Is a Graduate Foreign Degree Program Right for You?

Are you facing a dilemma whether it is better to study in your country or abroad?

You’re not alone. This is a question that many students and their families face on a regular basis. On one hand, you have the comfort of living and studying in your native country, not having to leave behind all your family and friends and not having to spend a fortune on education (learning is supposed to be free right?). On the other, the lure of a foreign degree, global exposure, excellent research opportunities and the associated career benefits are equally attractive.

The number of students who are processing admission into international universities and institutions as options for obtaining advanced degrees, is now at an all time high. Going overseas to pursue a Masters or Doctorate degree is not only becoming more common, but is also becoming more respected.

According to this list, US and UK universities are the most popular places receiving an influx of international students. However, Studying in the United States or the United Kingdom is not your only option, and it may not be the right choice for everyone!

As a matter of fact, studying abroad may not be an option for you. If you have always detested flying, allow us give more reasons why studying abroad is not such a great choice. The good thing is that with this article, you can compare local study alongside the impact of foreign education and why you may eventually choose it above the fear of flying (cons and pros).

CONS

1. More Complicated Teaching/Research System

It is often the case that you will discover the course content in another country is more difficult to grasp than if you were in your home country. This may be as a result of the style with which your instructors teach.

More so, Research in some foreign countries require detailed and extensive planning before hand. If you are not careful to plan ahead, you may have problems conducting research in some places abroad. For example, many research centers require you to have an appointment, find and connect with a research supervisor, get a sponsor, hold various forms of identification and specific clothing.

Especially if you have never had to be in a foreign institution, you will need to find out ahead of time what is required at each place you would like to research, and make contact with them in advance. Otherwise, you may find yourself being shut out of important places and unable to perform your necessary research.

2. Longing for old friends and family

You may be used to being away from your family while you’re at uni, but being in a different country is a whole other ball game. Not being able to pop home for visits during a quiet weekend or spend the holidays being pampered by your parents can definitely affect you if you’re not ready to take this step. However, with video-calling sites and apps, like Skype, Imo and FaceTime, homesickness is a lot more manageable today.

3. Adapting to new culture

It can be a very isolating experience if you don’t settle in well and make friends. It’s much more important to be able to put yourself out there and make more of an effort to join groups, attend socials, and initiate conversation, as you won’t already have a group of friends. If you’re not ready to be this outgoing, then studying abroad probably isn’t for you just yet.

4. Off on a poor start

It is hard enough to remember you’re at uni to learn on a normal day. Add being in a brand new country into the equation, and it makes it almost impossible to stay motivated enough to focus on assignments and revising. It’s also important to remember the modules won’t be exactly the same as back home, so you could be missing valuable information.

5. Fees and living costs

International students have a lot to cope with. Financial troubles are often on the top of that list. Flights, accommodation, road travel money, school fees and living costs, the price of a year abroad can snowball without you realising. Living costs tend to be unavoidably high so, even if you do budget well, you’re probably going to end up blowing all of your savings regardless.

You pay heavy fees and if you are living in a country like Australia. While Australian cities are some of the world’s most livable and attractive, they’re also among the most expensive. The not so fun part is that international students have to pay up to 50% more than students who are indigenes/citizens of that region.

PROS

1. The opportunity to share culture and experiences

Choosing the option to study abroad is a huge step towards growth and learning new opportunities. Many students relish the opportunity to live and study in a foreign country. You can enjoy the culture and history of another country and perhaps even learn a new language.

If going abroad for studies will not teach you anything, it will at least make you see the world using a far brighter light. Being in a foreign school will open your eyes to new cultures, religions, practices, languages and to people from all around the world. Classes don’t just have British and American students, but students from Denmark, Turkey, Germany, Spain, China, Japan, Malaysia, India, and hundreds of other countries. It will become even more interesting when you have forgotten that you could meet a fellow African student and then you meet one.

Every day you meet someone from a different part of the world is an opportunity to exchange culture and beliefs. Education abroad will expand not just knowledge of your field of study but expose you to the glory of world’s people and all they have to offer.

2. The value of attending a university overseas.

You may be able to improve your employment prospects if it shows on your resume that you studied at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. You could may have the distinction of studying under a prestigious professor, which also might benefit future employment. In addition to the education, your study skills might improve from the experience of studying overseas in a foreign land.

3. Making New Friends and Professional Contacts.

You will have the opportunity to become friends with your fellow grad students, allowing you to socialize and see the various intellectual attractions that your city has to offer. It certainly helps to make a circle of friends you can trust and feel safe with, and your other graduate students might enjoy some of the more highbrow activities that younger students would take for granted. Also having these new friends may prove useful in your professional career for future contacts in your field.

4. Opportunity for Sightseeing and creating long lasting memories.

Let’s use Paris as an example. If you are able to study in this City of Lights, there are a tremendous number of sightseeing adventures you can choose from such as visiting the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the Champs Elysees. Even if you aren’t in a major international city, there will be plenty of opportunities to enjoy the region in which you are staying, including savoring the local cuisine! This may add more enjoyment to your graduate experience, and help decrease the fatigue that can come with long hours of research.

5. Hands-on research.

If your field intersects with a specific region, your research will be greatly improved through studying abroad. Your research will benefit from familiarizing yourself with the culture and history of the place you study, and may give you a unique perspective and competitive edge for your thesis or dissertation. This is especially true for students in Literature and History, since some documents are only available in certain museums, libraries, historical societies, and city vaults.

Scholarships

The dream of studying abroad is no longer a distant dream, which only a few chosen people can afford. Today scholarships open a whole wide world of possibilities if you can submit proper documents, have a good academic track-record and meet the eligibility criteria for the right scholarship.

From private scholarships offered by organisations and philanthropists to scholarships offered by governments and educational institutions to boost research. You can choose to apply for a relevant scholarship to aid your schooling abroad dreams.

Final thought

Getting a degree abroad is not for everyone. But for those considering this route, these few thoughts should help guide you in making this critical decision. To make the decision of studying abroad, it is important to know if your country or local community generally values foreign degrees and experiences.

In some cases, people earn their masters’ degrees from schools abroad because their home countries value and respect foreign education. Perhaps industries in the country depend upon the unique knowledge of students who earned a masters or PhD degree in Europe or the U.S.; or perhaps the country itself believes that countries in these parts have superior educational systems, therefore embracing foreign-educated professionals.

In other cases, industries in a given country prefer to hire people who have been locally educated. Perhaps they prefer students who have studied an industry within the context of the country; or perhaps they believe that their country’s educational system is of superior quality.

Either way, it is important to put to consideration the effects of not earning a foreign degree. Does it give you an advantage over other eligible candidates? Will programs in other countries prepare you for a career in the country and field of your choice?

Given all the caveats, is a foreign degree really a good idea?

Absolutely, provided you are a self-motivated learner and you desire some experience in another country. Go for it!