CHOOSING A COUNTRY AND UNIVERSITY
The most important thing that you must take into consideration is where you will spend your foreign studies. The country and university – or college – should be your foremost consideration. Before you make any decisions, you ought to take some time looking into the feasible countries you can go to and then go over the offerings in the most suitable academic institutions in those countries. More often than not, each university will be well known for a certain program. You should go for those universities which have built a reputation for excellent programs in the field of your choice. You can engage the assistance of study abroad program advisers in your own school.
CULTURE AND PRACTICES
More than looking into the curriculum and other academic issues, it is very important for you to know about the culture of the country you are considering going to. Though globalisation has made countries of the world seem like next door neighbors, there is no denying that marked cultural differences still exist. This is even more significant if you have spent all your life in the UK or continental Europe and you wish to spend some time in an Asian country. What you think you know may not exactly be representative of the real situation in another country.
THE COST
One thing you must ready yourself for is the cost of studying abroad. The prevailing idea is that it is an expensive matter. However, that is not always the case. This is especially true if you choose to go to an Asian country to pursue your academics. You just might be surprised at the low cost of quality education in some places! The bulk of your expenses will probably go to travel fees and other preparation work. To be sure that you will be able to afford such an experience, do your homework – research and inquire!
Over the years, students coming back from studying abroad have a common thing to say about their experience – it is life changing. Though this has always been the prevailing belief, it wasn’t until 2004 that a formal study was carried out to determine just how studying abroad affects a person’s life. The study carried out by a leading name in international education defined categories such as personal development, academic commitment, intercultural development, and career development.
Students who have had the chance to spend some time away from their home country echo the general sentiment that their experience has made them more mature persons. More so, foreign students have formed lasting friendships with their fellow students who were native to the country of their study. Other positive changes to one’s personal development were tolerance to ambiguity and increased self-confidence.
In terms of intercultural awareness, students who have had exposure to other cultures due to the time spent abroad claim that they understand other people’s point of view much better. More importantly perhaps, they have a better understanding of their own culture and biases as perceived by an outsider. Indeed, this is a good thing for future leaders who may have the chance to impact their own country and even the world.
More than the way of life, students who have experienced staying abroad also acquired skills and knowledge. Learning a foreign language, for example, is one of the leading advantages of studying abroad. The longer one stays in another country, the more one benefits from this. If the time they spend in the country does not permit them to learn the language fully, then there is still the increased commitment to learn a foreign language, which is surely a good thing for anyone.
Foreign students also seem to acquire a stronger sense of academic commitment. This goes on to have an effect in their future choices with respect to educational decisions. Last, but definitely not the least, students who have studied abroad acquired skills and ideas that eventually influenced their career path.
Experiences – both the good and the bad – vary from person to person. Yet the fact remains that studying abroad can change a young person’s life in ways that may not be possible if one remains in his country of origin forever.
Admittedly, one of the main concerns of students going to another country to study is their state of finances. More often than not, a student has to live on a budget and manage his or her own finances wisely. This is another way in which a person learns to become independent while studying abroad. Getting more money is not as simple a matter as it would be if one were at home, near to family and friends.
The key to financial survival while studying in another country is to lay down a budget for your whole stay and stick to it as much as possible. This is not as easy as it sounds. In the first place, sticking to a budget is not easy even when at home. The difference in currencies further complicates the matter. What you should do is know the conversion of currencies. Know exactly how much the pound is worth in your country of destination. Then you can work out a plan as to how much to spend and when. It is so easy to spend more than you originally planned when you see that the prices are way cheaper than at home. There have been so many stories about students feeling financially confident in their first few weeks, only to discover that they have run out of cash sooner than they planned.
Fortunately for you, you can plan out your spending even before you leave home. You can calculate your school fees as well as travel fares. You should also try to finalise your accommodations beforehand. This way, you can estimate how much you need each month for board and lodging. You can also throw in transportation expenses to and from school. Another thing you should plan for would be course materials and other academic expenses that may arise during your stay.
Even with the most detailed of budgets, there are some things that you cannot account for. Emergencies may arise and by the very definition of the word, these are things that you cannot predict. So it would be a good idea to have some money set aside for such instances. Alternatively, it would be good to have a plan B for emergencies. Look into the possible ways of sending money from the UK to your country of choice so that you would know exactly what to do in case you need an extra infusion of quick cash.
