How to choose a university for studying abroad

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Things to consider to choose a university for studying abroad

When you consider studying abroad, the sheer explosion of opportunities is overwhelming, but you have to start somewhere. Here are the most important criteria to consider when choosing your future university to study abroad:

Selection of the desired course – Many people know straight away what they want to study, but for some, the choice is less obvious. Generally, it is wise to narrow it down to a list of 3-4 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 are still not sure, feel free to contact us and seek our professional guidance. Click here and fill in your details. Our counselor will contact you soon.

Selection of place to study – Chances are that you’ve already thought about a specific place where you would like to move and study. Even if you don’t know where to start from, you might want to do some research, checking countries and cities that have the most or all the desired traits, whether it’s the type of study programme, the facilities, the transport, living cost, or weather. 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 language of teaching is Spanish? Perhaps you have a specific budget, or want to be within a few hours’ flight of home? At this stage, it’s best to set out some clear guidelines for your search. Here are some examples to consider:

• Only universities in a particular country/ world region
• No universities in large and busy 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. If you want to specialize in a field that’s particularly rare (such as maritime archaeology), you’ll probably find you already have a narrower field to focus on.

Selection of specific University – Given that there are a few huge factors to consider (and many small ones) when deciding what university to enrol in, you should carefully search the ideal option for what you are looking for. If you don’t know where you want to study you can consider the following things:

• What is the language of tuition? To study at the university level you need to have good skills in the language of tuition. For many students that means English. In that case you can either study in an English speaking country or at a university that offers the program you want to take in English.
• What are the tuition fees? Some countries within EU offers more or less free education. If this is important to you then you should find a school and place of study in one of those countries.
• What kind of places do you like? Are you a big city person or do you prefer smaller and calmer places? Do you want to live close to the beach or maybe close to the mountains for hiking and skiing? These kinds of question can help you find suitable countries and cities for your studies.
• What countries have a good reputation for the subject you want to study?  For example :Switzerland is famous for their hospitality and hotel management programs. Italy is popular for design and if you want to study French you had better do it in France.

Check the International University Rankings – There are many diverse ranking systems, created by several organisations that use different metrics to come up with their top university lists. Whether they measure academic and educational performance, or the teaching environment and the internationality of the institution, the major ranking systems are data-driven hierarchies which outline the competition between major universities worldwide.

Check affordability – Studying abroad may cost a lot, so you need to pay attention to the overall price of the study programmes available. And this means the tuition fees, especially: there are programmes with low or no tuition fees, as well as some institutions that, for a substantial amount of money, will ensure you the best and most reputable degree you can find. It is essential to consider the overall expense involved in studying at a particular destination. When calculating your costs, don’t forget to consider ancillary expenses such as accommodation, utilities, transportation, etc. Consider the duration of your course as that’ll majorly affect your overall cost of studying abroad. For instance, masters in the UK and Ireland are offered for just one year whereas masters in other countries like Canada and Australia can take up to two years. Find out if there are any scholarships available to study in the desired destination at both government and institute level. If you are able to land one, it can help bring down the cost of your studies considerably. Check if you’ll also be able to work part-time while studying so you can manage your daily expenses easily and also gain some professional experience.

Future Prospect – Understand the industries that are open for you to explore employment opportunities once you’ve completed your program. Take into account the countries that have maximum avenues for students undertaking your chosen course. Check how strong is the destination in your industry base and if any level of industrial training is available.

After reading this article, you should have gained a clear idea of the process of shortlisting universities abroad for Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses. If you have any doubt or need help from counselors of Road to Abroad, click here to book a consultation session. We have been guiding students for years and have helped them to gain admission in some of the top universities of the world. 

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