How to choose the perfect study abroad program?
Making the appropriate decision has grown more difficult as a result of the proliferation of colleges around the globe. You must consider costs, university rankings, scholarships, future visa chances, and employment options in addition to deciding which nation to visit. Many students also take lifestyles, opportunities for part-time employment, cultures, etc. into account.
How do students decide where to study?
Years of expertise have allowed FES to build a list of the factors that the majority of our clients have inquired about. Here are a few things that students think about before picking which nation and university to attend.
Cost: Traveling abroad has become an expensive endeavour given the status of the economy and the Pakistani rupee’s exchange rate. You must consider not just the expense of tuition but also the cost of living in foreign nations.
Future prospects: Many students consider if the host nation offers job chances and visas after receiving their degree. When choosing the nation you want to visit, this is a crucial issue to take into account.
Admissions procedures: Many students who seek to study at foreign colleges hold admissions procedures in high regard. Many students favour degrees whose admissions procedures are simple and convenient.
Is the degree being offered in English or the native tongue, and if not, is the host nation an English-speaking one? When determining where to go, kids do have these kinds of thoughts.
Part-time employment: Many students find it challenging to maintain a comfortable living due to the dismal economic circumstances and low purchasing power of the majority of Pakistani households. As a result, many students rely on part-time employment to cover their living expenses.
These are just some of the factors which students think about.
How to decide which country to go to?
Where do you want to travel?: There is no harm in thinking about the places you want to travel to. Afterall studying abroad is not just about the university but also about how exciting, educational, and enthralling the entire experience is going to be. There is no purpose in attending a top university in a city where your desired lifestyle or living standards are not available. You never know—you might find work and a place to live in the host nation. It is therefore ideal if you have some kind of interest in the nation you choose.
What are you hoping to learn? Your alternatives will be more manageable if you can decide on the subject or industry in which you want to specialise. Some nations are well known for their prowess in specific sectors and businesses. Choose the nation you believe will be most beneficial to your field of study as your target.
What are career opportunities like?: Whether or not you plan to stay in the host country permanently or temporarily it is vital that you assess the career prospects of your future qualifications. If you are planning to stay there permanently then this is extremely important, but do it for a moment and think this aspect is not important for temporary residence plans. You need to ensure the degree you want to enrol in has decent career prospects during and after the graduation. This will give you a chance to gain vital industry experience through entry level jobs and in many cases internships. Best way to judge this is to check the job websites of the country. Search for an entry level job in your particular field. You will get to see the number of vacancies which will give you an idea of your prospects.
What languages are spoken in the host country?: There are plenty of English degrees being offered in universities from non-English speaking nations. This is a major factor that has to be assessed by the student. If the country you are targeting is not an English speaking destination then you will face issues with landing a long term job, integrating culturally and even doing simple tasks such as ordering food at a restaurant. This is why it is important to consider the language of the host country.
What are the costs?: A lot of Pakistani students are sold on the idea that they can pay for the tuition fees by earning in foreign countries. Even though this is possible in most countries, a person should still plan the budget aspect in such a way where they can actually pay for the degree or arrange some funds from home if needed. A lot of international students suffered when they could not pay for their living expenses due to the lockdowns. This is why it is necessary to establish a budget. We at FES help our clients find the right place according to their budget.
Once you have decided the country or countries you would want to go to then comes the time to research on which universities to go to.
How to choose which university to study in?
Identify your interests and passion: A lot of the time students try to formulate the best logical plan they can find. However, a major problem with this is they tend to forget that degrees last for more than a year. This is why it is vital to identify a field you are interested in. Subject of study that you think is going to provide you with the most intrinsic motivation. All this is necessary so you do not end up facing failures or bad grades which can cause a lot of problems when looking for quality jobs.
3. Research carefully, and use multiple sources: Studying a degree can take anywhere between one to four years, and it can be quite expensive. It will almost certainly be a worthwhile investment and life-changing adventure, but make sure you know the facts. Even though we at FES specialise in helping students lead through our guidance, we still recommend the student does his/her own research as well. Reason being this will allow you to ask the right questions when it comes to deciding on a consultant, or determining whether or not someone’s advice is worthwhile or not.
4. Identify your “essential” requirements: Narrow down your search by deciding what you definitely want to do or want to avoid. For example, maybe you only want to study abroad at a university where the tuition fees are affordable, or the universities offer degrees for certain duratns which may allow you to apply for temporary work visas.
Here are some examples students usually consider:
- Only universities in a particular country/ world region
- No universities in rural towns cities
- Only highly ranked universities (in general or in a particular subject)
This step is particularly useful if you want to study a subject that is offered across a very large range of universities.
- Choose your subject: Many people know straight away what they want to study, but for some the choice is less obvious. It would be wise to narrow down to a list of three or so subjects. If you’re having a hard time with that, think about these questions:
- Which subjects do you most enjoy learning about?
- What skills do you want to gain during your studies?
- Do you want to go into a job where a particular degree is required?
If you already know what you want to study, then great! By default some universities will be ruled out (even the most popular subjects aren’t available absolutely everywhere), but more importantly you’ll be able to select your preferred universities based on the courses and curricula they offer.
- Attend university fairs and open days: Choosing a university abroad that’s perfect for you will require a lot of research. For international students, most of this is often done online or through university brochures. However, the best option is always to see a place for yourself, and/or talk to a representative from the university in person, so you can get a better feel for the institution and get answers to all your questions.