Thousands of students every year look to study abroad in a foreign country to explore more study opportunities and increase their career prospects. Also, studying in foreign countries has become more popular over the years, due to improving student visa processes and college admissions.
Furthermore, applying to foreign colleges from your home country is more accessible than before, with the advent of globalization and education agencies offering you a plethora of services to ensure your journey to a foreign study destination is smooth and secure. Studying abroad can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and one should look to take full advantage of the chance.
However, there are several things that you need to consider before you plan your trip. Expert education counselors give some pros and cons of studying abroad in this blog. Read on to know more.
Why are thousands of students choosing to study in a foreign university every year?
There are countries in the world like the US, Canada, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and even a few others where the standard of education is high. These countries have world-class academic facilities, and some of the best and brightest minds in different fields work there as professors and teachers.
Some colleges and other educational institutions in these countries are world-renowned and rank among the best colleges and universities in the world. This is why students wishing to gain more specialized knowledge in their subjects and receive world-class education and learning, wish to study abroad.
Some of the reasons why students wish to study abroad, according to insight by Kaplan, are:
- Gain world-class education and learning opportunities
- Experience a rich and globally diverse culture
- Learning new languages
- Improved career opportunities
- Making global connections
- Become self-independent
Thus, as you can see, there are plenty of reasons for students to study abroad. However, there are certain pros and cons to it. Thus, if you are a student wishing to explore your study abroad options, check out the pros and cons of studying abroad given below.
Pros of studying abroad
- Making new friends
This is one of the most noticeable pros of studying abroad. Since you will be living in a completely different country alone, you will be making new friends soon. You will also get plenty of opportunities to make new friends as foreign universities organize special activities and events for international students.
Also, the chances are that you will be making friends from different countries, allowing you to gain insights into other cultures and lifestyles.
- Get out of your comfort zone
You will constantly be doing the one thing while studying abroad is getting out of your comfort zone. When you are doing everything on your own, you will have plenty of adventures to experience all by yourself.
Thus, when you get out of your comfort zone, you will learn a great deal about yourself and what you really want to do in life.
- Learn to live independently
When you live alone in a foreign country, you have to carry out most everyday activities all by yourself. From learning how to operate a washing machine to managing your bank account, you will learn key life skills that will help you grow and develop as an individual. This enables you to become self-independent, and you can finally start calling yourself an adult.
If you have always looked to buy dissertation papers in your home country, you might have to consider writing them here on your own, as the costs of assignment help here can be quite high.
- Boost your resume
One of the best pros of studying abroad is the huge boost you get on your resume. This is because employers love it when they see a candidate who has passed out from a foreign college.
In addition, such study experiences show that you have the guts, determination, and motivation to live and study independently. Thus, putting your study abroad experience on your resume can attract potential employers.
Cons of studying abroad
- Studying abroad can be expensive
This is one of the most obvious cons of studying abroad. A lot of money goes into your college application fees, your admission fees, and even your air travel tickets. And you will be further unlucky if the currency rate is higher than your home country.
Most students take student loans and work for years to pay off the debt. However, if you have an excellent academic background, you might be eligible to receive a scholarship, although its chances are minimal.
- Culture shock
The differences between your home culture and your new country might come as a shock to you. This can result in making things unpleasant for you or making you uncomfortable. There will always be some things about a country that you like and some that you don’t.
You will also experience instances where you will find people working differently in a manner than that of your home country. Adapting to such differences both in your society and workplace can be a challenge for many.
However, the opposite is also possible, and you might experience a reverse culture shock where you might miss the things in your home country that you got used to you over there.
- Language barriers
This is somewhat related to culture shock, where not speaking the local language of a place can cause you frustration. You might experience this while commuting, shopping, or even talking with the local people.
However, in this situation, you will not be alone, and other international students will face the same problem as you. You can also overcome this by taking language lessons in your college.
- Feelings of loneliness
It is normal to feel lonely at some point in your student life in a foreign country. This is because you will be living alone and traveling in a completely different country all by yourself. However, the silver lining to this is that you will be making new friends who will be a part of your journey here.
Therefore, you can try to overcome this loneliness by hanging out with them, and also, you won’t be alone. You will have plenty of friends who will have the same feelings as you. Thus, you can form a strong bonding with them and share what you feel.
However, being all by yourself can be a rewarding experience that you need to get used to.
Final thoughts
Studying abroad has its pros and cons. However, it is up to you how well you use the pros and handle the cons to ensure you have a fulfilling and rewarding experience as an international student. After all, not everyone gets the opportunity to study abroad, and you should try to make the most out of it while it lasts.
Author Bio
William Smith is a professor of International Business at a reputed university in the UK. He is also associated with Myessayhelp.co.uk as an assignment expert and loves helping young students with their academics. Furthermore, he is an avid blogger, and much of his work has been published across various blogging forums.
