Should I study abroad? - My experience living in another country

Are you at that point in your education journey where you are asking the question “should I study abroad or not?

If yes, then continue reading this article because I am about to give your mind-blowing reasons why your country is not the best.

But, honestly, if there was one reason why you’d want to study abroad, what would that be?

While you ponder on that, let’s go on to discuss what study abroad is all about.

Content Summary

What does it mean to study abroad?

Simply put, when you say study abroad, you will agree with me that it is an opportunity for you to pursue your college studies in a foreign country.

In other words, it involves attending lectures or carrying out research at a foreign university whilst enjoying sightseeing and checking places off your bucket list.

But studying abroad goes beyond this.

It’s a great way to learn in an immersive environment.

So, as a student studying abroad, you have the opportunity to take what you have learned in your classroom and live it in reality.

Going somewhere that is completely new to you for studies may not be comfortable, however, that is a good way to learn and grow.

Which country abroad should I study in?

Having pondered whether or not you should study abroad, the next question would be “which country to go to for the study?”

But the decision of where in the world you should do your study is not always an easy one.

There are a lot of factors you will have to consider when making this decision.

So, besides considering your own personal interests, you also have to consider the cost of doing your study in that country.

The cost of studying abroad include both tuition fees, living expenses, travel cost etc.

Another factor that you need to consider is your graduate career prospects in the country after school.

You need to ask questions like

Is there a good job market in the country?
How safe is the country?
Do they have good welfare programs?
What is the cost of living in the country?

So, whatever it is that you care about, you need to be sure that the country of choice meets your standards in order for you to enjoy your international experience.

For most students, some of the popular destinations that they look at include Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK and the US.

You too can begin your search in these countries, and if none of them meets your standard, then you can look at other destinations.

How can I study abroad?

After picking a location where you’d like to do your study abroad, the next thing to do is to select a university and a program you want to study.

You may already have a choice of the program you want to do, now you need to make sure that the school that you are applying to offers that course.

If they don’t offer the course you choose, then you need to consider changing the course to something relative or choose a new school altogether.

After sorting the course of study and the institution, you need to start thinking about your application(s).

Note that the application process may differ depending on the university and the country.

But generally, each institution will provide full details of how you can submit your application on the official website.

So, you must be careful when reading through their websites so that you don’t miss important details.

If possible, contact someone who has been successful with the application in the past or contract a study abroad agency to guide you.

When you receive an acceptance letter from the school, you can start applying for your student visa immediately.

All of these steps may take several months, so it is important for you to start your application very early.

Talking about starting your application process very early, let’s look at the next heading below…

When can I start applying for study abroad programs?

Like I mentioned above, it is always “the earlier, the better.”

Applying to study abroad can take a really long time, so you should consider starting your application as early as possible.

This will help you to avoid disappointments especially with getting your student visa and properly preparing for the travel.

A good way to always be ahead of time is to note down all the relevant application deadlines on your calendar.

Obviously, the application deadlines will be different depending on the school,

However, here is a formula that may be of help with regards to application deadlines…

For programs starting in the fall (September/October), applications will generally be open from early in the year (January/February) until the middle of the year (June/July).

Why should I study abroad?

So, everything that I have written in this article up to this point is just a background to provide an answer to this question “should I study abroad?”

Remember that in the introduction of this article I asked you a question “if there was one reason why you’d want to study abroad, what would that be?”

Now continue reading to see if some of the reasons below tally with what you have in mind.

Here are some of the reasons why your country is not the best and you should consider studying abroad;

#1. A prophet is not honoured in his country:

The first and foremost reason I have for you why you should study abroad is because of relevance.

Believe it or not, overfamiliarity brings contempt.

Your fellow countrymen know the state of education in your country, as a result, they may place a specific value on your education which may not meet their requirement.

So, doing your studies abroad will add an aura of relevance to you.

Now, you will be in hot demand as employers would prefer to hire a person who has international experience.

#2. Experience a different culture:

Another reason why I suggest that you should study abroad is for you to get the opportunity of experiencing a new culture.

There are so many beautiful cultures in the world and you’d be unfair to yourself to stay stuck to one.

By taking advantage of study abroad programs, you can find yourself in a mix of cultures that you have never experienced.

You will get to learn the new culture and adapt to their way of life.

It is just a beautiful experience.

#3. Top quality education:

Unless you are from the UK, Australia and the US where most of the top ranking schools in the world are concentrated, your country is definitely not the best for your study.

Besides that, why would you want to limit your option by studying in your country when you can explore the millions of schools scattered abroad?

Going abroad for your studies is one of the best things that you can do for yourself.

You get the opportunity to study in a school that provides you with all the necessary facility and resources you need.

As a result, you can broaden your scope and get the highest possible education.

#4. You get to learn a new language:

If the only foreign language that you speak fluently and understand is the English language, and you are asking the question “should I study abroad?” then this is the perfect excuse that you need.

One of the top benefits of studying abroad is the opportunity to learn a new language.

You probably have tried learning a new language in the past using language mobile apps or paying a private tutor.

However, nothing trumps the opportunity of living somewhere where that language is spoken natively.

In this case, you have more people to speak with and by doing that, you quickly get a hang of the language.

On the other hand, if your goal is to fine-tune your English proficiency or you wish to learn the English language, then you should visit the USA or the UK.

You’ll be able to study in English, speak to locals and really develop your language skills.

#5. It opens you to international opportunities:

If your dream is to attract international opportunities, then you don’t need to play locally.

To attract international opportunities to yourself, you need to play the global game.

And a good way to attract international opportunities is by studying abroad.

At least, you may get to do your internship with one of the companies abroad and if they find you worthy, they may retain you.

While you are still studying abroad, you may apply for other opportunities within the country and participate in programs that will give you exposure.

Getting a job in the country becomes easier since you already have experience with the country’s laws and policies.

#6. Take advantage of lower tuition fees:

Really, why force yourself to pay the high tuition fees in your country colleges when there are cheaper alternatives in other countries?

There are countries that offer great discounts to international students who wish to study in their universities.

In fact, you can even win a fully sponsored scholarship to do a program in most countries today.

This is an amazing opportunity for you to get the best quality education at the lowest possible cost.

So, if you are still in the consideration stage, I guess you now have a reason why you should study abroad.

#7. Increase your network beyond your borders:

There is a saying that “your network is your net worth.”

Now imagine a network that goes beyond the borders of your country.

This is one of the few benefits that you will enjoy when you study abroad.

You get the opportunity to meet new lifelong friends from different backgrounds.

These friends include locals and other foreign students studying in the school.

To maintain this relationship after your study abroad program ends, you need to make an effort to stay in contact with your international friends.

There are many channels that can help you achieve that today – WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype and so on.

In addition to rewarding personal relationships, these friends can also be important networking tools later down the road.

#8. Enjoy international travel experience:

Another reason why you should study abroad is that I feel you are becoming a local champion.

Yes, you!!

You have travelled to every other state in your country but never crossed your borders.

Are you scared of the world outside your country?

You shouldn’t be.

It is a blissful experience to travel several hours to other countries.

You get to learn about new locations and meet new people.

Depending on the distance of your destination country, you may even have the opportunity of landing in a different country before continuing your journey.

This and many more international travel experiences are what you will enjoy when you choose

#9. An international certificate looks good on your CV:

If by now you are still looking for reasons to study abroad, then I believe this is the one that you need.

Imagine how employers will embrace you when they discover that you studied abroad.

Studying abroad helps you to learn new languages, appreciate other cultures, overcome the challenges of living in another country and gain a greater understanding of the world.

These are all things that modern businesses look for when hiring, and such traits will only become more important in the future.

where should i study abroad quiz

Now, you know why you would want to study abroad. I think it’s time for you to take a simple study abroad quiz. I always recommend this study abroad quiz to anyone who is planning on studying abroad.

This quiz is called “should I study abroad quiz”. it asks the real questions when it comes to leaving your country for a study program in a foreign country. For the purpose of this article, I will list all the “should I study abroad quiz” questions. If you can find answers to these questions I believe you are ready to study abroad.

Top 7 should I study abroad quiz questions:

Are You Ready to Study Abroad?
Have You Researched Study Abroad Programs?
Can You Afford to Study Abroad?
Do You Have Time to Study Abroad?
How Long Do People Study Abroad?
When Should I Study Abroad?
Studying Abroad: A Cost-Benefit Analysis

Are You Ready to Study Abroad?

This should be the very first question you should ask yourself. if you are very sure of the answer then go ahead and live your dreams. if not, then you need to figure out whatever that is scaring you or stopping you from chasing your study abroad vision.

Have You Researched Study Abroad Programs?

Another “should I study abroad quiz” question you must answer if you want to study abroad is questions related to your study program. it is very normal not to have a clue of what you are doing when you are considering a study abroad program. but then the only way out is to start researching the program and your country of choice. so as to be acquainted with the locale.

Can You Afford to Study Abroad?

Of course, cost should be one thing that can deter your study abroad dreams. Therefore, one study abroad quiz question you must answer beforehand is how prepared are you to handle the cost of studying abroad.

Though some programs can offer you a scholarship, others don’t. you still need to figure out how you will fund your program.

Do You Have Time to Study Abroad?

The next question you should answer when planning to study abroad is the question of time. if you take a year or semester abroad will you still graduate on time? if the answer is yes! then you can go ahead. though, if you pick out the best time for your study abroad program, that will help solve the problem of timing.

How Long Do People Study Abroad?

There are alots ways to determine how long you can study abroad. ideally people study abroad for a semester or one academic year. all depends on the student and the timing.

When Should I Study Abroad?

Ideally, students prefer to take their junior year abroad. this is because by the time they are in their third year they must have completed a lot of core courses and met various pre-requisite needed for senior year.

This does not mean that studying abroad cant be done by sophomore students can not study abroad. it all depends on the educational path the student wants to take.

Conclusion

I believe that by now you already have enough reasons why you should study abroad.

So, if you ever have the opportunity of studying abroad, don’t dwell so much time thinking about it.

Just seize the opportunity and enjoy the amazing benefits that follow.

Please, share this article so as to help someone who is stuck in trying to make this decision.

References:

World Study Portal

Should I study abroad? 9 Reason why your country is not the best