Lifestyle

Studying Abroad: Make the right choice

by IBNS 24 Oct 2016, 07:24 pm

You might be thinking about studying abroad, but confused about where you should be looking. Not all foreign programmes are created equal! Studying in the United States and studying in the United Kingdom will mean very different things for your education. Rohan Ganeriwala, Co founder, Collegify, gives a lowdown on the choices

Varied, Broad-focused Curriculum in the US

In the United States, the liberal arts philosophy infuses even specialized programs, and the concept of interdisciplinary learning means you can combine your love of religious studies and sociology, or your passion for music and math, to sculpt an education that serves all of your interests and expands your mind in multiple directions.

Even when you know your primary course of study going in, the core system most schools employ can mean you are required to do a certain number of courses in multiple varied subjects, ensuring that you have to diversify your education, even if you didn’t plan to do so initially.

The focus on college community is also a huge boon for many international students who find the support and comfort of the American college system to be a huge aid in their educational process.


Singular focus, Shorter course in the UK

In the United Kingdom, the system has the advantage of being really familiar because of the similarities between the British and Indian school systems.

The programs are shorter for the most part, and can be less expensive than programs in the United States as well.

The programs don’t have the kind of across-discipline requirements of colleges in the United States, which can be great if you are really set on one course of study and don’t want to jump through the hoops of requirements in exterior subjects.

Getting through college in only three years can really jumpstart your future, and the practical skills you gain through these specific focused programs can benefit you for years to come.  

Schools like Oxford and Cambridge, with their four-year programs and globally renowned reputations, can give you an education second to none, and while they are difficult to get into, if your current high school is run on a British system and includes A-level testing, you shouldn’t rule them out.


Here's a list of popular countries for Indian Undergrads with pros and cons


USA 

USA is by far the most popular destination for Indian undergrads, for the following reasons:


Pros:

Large number of Colleges (Over 2000 Institutes), including the famous Ivy League Universities

Large amount of financial aid and/or scholarships

Affordability of some community colleges and smaller state-sponsored colleges

Ease of travel (Most connected country on earth)

An American degree is accepted almost all over the world

It has a great job market. Placements post UG is high.

Liberal Arts curriculum is widespread


Cons: 

Some programs (eg. Medicine and Law) are very competitive, and few, if any, International students get in.

If you don’t get scholarship, cost of education is very high in general.


UK

The next most popular country for Indian students is the UK, which has the following attributes:


Pros:

Degrees accepted worldwide

Home of the famous Oxbridge (Oxford and Cambridge) colleges


Cons:

Costs are very high, especially at the premier institutes

Availability of scholarships is low, and there is no financial aid

Visa is restrictive, and the job prospects are bad.

There have been many cases of racism against Indians in particular.


Australia

Australia is quite popular in the undergraduate market, narrowly beating out Singapore


Pros:

Relatively low cost of tuition and living

Favourable job market

Not very competitive


Cons:

Many violent hate crimes have been recorded against Indians.

There is no Financial aid at all for international applicants

Journey to and from Australia is difficult and costly



Singapore

Singapore is wildly popular among Indian students who are attracted by the short distance and low fees of these institutes.


Pros:

Full tuition scholarships are available for International students

Very close to India, thus airfare is low

Very supportive job market

New venture of Yale-NUS has added the liberal arts dynamic as well



Cons:

Tuition bond forces the student to work in Singapore for up to 2 years

Three institutes are most popular (SMU, NTU, NUS) and thus the competition is very high.

A lot of emphasis is placed on JEE/NTSE scores



Canada

Canada is a stable choice for Undergrads looking for quality education in the Americas, without the price tag


Pros:

Lower fees as compared to USA, but with almost all the facilities

Relatively new to the international UG market, in that they are aggressively promoting international student enrolment

Very highly ranked colleges with internationally recognized degrees



Cons:

Cost of living is high

Really inclement weather.

·        

Europe

A very popular choice for the following reasons


Pros:


No tuition fees at all – only fees are for student service and housing

Very rigorous courses with internationally acclaimed research facilities

ERASMUS-MUNDUS tie-up with Indian Govt makes it very easy to apply

Easy transition to PG available


Cons:

Housing is difficult to find and quite costly (though not comparable to tuition fees in other regions)

Some countries (Germany, Austria, France) are thought to be racist. These countries also often require a certification of Native language proficiency

Job Market is limited for UG, though it is very friendly (up to 6 months of work on the student visa itself)

The pass percentage is very low because of large number of student in-take because of low tuition

You need a PG degree to get a job.



Hong Kong

Relatively new, but fast picking up


Pros:

Aggressive marketing of international enrolment therefore less competitive

A few very high-offer scholarships are available


Cons:

Housing is not always guaranteed (to be checked with individual Uni)

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects have better prospects (along the lines of HKUST)