When an individual plans to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM, they might want to check out some of the foreign universities offering courses in these subjects. While there are many educational institutions abroad that offer STEM courses, foreign students need to do adequate research before they decide to study in a particular university or country.
When a foreign student decides to do a STEM course in a college or university abroad, one of the first things they think about is the amount of money they will have to spend on their foreign education. A variety of education loans for abroad studies are provided by banks to students.
Before opting for a STEM course offered by a foreign university and considering the finances, the applicant must keep the following important tips in mind:
Options
Before deciding on a particular educational institution to study in, STEM students must have a look at the study abroad options available to them. Apart from consulting professors, they must also reach out to student advisors in their college and figure out how to apply to different universities offering STEM courses.
One of the useful things they could do at this point is to have a conversation with individuals who have been STEM students in the past and have studied in foreign universities. By speaking to them, they will get a lot of insights about the application process and how to prepare to study STEM in a college abroad.
-
International Programs
Students, who are already in college, can also fulfill their dream of studying STEM at a foreign university. The first step to take in this regard would be the student getting in touch with professors in their college and requesting recommendations and suggestions for international educational opportunities and programs.
If the college has a dedicated study abroad office, the student should visit it and check the kind of options they have at the moment. Once a student becomes aware of the options available to them, it becomes easier for them to decide how they will move ahead.
Some educational institutions in India do not provide their students with the option to choose from different STEM study abroad programs. A student studying in one such institution still has the chance to go abroad and study STEM.
There are many independent studies abroad providers like IES and API that help student study STEM in a foreign university. The students will get to transfer credits they make or earn to the university that grants them a degree. Many of the institutions also offer students education loans for abroad.
A student would also get the chance to participate in a student exchange program and visit a foreign university for one year. Even such an experience would be highly beneficial for the student as it would allow them to learn from and interact with a global faculty.
Getting the opportunity to spend some time in universities that have done extensive STEM research would help a student tremendously in their career. They will also get a better idea of how to use their knowledge in these subjects to take their career forward.
-
Courses
When a student is planning to study STEM abroad, they should consider opting for the core major courses. While STEM courses or programs are designed differently in different countries, certain subjects are common to all countries and regions. Mathematics and organic chemistry, for instance, are taught everywhere.
Before taking up a STEM course abroad, the applicant must do adequate research on the kind of options different universities are providing them with. It would be wise to apply to universities that are offering a plethora of options when it comes to the subjects.
-
Enrolment
Getting admission to a college or university abroad and getting a degree from it is something a student, who wishes to study STEM abroad, ideally wishes for. Once they decide to do something like this, they will have to prepare themselves to do a lot of things.
The first step involves finalizing the universities they would be applying to. The application process involves several steps and they would have to go through each of them carefully. When students study in a country they are not familiar with, they stumble upon many challenges. However, the benefits of studying STEM in a foreign university are aplenty. Every hardship or challenge a student faces during the process proves to be worthwhile in the long run.
Scholarships for Studying STEM Abroad
Everybody would be aware of the fact that studying STEM abroad proves to be a far more expensive process than studying it at an Indian university. However, there are various scholarships available for students who wish to study STEM abroad. While going for a study abroad loan is an option, students should check the scholarships available for them first.
-
Cultural Vistas Stem Launch
For several years now, Cultural Vistas has been helping foreign students get admission and study in educational institutions in Georgia. Through this particular program, Cultural Vistas has helped foreign students study different STEM disciplines. The scholarship offered by Cultural Vistas might not be enough to help a student cover their entire expenses while studying abroad but it will reduce the financial burden faced by them to a great extent.
-
Boren Scholarship
Programs funded by Boren last for eight weeks and are mostly organized during the summer season. This particular initiative happens to be the brainchild of the National Security Education Program. Through the Boren Scholarship, the institution aims to promote and raise awareness about opportunities that studying STEM could lead an individual to. Securing a Boren Scholarship gives a student access to $8,000 which they can use for their education.
-
National Debt Relief Scholarship
Every year, the National Debt Relief Scholarship is given to five students who are interested in studying STEM abroad. Those who manage to secure this scholarship shall get an amount of $1,000. This is one of the most accessible scholarships designed for foreign students who wish to study STEM.
-
API Abroad
Before opting for a foreign education loan, students should check the various options offered to them by institutions like API Abroad. It provides a wide range of study abroad programs for students to choose from. Apart from regular scholarships, the institution offers many external scholarships that are of very high value as well.
-
IES Abroad
Students, who plan to study STEM abroad, often look for merit-based scholarships to apply to. Such students need to enquire about IES Abroad. This is one institution that has always believed in awarding students scholarships who have achieved academic excellence.
-
The Fulbright Program
Constituted by the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright Program is credited with backing a variety of international educational programs including the ones that are designed for STEM applicants.
-
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program proves to be of great value to students who do not have the requisite funds to study in a foreign university or intern with a company based in a foreign country. Through this scholarship, students can hope to get as much as $8,000 to put into their foreign education.
-
The University of California Education Abroad Program
The University of California Education Abroad Program, simply referred to as the UCEAP can be availed of by those who wish to study STEM at the University of California. Through this scholarship, the institution attempts to encourage meritorious students to research STEM subjects.
Getting a STEM Degree in Different Countries
STEM education is given a lot of importance by almost every country in the world. Therefore, when a student plans to study STEM in a foreign country, they get lots of options to choose from. One factor that most students consider while planning to study STEM abroad is the country the university is based in.
Instead of choosing a country to study in randomly, the applicant must make an effort to figure out which country would work the best for them. For instance, if a student can acquire a lucrative scholarship in Canada for studying STEM that is the country they should be heading to.
If a student opts to study STEM in the United States, they would have to pay around $30,000. The average annual tuition fee in the United Kingdom is around $32,500. The cost of studying STEM in Canada is quite similar to that of opting for a STEM course in the UK. In Australia, the average tuition fee is close to $22,500.
For students, who are on a budget and want to pursue a STEM course abroad, Germany proves to be one of the best options. In this country, a foreign student has to spend around $5,500 for enrolling themselves in a university and studying STEM.
Many reputed universities in the world offer STEM education or courses. The cost of studying STEM in a particular university could be very different from the expenses involved in undergoing STEM education in another institution.
If an Indian student decides to study STEM at Concordia University in Chicago, they should be ready to pay close to Rs. 23 lacs every year. For a lac or two less, they can study at Louisiana State University based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The cost of studying STEM at Auburn University in Alabama, United States would be between Rs. 19 - 23 lacs every single year.
If a student has limited funds at their disposal, they can opt for Pace University in New York. In this university, the cost of studying STEM ranges from Rs. 12 – 13 lacs. Apart from checking the tuition fee, the student must also take into account the other expenses involved in studying at a university based in a particular country.
Sulekha Canada
Sulekha US