Have you been wanting to ask: How do you study abroad, and where do you even start? Well, studying abroad is truly life-changing, and you should do it if you can. But first things first about your path to study overseas– a lot of planning needs to go into a study abroad application. When should you study abroad? Can you afford it? Which country should you even choose, and how do you apply? Read on to learn how to study abroad.
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1.Make a plan;
Don’t get discouraged by all the study abroad myths out there. The journey from first considering a program to actually stepping foot on campus may appear to be full of hurdles, but good planning and a positive mindset can go a long way. To make the answer to ‘How does studying abroad work?’ quite short, the biggest decisions you’ll have to make are when study you study overseas is when you’ll go and how to pay for it. It may also be a challenge to convince your parents to let you study abroad. Before we get into the details of how to study abroad, let’s make sure it works with your life first.
When should I study abroad?
If you’re ready to go abroad for a master’s degree or a PhD, this may be an easy decision. Studying for a bachelor’s degree abroad also offers a perfect opportunity. However, you don’t have to apply for an entire degree abroad to study overseas. It is entirely possible to study overseas for a semester or two through your home university. If you go for this option, you’ll just have to figure out where studying abroad fits in your academic schedule and course requirements, as well as in your life and work-related commitments.
Depending on your university or major, you may have little choice. Not all schools allow first-year students to go abroad. The third or fourth year of your bachelor’s degree is generally a common time to go abroad for those looking at short-term programs. Be sure to check with your university’s study abroad office or your academic advisor who can provide information on what’s most typical and convenient for you.
Can I study abroad as an engineering or pre-med student?
You absolutely can study medicine or engineering abroad. There is a common misconception out there that for students majoring in pre-med or other STEM fields that studying abroad won’t work with their very structured academic requirements. This is untrue! While you may have to plan ahead if you have a lot of academic requirements, it’s definitely possible to study overseas and will likely make you an even stronger med-school candidate due to the development of valuable soft skills.
Contact your school’s office of pre-professional advising the second you know you want to study abroad. They’ll be able to work with your schedule to see how you can fit it in. While you might not be able to do a full year abroad, you can usually still fit in a semester, or at the very least, a summer program.
Can I afford to study abroad?
There’s no way to sugarcoat it – studying abroad can be expensive. If you’re looking at young students living abroad and wishing you could ask, ‘How do you study abroad?’, you’re not alone. Cost can be a huge deterrent to those who want to study abroad, but you have options! You can look for student jobs abroad, search for scholarships, and find other creative ways to save money.
How much does it cost to study abroad?
How much it costs will depend on the country you go to and of course, how long you stay. Beyond program fees, you’ll also have to consider airfare, transportation, accommodation, and the general cost of living during your study overseas. You can use our country guides to find information about budgeting for costs in specific countries. Expect adding a good amount of spending money to that total as well for things like weekend trips or nights out!
However, there’s good news! You have many options, especially if you’re looking to study abroad at the bachelor’s level. For example, if you are currently receiving financial aid to go to college, that financial aid will still go toward your study abroad program. You could also take out a student loan or accumulate some scholarship money. If you can’t afford to study abroad for a full year, a summer program would still get you that life-changing experience for a fraction of the cost.
How can I convince my parents to let me study abroad?
Your family might be hesitant to let you study abroad. Put yourself in their shoes – they’re probably just nervous, especially if they’ve always lived nearby or if you’ve never been out of the country before. But if you build your case, you can ease their fears and convince them.
First, be prepared. They’re going to have a lot of questions and you’ll need to have answers. Make sure you know how you’re going to potentially pay for it. Outline the many benefits of studying abroad, and ensure them that you’ll communicate with them often when you’re away. If you approach the conversation with empathy, you’re sure to have a good chance of convincing even the most protective parents out there.
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Begin your search
Once you know roughly when you’ll go and how you’ll pay for it (as well as getting the green light from your parents if you need it), the fun stuff begins. The next step is deciding where you should go!
Where should I study abroad?
Maybe you already know exactly what country or continent you want to study in, or even which university. Or, maybe you’re truly open to studying abroad in different countries, but you also want to go to a top biology program since you’re pre-med.
If you want to know how to study abroad in short-term programs, first find out if your home university partners with universities abroad. If so, this may be the easiest route for you when it comes to transferring credits. Many schools have partnerships with a variety of universities all over the world, so ask your study abroad office.
If you have no country in mind yet
Check out the Top 10
If you’ve been wanting to ask ‘How do you study abroad?’, expect that the answer might be very different depending on your destination. Find some inspiration by scrolling through the Top 10 Places in the World to Study Abroad in 2022, or head over to the Top 10 Countries in Europe and Asia for even more possibilities. These rankings were created using student preferences from our annual student survey along with data from external sources to create a list of ideal study abroad locations.
Consider your major
If you’re an English literature major, it might not make any sense to study in China. But if you’re studying world literature, studying in China might actually be an awesome idea. Certain countries are known for different subjects of study, and while there will likely be excellent programs in many countries, this list can be a good starting point if you’re at the beginning of your search. Consider the following ideas:
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