go. Talk to them inquire about the place and things that you need to keep in mind when relocating and you could also request some help/guidance from them when you reach that country. There are plenty of videos available on the internet which are quite helpful for knowing about the dos and don’ts you need to keep in mind when migrating to a different country so you can take advantage of those content. Moreover, having a network beforehand will also imbibe some sense of security and confidence in you once you reach a place of unknown. You can go to countries where you have some acquaintances of yours residing beforehand or where you feel people of your community are present who would help you to adjust to a new place.
- Language
If you are multi-lingual, you could opt for a nation whose language is known to you. This is because the language barrier plays a big issue when people migrate to foreign countries, it becomes much easier to familiarize themselves with the place when you the native language and it becomes much easier to become friends with people there. If you are someone who doesn’t know a foreign language you could search for the nation learning whose language opens doors for brighter career prospects you can opt for that country and start learning about that language before reaching there so you can understand and do needful conversation with the locals there.
- Climate
This is also an important aspect to consider as adapting to totally different climatic conditions can be a bit difficult. You can research the climate of the various places you are considering migrating to. You can then choose the ideal place whose climate suits you because if you come from somewhere where the temperature is hot throughout the year adapting to a country with very cold climatic conditions would emerge to be a very big obstacle for you.
So, these above stated are some of the points based on which you can make your decision to select the ideal destination for you to study overseas. Make the right choice and fulfill your dream to study abroad all the best!
