Planning to develop a global career path, you should know how to study abroad as it is the easiest way to develop a global career. Individuals who get an opportunity to study abroad pass through many exciting adventures in discovering new cultures, boosting their careers, and gaining a top-quality education.
Initially, everything seems new. Later, they will have more interesting experiences like making new friends and building a strong vocabulary by exploring themselves. Moreover, with globalization, the top companies have their presence in all major economies. So, you may well end up being the bridge between your home country and your study country.
To study abroad, the single most important thing is that one should keep all the relevant documents ready to complete the admission process and apply to an overseas university before the application deadline. After that, applying is a relatively simple process
Read the applications!
If you have decided your area of interest in a preferred university in a country abroad, you can start applying by reading all the criteria. Each university and country can have a different application process.
Understanding the application process is the most important step. As an overseas student, I would say “Reading the applications” would be the No.1 step in the “How to study abroad” guide.
For instance, all nations require applications to be submitted directly except the UK and Australia because they have a centralized application service.
Before starting the application process, understand all the details by thoroughly reading the university’s website and confirming the same with the university’s admissions office.
Next, if you have been offered a university place and received a letter of acceptance, you can start the visa application process. However, it takes time for an individual to get a visa. Therefore, you should apply for a visa instantly after receiving the letter of acceptance.
Check out Most Spoken Languages In The World.
What can you study abroad?
After 12th (schooling), you can apply for a bachelor’s program in a country of your choice. Normally, you will be required to take an assessment test and submit the assessment score along with your application.
After undergrad, you can apply for a master’s program. There is some integrated master’s programs with a duration of 4.5 to 5 years, for which you can apply after 12th grade. Then, after your master’s, you can apply for a Ph.D.
Apply for a bachelor’s program
To be eligible for the bachelor’s program, you should mention your areas of interest in specific subjects to pursue your career. Also, you must check your academic ability for the course you wish to apply for.
Criteria may vary for universities and countries, so you should be familiar with the grade requirements and provide valid proof of your language proficiency to fulfill the requirements for admission into the bachelor’s program.
You should keep in mind the application fee for each program you apply to because you will be asked to provide some supporting documents for verification and documentation purposes.
Things required for bachelor’s application
- Higher Secondary education certificates or transcripts.
- Recommendation letters/References
- Personal statement/Essay
- English language certification (TOEFL/PET/IELTS)
- Standardized Test Scores (GRE/GMAT).
- Passport /Photo ID proof
Apply for a master’s program
If you wish to get admitted into the most preferred courses or research-based master’s courses, you should acquire a bachelor’s degree to fulfill the university’s requirements. Most universities require undergraduate qualifications, but this isn’t always the case.
Many universities would provide exemption on English language certification requirements if the course curriculum were delivered in English at the undergraduate level.
Things required for master’s application
- Bachelor’s education certificate or transcripts.
- Recommendation letters/References
- Letter of motivation
- English language certification (TOEFL/PET/IELTS)
- Standardized Test Scores (GRE/GMAT).
- Passport /Photo ID proof
Applying for Ph.D.’s
One should be very dedicated to a particular research area or domain, especially if he/she wants to pursue a Ph.D. abroad. Domain expertise is considered critical if you want to study Ph.D. You can build your resume by adding your achievements or ambitions related to the area of research to strengthen your CV.
Later, you can discuss the same with a university professor and seek his/her advice to proceed further because it can strengthen your application with their guidance and support.
Things required for Ph.D. Application
- University results with modules or class breakdown
- Recommendation letter or references
- An essay or personal statement
- Resume
- English language certification (TOEFL/PET/IELTS)
- Standardized Test Scores (GRE/GMAT)
- Photo ID
- Research proposal
Important things to remember:
- Starting the application process early helps you to gain time in arranging your study abroad experience including accommodation, insurance, and part-time work.
- Do not fail to note the application deadline in your calendar.
- Contact a study support team to seek guidance, clarify your doubts, and get answers to your queries.
How to study abroad for free or get a scholarship
A common question among students is, how to study abroad for free? In English-speaking countries, almost all universities take tuition fees. However, if you have a unique profile, you may get a scholarship, which may offset your tuition fee.
One of the other ways to study abroad for free is by targeting countries like Germany, Japan, Taiwan, France, and other European countries where it is easy to get scholarships with language skills. Moreover, the countries such as Germany, Japan, Taiwan, etc., need a skilled workforce for their research and employment purposes.
If you are not aware, the birth rate in Germany, Japan, Taiwan, etc., is declining with an aging population. So, if you have language skills (German, Japanese, Chinese), these countries offer attractive scholarships and stipends to support the students during their studies. In addition, some countries like Taiwan guarantee job placements after completing their studies.
Remember, the business language in Germany, Japan, Taiwan, etc., is NOT English. So, it is a must to have decent fluency in their language to get a job and develop a global career. Get familiarized with the local language and culture of your target country. Below are the topics that may help you in your “how to study abroad” research:
Why Study Abroad?
Why study abroad? Studying abroad creates new experiences and provides students with opportunities to explore the global outlook and pursue job opportunities in their careers. The ambition and life goals of the student may give rise to possibilities related to further studies or seeking employment to settle down in a job that fulfills their aspirations.
7 Benefits of Studying Abroad
- Helps you to build an impressive resume with unique attributes, making you a skilled standalone resource.
- Identifies you as an independent personality by pointing to your willingness to travel, expanding your ways of overcoming your nature of being an ethnocentric person.
- Adapts you to cultural tolerances with a broad mindset and innovative thinking.
- Aiding you to get to perceive and manage changes.
- Tunes your language skills as your accent and slang are improved by in-classroom experience as well as a general living experience. In fact, this is the best way to learn a language.
- Transforms you into a mature person in the professional world by giving you confidence and willpower.
- Connects you with people from various parts of the globe and increases your potential in socializing with people of varied languages and cultures. English is the common language in such scenarios. Ensure your English fluency is good; if not, this effective English-speaking guide would be of some help.
Exciting, isn’t it? If you already decided to study abroad, then head on to “How to study abroad“.
Career Guidance and Placement Support
If you are from India or another Asian country, this is the simple answer to the question “why study abroad”? Most international universities provide dedicated services to the students in various ways.
Workshops are held throughout the year to build new skills or improve existing skills, which can add finesse to your resume. It further helps you with seeking proper career guidance and handling interviews.
Also, you get to expand your connections with friends abroad to guide you through and make you understand the pathways leading you to the perfect destination. If you seek a job that suits your experience in the relevant field, securing internships in specific areas relating to your study program is made possible by the university placement cell.
You can also get in touch with a specific linked group or society to build your career aspirations and benefitted one way or another.
Why Study Abroad – Opportunities after graduating
In terms of opportunities after graduation, students can return to their homeland for job opportunities, work abroad or pursue further studies in their chosen field.
Returning to the homeland
If you have acquired a degree or graduated from a university abroad, you may be back in your home country or town looking for a job. You would have understood the nature of the job and the rights you have as an employee in your chosen job.
Skills like English fluency or other foreign language fluency, being independent and having a strong desire to do things help you enhance your career by placing you into a rewarding job. It also saves you time and energy in applying for a new visa.
Continuation of studies
If you want to pursue a higher degree in your field of study or gain an additional qualification, you should be aware of the further steps involved in continuing your studies. As said earlier, you can extend your current student visa status with the help of your university’s assistance to stay in the same country.
You can also change the country by gathering information regarding the procedures involved in doing so. It is always advisable to collect the necessary information on emigrating to that country and plan for the move.
Working Abroad
If you wish to work abroad after your studies, you should pre-plan it in advance. Certain countries have visa restrictions post-study because you are allowed to stay in a country only for a certain period after graduation without securing a work visa.
Further, getting your work visa sponsored on time before post-study work privileges expire is a key step while working abroad. It is advisable to approach your university’s career services for guidance before graduation if you have planned to extend your study visa to a work visa.
8 Advantages of Studying & Working Abroad
Let’s move on from “why STUDY abroad” to “why WORK abroad”?
Being employed abroad offers a great way to explore other countries and cultures. In addition, you get to build your career path and enjoy a lifetime adventure of new experiences.
It also creates plenty of opportunities to create new roles, define new job descriptions, and open doors for fresh graduates as soon as they graduate from college.
Following are some of the key reasons to “why study abroad” and “why work abroad”?
Exploring the Country
Generally, traveling abroad is expensive as it can take a lot of money from your pockets. However, you can overcome the expenses if you look for jobs abroad after graduating as the salaries/remuneration would be very high compared to your home country.
Thus, you get to kill two birds with one stone (i.e.) you can earn a good sum in income and continue your studies without compromising.
Personality Development
Shifting abroad for studies or work can help you come out of your comfort zone and help to: gain new perspectives, and build your skills both in your personal and professional life. You can also master another language by knowing the vocabulary to broaden your communication skills.
In addition, this exposure and experience increase the possibility of getting an amazing job, growing organically into your new job role, and being an outstanding personality in the future.
Impressive Resume
Having an international assignment can add a brand quotient to your experience and make your resume killer. In addition, you get to be flexible and independent by being innovative in expressing your standalone skills in language fluency or demonstrating a project with the knowledge acquired abroad. This skill further boosts your resume.
Growing Your Professional Network
Suppose you look for a job in a specific country or location. In that case, there are chances of facing many disappointments such as low compensation, a job not aligning with your interests/background and a remote work location. This situation can be very detrimental to your career growth.
Having an international degree helps you connect with individuals from various countries across the globe and provides you with the possibility of tapping this professional network to secure your dream position to fulfill your interests and passions.
Adapting To A Diversified Culture
When you study in an international university abroad where students come from different cultures and speak various languages, you can broaden your horizons to understand various countries. You can immerse yourself, learn more and adapt to a diversified culture. This ability to adapt will help to plan your future career or job in the respective destination.
Building Relationships
You get a new gang of friends hailing from different parts of the world. You get introduced by your friends to their families and gain opportunities to travel to their homes to meet them in person. This relationship also helps you learn about the country and its culture, plan a future stay for pursuing your higher studies, or find a job by socializing with people around and building relationships.
Tip on relationships: A simple idea to build and sustain relationships is wishing someone on special days such as birthdays. Here are some handy birthday quotes for you.
Working with International Professionals
Working in a different country helps you understand the gestures and techniques handled by international professionals to succeed like them in the modern global economy. Moreover, it can give you an idea to begin a new job in understanding the formulas implemented to lead a better life in the future.
Financial Responsibility
The quality of your life is improved by lowering your expenses like spending less on food, rent or travel, and saving money for yourself and your family. This self-learned lesson can improve your responsibility in handling things alone to design a bright future and also manage financially within a specific budget. You can also save money for future travel and explore more of the world or possibly spend time with your friends and family.
How To Study Abroad For Free
Studying abroad opens the door to plenty of opportunities to gain a rewarding experience at a cost. But in certain scenarios, you can pursue your career abroad at affordable costs or even for free. Priceless information, isn’t it? This guide “how to study abroad for free” talks about some practical ways to pursue your career abroad.
So let’s see how you can go about getting a priceless international degree with amazing benefits. If funds are not a concern, you may find the article on “how to study abroad” more relevant. This article “How to study abroad for free” focuses on affordability.
Best countries to study abroad for free
Countries like Germany, Austria, Greece, Hungary, France, Finland, Spain, Denmark, and Sweden provide free education for EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens. If you are not an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen, countries like the Czech Republic, Brazil, Norway, Iceland, Mexico, and Luxembourg can help you with free education. However, you may be asked to pay a registration fee and prove your language efficiency for a cheap fee.
When it comes to overseas education, many students think of English-speaking countries only, where education is expensive. If you are under financial constraints and serious about studying abroad, then you should consider non-English-speaking countries.
Why non-English speaking countries?
Check out 10 Reasons To Learn A Foreign Language.
Less Competition
In non-English speaking countries, you will need to speak the local language to expand your network and work in that country. Unfortunately, not many students are bi-linguists, hence less competition.
Germany, France, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea are developed countries that use the local language for business. Most universities in India have partnerships with English-speaking universities. As a result, university students are not aware of opportunities that exist in non-English speaking.
Attractive Scholarships & Stipends
With the declining birth rate, non-English-speaking countries offer scholarships to attract students. Countries like Germany, Japan, Taiwan, etc., need a workforce for research and employment purposes. With foreign language skills, you may even get a better salary package than the locals.
To know the importance of local language, get yourself familiarized with the languages spoken in Japan, Germany, Taiwan, China, etc.,
6 Steps to study abroad for free
How to study abroad for free
Choosing the right destination
While studying the education system in a foreign country, it is wise to have complete knowledge of cheap study abroad programs and learn about culture, language, and lifestyle. This knowledge will help to analyze if you can improve your skills by choosing a particular university or college and experiencing the wide benefits.
Apply for grants and scholarships
Study the grants and scholarships to cut costs. Unfortunately, in the competitive world, it is not so easy to acquire grants and scholarships. But you can keep trying with dedication by specifically looking for programs/courses/schools that provide scholarships, teaching/research assistantships, and tuition fee waivers.
It is advisable to regularly visit the universities’ websites or get in touch with the admissions team for more details. If your chosen university does not provide scholarships/assistantships/fee waivers, you can also look into third-party support options.
This blog might be useful for your scholarship – Studying In Korea With A Scholarship
Crack the study abroad entrance programs
If you can crack the IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, PET, or any other standardized testing exam by securing good scores and maintaining a good CGPA/GPA in your high school/undergraduate courses, doors get opened automatically.
Get Language certifications
The European languages have six levels from A1 (beginner) to C2 (expert) to assess language skills. Learn japanese and Chinese languages have 5 language levels. To get a job abroad, one needs to have completed 3 – 4 levels. If you can demonstrate language proficiency, it is easy to get a scholarship and study abroad for free.
Build your resume
Many students abroad earn by doing part-time jobs alongside their studies. This work experience can build your resume as you establish your employment history and gain professional experience to cover all the expenses incurred in educating yourself.
The only thing you should keep in mind is that most European countries allow you to work part-time depending on the duration of your stay. Few students work as an Au Pair, where their transportation costs and phone expenses are included in the pay.
Tip: As you engage with more people, get familiarized with the local culture to avoid social issues. For instance, take a look at the little-known American culture no-nos.
Raise your funds
Suppose you have a strong desire to study abroad. In that case, you can raise funds by organizing events, selling your old possessions, and using crowdfunding pages online to transform your dream into reality. But, of course, once you start earning, you have to think about saving money rather than being a spendthrift.
Above all, firm determination and tremendous effort are the must factor required to study abroad for free, build an international career, expand your skill and grow academically as well as professionally.
Estimated Cost: 1000 USD
Supply:
- College degree
- Language certificate
- English proficiency certificate
Tools:
- Laptop
- Internet
- Notes
Materials: Target college list, Target country list, preferred college programs
Countries with free education for international students?
Germany, Austria, Greece, Hungary, France, Finland, Spain, Denmark, and Sweden provide free education for EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens. If you are not an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen, countries like the Czech Republic, Brazil, Norway, Iceland, Mexico, and Luxembourg can help you with free education.
Conclusion
Final thoughts on “why study abroad”? Studying abroad creates successful students that work with determination, planning, and an open mind to learn new things. If you are not convinced and still thinking “why study abroad”, leave a comment below. Our team will be more than happy to help you.
Read also Best Foreign Language To Learn In India.