10 Steps To Take On How To Study In Abroad
Do you want to study abroad but you aren’t sure what that means? We have to admit that the whole process seems a bit difficult, but if you know all the steps you need to do and how to prepare everything you need, you will quickly find yourself studying for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree abroad.
This is 9JaGistreel.com’s comprehensive and easy-to-follow guide on studying abroad. We’ll walk you through the ten (10) step-by-step, and by the end of this lecture, you’ll have the important information you need to prepare for an international study experience.
- Determine how much you want to spend on your studies abroad
- Decide what you want to study
- Decide where you want to study
- Choose your favorite courses and compare them
- Apply to multiple universities
- You have to pass your English test if you haven’t already
- Apply for scholarships
- Confirm your study place after receiving the letter from the university
- Decide what to bring and how big your luggage should be
- Decide how to travel abroad
Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Determine how much you want to spend on your studies abroad
In order to study abroad, a lot of things are put into consideration: exciting, challenging, empowering, and life-changing, but not cheap. Sure, some places to study are cheaper than others, but it’s good to know early on how much you are willing to spend.
Tuition fees for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees vary widely, but there is always something to suit every budget.
Range of tuition fees for undergraduate courses
- Bachelors, which cost between 0 and 5,000 EUR/year
- Bachelors, which cost between 5,000 and 10,000 EUR/year
- Bachelors, which cost between 10,000 and 20,000 EUR/ year
- Bachelors that cost more than 20,000 EUR/ year
Range of tuition fees for Master’s courses
- Masters, which cost between 0 and 5,000 EUR/year
- Masters, which cost between 5,000 and 10,000 EUR/year
- Masters, which cost between 10,000 and 20,000 EUR/year
- Masters which cost more than 20,000 EUR/year
You shouldn’t forget to consider the cost of living as well. Depending on the city and country you live in, you can spend anywhere from 300 to more than 1000 EUR per month.
Recommendations
- Some of the countries with the highest school fees are the United States of America, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.
- Student loans are one way to help pay for your education but don’t rush to apply for one. The majority of students regret this decision, and in the US, for example, you have to return the money even if you drop out or don’t graduate.
- You can be working while you study, but only part-time, which can increase your stress levels. If you decide to do so, be sure to follow the rules and regulations. In many countries, international students are only allowed to work a limited number of hours per week.
- The public universities in Norway and Germany offer free degrees to all international students, in respect of their nationality.
- Most public universities in France and Austria offer all international students a study program for less than 2,500 euros per year.
Step 2: Decide what you want to study
Some individuals knew early on what they wanted to be. Others discover it later in high school. But for some, the decision is still unclear weeks before applying for a degree.
You can choose one of the most popular disciplines. This sometimes guarantees that you are in demand in the job market and that you earn a very good salary. But you choosing a degree you don’t appreciate for financial reasons isn’t always the wisest decision. Meanwhile, here are some of the most popular disciplines below:
- Business and Management
- Computer Science and IT
- Engineering
- Law
- Medicine
- International Relations
- Psychology
Other ways to find out which discipline suits your personality include:
- Take the Studyportals personality test.
- You have to think about what you enjoy doing, and what you love doing, even without some external rewards.
- Then you have to look at the people you admire and ask yourself if you want to do what they do or something similar to theirs.
- You have to read or watch student reviews from different disciplines to better understand the program, the effort required, and the study outcome.
- Do away with the things you don’t want to study; Not knowing what you want often creates space to figure out what you really want.
- Find out about the various job descriptions, career paths, and opportunities. Which one speaks to you the most?
- Take a sabbatical year! Spend a volunteer year at home or abroad, or land an entry-level job – it will help you learn more about yourself.
- Find out about the different kinds of bachelor you want to study abroad.
- Discover the different types of Masters to study abroad.
Step 3: Decide where you want to study
Your financial plan and preferred discipline will have a big effect on where you want to go abroad, but there are other factors that you need to put into consideration before choosing this or that country. Checkout some questions and suggestions that will help you reduce your search:
- Are you ready to study in a country where English is not widely spoken?
- Would you like to work alongside your studies? If so, check which countries have friendly policies for international students.
- You have to know how important are social life and extracurricular activities to you.
- You have to decide if you want to live in a big city or in a quiet town.
- Are you ready to go to your university?
- Would you like to study in a country that is relatively close to your country of origin?
- Do you really love traveling? If yes, then you have to choose a country with many connections and opportunities in that direction.
- You have to try and pick 2 or 3 ideal travel destinations. Then start contrasting the pros and cons of each.
- You have to take the Studyportals country test.
Note that If you are applying to universities in different countries, your final choice may not be entirely in your hands. Suppose you have applied to universities in the United Kingdom, Finland, and Germany. But only those in the United Kingdom accepted you, even though Finland is your ideal destination, keep that in mind and give it a chance. Recall the saying: when one door closes, another opens.
Step 4: Choose your favorite courses and compare them
You have reached the point where you know the country and the course you want to study. Congratulations! But now, which course should you choose? Every university offers one (or more) courses in the same field.
Each program has a particular curriculum and different academic goals. You have to be very careful when choosing – you don’t want to find out at the end of your freshman year that you’ve enrolled in the wrong degree.
The easiest way to avoid this is to always check the course overview or course listing. See what you will study and how. Some degrees are more theoretically oriented, while others are more practice-oriented. Do you have any questions? Don’t hesitate to contact the university. A representative should be happy to help you.
Please check out other factors to consider below:
- The length of study: Most bachelor’s courses last 3 or 4 years, and master’s courses take 1 or 2 years. But there are deviations! Highly specialized disciplines may require 5 or even 6 years of study. It will also increase your expenses, so don’t fail to observe this factor.
- Full-time or part-time study: each proceeds has its advantages; a part-time degree allows you to work and take on other tasks. Studying full-time takes less time and allows you to take full advantage of the on-campus experience.
If you want to apply for a degree abroad, Studyportals will help you. On our websites – Bachelorportal, Masterportal, and PhDportal – we have a great function with which you can quickly compare your favorite courses. Just create an account, select your favorite programs, and you are ready to go.
Step 5: Apply to multiple universities
Even with the best grades and an impressive cover letter or essay, you shouldn’t just apply to one university. It’s true you could be accepted, but what will you do if you’re not? However, apply at least two to three universities.
You can apply for more than that, but remember that some countries allow international students to apply to a limited number of universities.
The procedure is easier if you’re applying to universities in the same country. But it’s quite common for students to choose universities from different countries just to read the eligibility requirements carefully and follow the required process below:
- Some of the countries use a centralized system through which you can apply to different universities
- In other countries, you have to apply to each university individually
- Some of the universities only need digital copies of your documents
- And others require physical copies to be mailed in addition to the digital scans
Here are some international universities that 9JaGistreel.com recommend:
- The University of California, Berkeley, USA
- University of Toronto, Canada
- Imperial College London, United Kingdom
- University of Lyon, France
- EU Business School, Spain
- University of Cologne, Germany
- University of Siena, Italy
Step 6: You have to pass your English test if you haven’t already
In order to study an English-language course at a foreign university, you must first prove your knowledge of English. Almost all universities accept one of the following English certificates:
- Academic IELTS
- TOEFL iBT
- Academic PTE
- C1 Advanced
You must pass one of these tests before you can enroll in college, depending on your current level of English, you may be able to pass a test with just a few days or weeks of preparation. But if your English needs improvement, give yourself at least a few months to get ready.
International English exams assess 4 major skills:
- Speaking
- Listening
- Writing
- Reading
The composition of each test is dissimilar, but it involves listening to speakers with different accents, answering numerous choice questions, writing letters and essays, answering questions based on various types of text, and numerous other types of tasks.
The best advice 9JaGistreel.com can give you is to take these tests seriously because they will assess your grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, and many other skills. As long as you become friendly with the test format and practice long enough, you will be able to pass any test.
Step 7: Apply for scholarships
This particular step relates to both your accounts and to the college application part because in some cases, you apply for a scholarship during your college application. In others, you apply for the scholarship after your place is established.
What you need to know is that there are various types of financial assistance programs:
- grants
- Scholarships
- Student loans
- Military aid
Some of these must be reimbursed, while others, such as grants or scholarships, do not. But scholarships and grants are awarded that way. You must meet the application requirements. And the requirements are diverse.
Some are awarded based on academic merit, some based on financial need, some for research purposes, and so on. Don’t rush to apply if you don’t meet up with the criteria.
Step 8: Confirm your study place after receiving the letter from the university
This is by far one of the most enjoyable and rewarding stages. You have found the ideal program, you have passed your English test, you have applied and the university’s answer is: you’re accepted!
Congratulation! You’ll quickly become an international student! But what if you were accepted at several universities?
Well, you need to carefully weigh the options and make a decision. If you already have a choice, then it’s easy. Otherwise, do not rush and respond immediately. Take at least 2 or 3 days to clear your head and see which option works best for you.
Then send the confirmation to the university and make sure they receive it. During or after this process, you may be asked to send additional documents or official copies.
Step 9: Decide what to bring and how big your luggage should be
The amount of luggage you take with you mainly depends on your mode of transport. But no matter how you travel, here are a few things that are important:
- Laptop, power adapters, and converters
- ID card, passport, birth certificate, and copies
- Medications or prescription drugs, especially if you have an allergy or other medical conditions
- A normal backpack for everyday use
- A picture or something to remind you of your home/loved ones
- Headphones, maybe 2 pairs in case one stops working
You should also pack toiletries, clothing for different weather conditions, towels, and any other items that you use regularly.
Based on the climate, you may not need to pack winter clothes. But if you do, you can have your parents send them to you by post or a specialized courier service. You can also relax knowing that this option is there if you forgot something.
Don’t take all your clothes abroad with you. The truth is that you will find many stores to buy new ones from, especially if you are going to spend at least 2 or 3 years in your new home country.
And that’s it! You are ready to go abroad! You are about to begin one of the most interesting, entertaining, empowering, and also challenging chapters of your life, and at the end of it, you will be a much better person.
Step 10: Decide how to travel abroad
University place confirmed, perfect accommodation found … and now?
It is finally time to plan your trip. How do you get to your study goal? Are you traveling alone? Do you have to change the means of transport? These are all the important questions you really need to consider.
If you are studying on another continent or in a distant country, flying is by far the best option. Sometimes even cheaper, but that depends on many other factors. You need to check how many bags you can take as all major airlines have restrictions. You have to pay extra for extra suitcases or luggage.
The majority of students might choose to travel either by train or by bus. Depending on the distance and the time it takes you to reach your destination, it can be more or less convenient. But the precedence is that it can be cheaper and there is no luggage limit. However, don’t think that you can take up half the storage space with your stuff. Other travelers will certainly not appreciate it.
For Europeans moving to another European country, traveling alone or with family is a good option. You travel with the people you love and they help you to settle in and adjust to your new surroundings.
