How Do I Start Planning For Abroad Studies?

There are various reasons why people choose to study abroad. While some individuals could be based in a country or region with limited educational opportunities, some decide to study abroad as there are well-structured courses for the subject they wish to study there.     

One cannot deny that mentioning a degree acquired from a foreign university looks impressive on the CV. Studying in a foreign country also helps to broaden an aspirant's horizon by allowing meeting and interacting with people from different parts of the world. It also leads a student toward becoming a more confident and self-reliant person.

Once the decision to study abroad is made, one has to start working towards creating an elaborate plan. If aspirants don't plan well, their dream of studying in their dream university in a foreign land will remain a dream.

Here are a few things they need to do while planning for abroad studies:

Decide Which Country and What Course/Program to Study

There are many young students who walk up to their friends and confidently make an announcement about going abroad to study further. However, when their friends ask them which university they plan to study or what course they wish to pursue, they draw a blank.

Many young individuals feel quite fascinated with the idea of studying in a foreign country. A sense of adventure and excitement is attached to studying at a university in France or applying for a course at Norway's top universities. However, never decide to study abroad just because many people are doing it or it seems very fashionable. There should be a definite purpose or goal behind wanting to study abroad.

Before any sensible person decides to study abroad, they are already sure about the course they want to pursue. It is important to have clarity about the career path by the time aspirants reach a stage where they must go somewhere to pursue their higher studies. The choice of course or program should lead toward studying abroad. It shouldn't be the other way around.

If aspirants wish to do a culinary course, the best country to go to would be the United States of America. Some of the best institutes in the USA that offer culinary courses are Kendall College of Culinary Arts (Chicago), Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, New York), Johnson and Wales University (Florida), Boston University, and Kendall
College of Culinary Arts (Chicago).

The United Kingdom proves to be one of the best countries for studying business. The London Business School is one of the world's best business schools, attracting students from all across the globe. The Harvard Business School is equally reputed in Boston, United States. As far as French business schools are concerned, HEC Paris tops the list.

The universities in Germany are suitable for a wide range of courses. While the Technical University of Berlin and GISMA Business School enjoy a solid reputation as business schools, MetFilm School in Berlin and The Academy of Media Arts in Cologne are ideal options for film and media studies.

Check How Much the Cost of the Course Abroad.

Whenever there are finances involved, planning becomes all the more important. Regardless of which course students opt for or the university they decide to study in, studying abroad will cost a lot of money. The sooner students start planning their finances, the fewer the challenges they will face when they are on the verge of going to a foreign country to study.

After aspirants have decided to do a particular course, they must do an adequate amount of research on it. One of the most important things that students need to find out during their research is the amount of money it will take for them to do that course. One must remember that the cost of a course in a particular institute could be vastly different from the cost of pursuing it at another college.

If students wish to do an MBA abroad, they would want to do it from one of the top colleges. At Harvard University, doing an MBA will cost $73,440 a year. An MBA course at Stanford University will lead toward paying $76,950 in a single year.

While studying MBA at Columbia University, one must pay an annual fee of $80,472. If students are wondering how much doing an MBA in Germany costs, they should know that doing an MBA at the University of Hamburg will cost around $17,142. The cost of MBBS in the USA, too, is quite high.

Once students gather a good amount of information about the course fees and other financial details pertaining to the course, they should look at all the options they have at their disposal for arranging the finances. While some students' education is sponsored by their parents, some take an education loan.

Before deciding to study at a particular university or do a certain course, one should be sure about having the requisite funds at their disposal to finance education. One must also consider a few other factors that will necessitate them to spend some money while studying abroad.

Start the Application Process

Once aspirants are fully sure about the course they want to opt for, they should list the colleges or universities they can apply to. While they might have a dream college in mind, it would be advisable to apply to multiple colleges. If they don't get through their number one college, they can still pursue the course they wish to in another reputed college.

Finding official websites of different colleges based in different countries and engaging in processes like downloading an application form can be done these days conveniently. However, having some external support by the side would be a good idea.

While applying to different colleges, they should seek the help of a counselor. Apart from consulting on colleges they should apply to, a good counselor will also help them fill up the application form correctly.

If they do not wish to opt for a counselor, they should at least consider reaching out to people who have applied to foreign universities and got through in recent years. If they don't know of such people in their vicinity, they can reach out to such students through different forums.

While making a list of the colleges they wish to apply to, they must make it a point to prioritize one college over another. For instance, their dream university should be at the top, followed by a college they would also be happy going to. In a bid to expand the list, they should not include the name of any college that they do not have any inclination to study in.

Once a college receives the application, they will get it assessed thoroughly. After a while, aspirants will be notified whether they can study a particular course. It could take a couple of weeks for an application to be assessed or processed.

If the college feels they fulfill all the criteria to study there, they will be informed that their application has been approved. When a college they have applied to approves the application, they are bound to feel elated. However, instead of accepting the offer immediately, students should speak to their parents and consult their counselor. They must listen carefully to what they have to say before accepting the offer.

When aspirants have applied to multiple universities, they should wait for each to respond. Sometimes, prospective students decide to get into a particular college after it accepts their application. However, they regret the decision when their preferred college confirms the acceptance of their application a few weeks later. Even if they can opt out of the college they had been admitted to, it would result in a substantial waste of time and money.

Pass English Language Test

Before aspirants start looking for universities in Australia for international students, they must pass their English language test. If they plan to do a course or study a program that will be taught in English, they must prove to the authorities that they are proficient in speaking and writing in English. Before going through the university enrolment process, they must pass an English language test.

When it comes to checking the English proficiency of a candidate, foreign universities accept English language certificates like TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, C1 Advanced and PTE Academic. If students pass any of these tests, they will be ready to go.

If their English proficiency skills are decent enough, they should be able to pass the test with just a couple of days of preparation. However, English was not one of the subjects they were taught extensively in school or college; they might be required to undergo extensive preparation for a few weeks.

In an English language test, they will be evaluated based on four skills, including speaking, writing, listening, and reading. It is important to remember that the format of a particular test could vary greatly from another. Apart from understanding grammar well, they should also have a good command of vocabulary.

Check on the scholarships and loans for education abroad

When somebody decides to study abroad, one of the things they worry about is the finances. They should apply for scholarships to control the costs or reduce the burden of paying the college fees on their parents or themselves.

When it comes to studying abroad, they can avail of a variety of financial aid programs, including scholarships, student loans, grants, and military aid. While they need to pay off a student loan, that's not the case with a scholarship or a grant. While many students get scholarships based on their academic achievements, many are also entitled to receive them due to their financial need.

There are many foreign universities that offer lucrative scholarships to meritorious students. Nowadays, getting information on scholarships and grants offered by universities is not a difficult task at all.