Factors to consider while choosing to study abroad

Studying abroad can be an amazing experience; it transforms your personality. It allows you to discover yourself, take risks, manage funding, build confidence, improve your ability to network, create adaptability, and so much more. Every year a large chunk of students from all over the world decide to study abroad. Many countries are hitting the charts in the international student recruitment industry.

Every country has its forte. The USA is known for its science, technology, engineering, and medicine programs; the UK is known for its arts and business programs; Canada is known for its business and hospitality programs; the UAE is known for design and architecture programs; and so on.

In this era of digitization people are getting more and more aware of the education of different streams and not only pursuing higher education but also getting international exposure and experience; the numbers are breaking every year, but before deciding their study destination, the students should be cautious as well because this decision plays a vital role in shaping their life; any bad decision can make this ride into a nightmare, so what are the important factors students should mull over before going abroad? We will figure it out today.

Factors to consider while choosing to study abroad

– Education aspects

– Financial aspects

– Visa policy 

– Cultural difference

– Economy and job opportunities 

– Residency opportunities

– Health and Safety

– Personal factors 

– Academic and Professional Objectives

1. Education aspects: Whenever deciding to study abroad, always make sure that the selected university and country provide courses that are aligned with your academic and professional objectives and have a long-term scope. Make sure the university or the country is widely accredited for the chosen programme, and for verification, always use the official website of the country or institution. Be confident to verify the language of instruction that you are proficient in or eager to learn. 

2. Financial Aspects: While choosing a study abroad destination, one factor that dominates other factors is money or finance. Before finalising the study destination, please make sure to compare the tuition fees and living costs of the selected countries and institutions. Make sure to do some research on scholarships and bursaries; it helps to mitigate the financial burden from your shoulders. The financial cost formula can be derived from tuition fees + living costs – scholarships = money to be spent on study. Put some of the weightage on travel costs and health insurance also.  Choose the country that provides the highest return on investment.

3. Visa policy: Visa policy and regulations play an important role while selecting a study abroad destination. For some countries, you need to put everything in front of the host country authorities and be prepared with full research. Recognise the conditions, length of time, and application process for the student visa. Check the rules and regulations for part-time employment both during and after completion of the studies. Some countries provide amazing post-study work opportunities for up to five years after completion of the program. Try to also understand immigration policy if you are planning to settle over there after completion of the program. 

4. Cultural difference: studying in another country means adapting to a new environment, which includes language barriers, different educational systems, and different social etiquette. Before shortlisting your preferred study destination, think about how at ease you are with the customs, culture, and way of life of the country. Examine the potential effects that language ability may have on your daily interactions and academic performance. 

5. Economy and job opportunities: It is very important to understand the economy of your desired country, as this factor would decide your return on investment in the long run. A robust economy in the host country opens the door for better employment opportunities after completion of the program. On the other hand, a poor economy may restrict opportunities, which would increase competition. Immigration and visa policies also depend on the economic condition of the country. 

6. Residency opportunities: At least do a little research on residency criteria, factors, opportunities, rules, regulations, etc. A large chunk of international Students go abroad for studies, and then after that, they look for settlement over there, so it is an important factor to consider whether the desired country is lenient for immigrants or not so that you can plan accordingly.

7. Health and Safety: Health and safety are the utmost factors for you while planning to study abroad. It is very important for you to check whether the selected country’s healthcare system is robust or not. What are the crime rates? Is your selected city student-friendly or not? What are the insurance requirements, etc.? Please make sure that the host country is safe for international students. 
   
8. Personal factors: There are some personal factors that also affect your study abroad destination, such as considering how this step would help you to excel professionally as well as personally. Try to measure your adaptability skills so that you will be able to mix with new people, new lifestyles, new food cultures, new atmospheres, etc. 

The above factors play an important role while choosing to study abroad, and the decision-making process can be so easy if the student gives proper attention to each factor and follows the official websites of the country and institutions, and prepares the blueprint of the process accordingly.

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