Education, as a sector, has brought down the walls of geographical confinement that marred the industry as well as the growth of students and academics in general. However, now is the time to consider foreign education, because it opens up the world for you to enjoy the best educational infrastructure and career opportunities. That said, your planning for foreign education must be accompanied with due diligence on the course to choose, the universities to apply to, the finances involved, the timelines involved, and a whole lot more. Let’s tell you more about the five things you need to check as you get on with the phase of making preparations for foreign education. 

The three most important considerations for any foreign education decision are – the timing, the course and university, and the costs.

Understanding Timings and Planning accordingly 

Firstly, determine which semester suits you the most ; for instance, weigh the opportunity of working for a few months and earning something before joining a foreign course, or joining early and budgeting additional 4-5 months for job search after course completion. Note that most foreign institutions have students-intake in either the spring session or the autumn session. Institutes invite applications up until 4 to 5 months of session commencement. Also, the joining date is generally close to two months prior to the beginning of session.

Identifying The Most Suitable Courses and Universities 

Secondly, shortlist the courses that align well with your skills, interests, and aspirations. Once done, check which universities that offer the best Bachelor degree programs in Law, for instance, Business, Information Technology etc. in the course, and the course structures. 

Questions to be answered are:

• How good are employment opportunities relevant to the course?
• In which region is the industry concentrated? 
• What’s the duration of the course? 
• How relevant will the degree be in your home country? 
• What is the research and employment specialization of the university you’re considering? 

The Critical Question of Expenses

Thirdly, plan and prepare a budget for the expenses that will be involved in your foreign education. Note that apart from course fees, you need to plan for expenses related to lodging and living (check if the university offers on-campus lodging), travel expenses (some courses necessitate International or domestic travel, so check if that’s sponsored or not), and course material (some universities don’t include course material costs in course fees).

Scholarships and part time jobs are highly relied upon by foreign students, because these help them reduce the load of hefty expenses. Teaching assistance programs, internships, and small project with stipends – all are significant financial aids for students in nations like USA and UK. Apart from these, students can explore options such as freelancing and paid online surveys etc. to earn a decent income stream and keep finances under check. 

Language Exams, Certificates, and Forms

Most foreign universities follow standards and norms to enable students to apply and enroll without problems. However, you need to be aware of aspects such as English (or any other language) exams you need to undertake to be able to apply for a course. TOEFL and IELTS are among the most commonly accepted English language tests. Apart from these, you’d do well to understand other specific concern and requirements from the university, in terms of forms such as medical history, police verification, and net worth certificate. Procuring these forms is time consuming, so plan well in advance.

Scholarships 

We briefly mentioned scholarships, now is the time to explain them. International students can apply for and seek scholarships from the institution, the government, and private institutions that offer scholarships and fee waiver programs. Among globally renowned scholarships are The British Commonwealth Scholarships, Fulbright Fellowships and Rhodes Scholarships.  Students can significantly reduce the costs of foreign education by targeting scholarships, although this needs due diligence, academic brilliance, and the ability to research and find information. 

We’ve tried to cover five of the most important factors that you need to understand and plan around to make your foreign education decision a success. Be smart, be aware, work hard, and you will make it through and enjoy great success riding on a coveted educational degree from a sought after foreign institution.