Studying abroad is a dream that both excites and confuses students. While the general excitement of an American Dream enthrals the outward bound, often the students are left questioning which country to go to. True, each country offers a unique set of opportunities, and each comes with a great bag of promised goodies such as a better lifestyle, better professional opportunities, and for a few, even immigration option and permanent residence. So, as we look across the world and the many countries that provide attractive packages… How do I pick the best study abroad location?
Continue reading to learn about the five questions you must ask in order to find the best country for you.
Question 1: Which course are you planning to pursue?
The first thing any student must consider, regardless of the expected return on investment, is the course they intend to pursue. While most top institutions in many countries provide excellent chances, the reality remains that there is always one course that has a greater advantage in one country than another.
Consider the top courses that students apply for at institutions throughout the world. According to one study, more students choose MS courses than MBA courses at the postgraduate level. While the United States continues to be the first among equals for study abroad destinations, we cannot ignore countries such as Germany and even Australia that provide high-quality education at a fraction of the cost (for Germany!). Furthermore, if you want to take a French language course, France and Canada will provide you with more options and credibility than any other study abroad destination.
Hence, we suggest that the first step a student ought to take is to understand which course to take. Once that is done, go to Question 2.
Question 2: What is the industry base of the course of choice in the city/ country you are planning to go?
I frequently encounter students who are more concerned with the college’s ranking than with the options available in the area. What is important to understand is that the reason you want to travel abroad is to change your lifestyle, which comes with a dream career. If that’s the case, how would studying aeronautical engineering in a remote location help if there’s no industry nearby?
Industrial training is required in all curriculum. Whether it be at the undergraduate, postgraduate, or research level, the truth is that there are top companies that attract the best. Even though the best companies hire from the best, they also look to local colleges for interns and special training.
As a result, once you’ve decided on a course, we strongly advise you to look at the cities near the universities/institutes and the types of industries that exist in that location. It should ideally be near the prominent names in your chosen industry. Not only will this provide you with a greater set of career prospects after completing the course, but it will also help you adapt to the culture of the region, supporting you in doing better at work.
Question 3: What is the Return on Investment?
A common mistake among students is calculating cost – tuition, living expenses – when what they should be concerned about is return on investment. Simply explained, a return on investment is the expected earnings after the course divided by the cost of acquiring the necessary education. To elaborate, while the expense of earning an MBA is significantly higher, the returns on the degree are even more. However, the learner should think about calculating the same thing for other countries.
A smart way to do this is to look into the country’s job and salary statistics by industry. For the astute, important statistical data is frequently easily accessible. So, before you decide on a country, find out what kind of pay you can expect from the job you hope to earn after finishing your study. You would be wiser to calculate the expected salary unless and until your aspirations are purely academic. Even if the pursuits are academic, a return on investment can be calculated by understanding the kind of research facilities available in the country you are planning to visit and the affiliations that university has with the research centres in the region.
Question 4: What are the opportunities available for your spouse/ family members?
Perhaps more important for those looking for postgraduate degrees than undergraduate courses, a student should also explore the choices for spouses in the country. While some countries understand that you may want to bring your spouse or child, they may not offer many prospects for them. As such, it becomes a significant determinant that must be taken into account. Understanding this is especially important for students who are in the middle of their careers and have a working spouse, because when you improve your income, you may want to add your spouse’s income rather than forfeit it.
Question 5: What is the value of that degree?
The final and, possibly, most important factor a student must consider is the value of the country’s degree.
Needless to say, we cannot risk the worst-case scenario and your return to county if nothing happens as planned.
If a student does not investigate the authenticity of the degree he or she intends to pursue in his or her country. he or she may end up with a large student loan, no relevant work experience, and a degree that has no effect on their future chances. This is especially critical for students considering accounting, medicine, or even law. These practices are rather country specific, and you must choose a country that provides to acceptable degrees so that you always have a backup choice. Even for more acceptable degrees, such as an MBA, we urge that you research the worth of that MBA.
There are definitely additional factors to consider, such as cost of living, security, and ease of admission, but we prioritize the above for the obvious reason that all of the top locations are very close in terms of higher education. One country may have a lower cost of living but tighter entry standards, whilst another country may have simpler admissions but a higher cost of living.
Regardless, we believe that these are the things that one cannot fully avoid, but when picking which nation to study abroad…consider the first 5 questions and chances are…Whatever you decide, the country will provide you with the best value for your time and money. Begin your research using Eduguru Abroad’s country pages to learn about the countries and then make an informed decision.