How to choose a country to study abroad

Choosing a country to study abroad, well that’s a difficult question given the fact that it does not only depend on your wish to study in a particular country. It takes into consideration many other factors which may not be visible at first sight and hence this topic needs a hands-on research.

Course: Clarity about the stream you wish to pursue is the crux of this dream. Each country has its own unique domain in which its colleges and universities specialize in. For example, Australia is considered the best option for research-oriented courses, USA will offer you best courses in MBA and if you want to go for agriculture related courses New Zealand is the place for you because a major chunk of Kiwi’s economy depends on farming and agriculture.

Budget: Your dream of studying abroad needs a lot of planning as far as finances are concerned. You should be having good financial backup to support you throughout the course. You should research well about the fee and other additional expense which you are likely to incur during your stay abroad. You should explore all the avenues including the scholarships, loans and work options to support the course you have opted for.

Duration of course: The duration of the course is directly proportional to the investment that you make on your study abroad plan. Some countries require you to complete a course in 1-year others in 2 or 3 years. The longer you stay the more financial support you will need to finish your course.

Employment prospects: Nothing better than finding a job in a particular country you have been studying in. For example, San Francisco, Boston etc in USA are places which offer good employment opportunities to computer science or business management graduates. Similarly, UK has advanced Law courses so if a student pursues Law from there, he will be a prized catch for many employers round the globe.

Visa:  Different countries have different processes of evaluating your visa application. This creates a variable lead time that you need to consider before finalizing your destination.   The visa fee is also different for different countries. Your counselor is the right person to go to for all visa related queries.

Post Work Permit: You should always research whether you can work (during/after) the course or not. Earning a little cash side by side is always helpful in your day to day expenditure.

Culture:  One should also keep in mind the response and the attitude of the natives towards international students.

The world is fast changing to become one large global village where the nationality becomes secondary to talent and skill that a student brings to the table. To study abroad is an awesome experience. You get to see and travel to a new place and have a chance to develop your personality in the cross-cultural environment.