Debunking Common Study Abroad Myths

It is always exciting to move from India to a foreign country for further studies. Many Indian students aspire for a degree from the top-notch universities abroad. However, studying abroad comes with its preconceived notions and myths that scare off people from pursuing education out of one’s own country.

Let’s debunk some myths that people usually have when it comes to studying abroad:

“Studying Abroad is just for the Rich.”
International education is considered an expensive affair by many Indian families. If you think that only students from affluent backgrounds can try their luck in studying abroad, you are wrong.

Even though foreign education costs way more than pursuing degrees within India, various scholarships can help you with the expenses of overseas education. There are scholarships for international students exclusively. They can save you half or even full costs of the tuition fees. If you are academically excellent, availing one of such scholarships would be a wise option. There are various student loans and grants, as well.

“Not Knowing their Native Tongue is a Big Problem”
English is among those languages which are widely spoken throughout the world. There have to be universities in your country of choice that offer courses in English. If you are unable to find a good one, you can look out for various high ranking universities across the glove that offer programs in English. You do not have to panic about it at all. As long as one can read, write and speak in Basic English, s/he is sorted.

“Your Major is not offered in Foreign Universities.”
Indian students dreaming of studying unusual and uncommon fields of studies often resort to a course widely available in India. They do not go for the road less traveled since they are unaware that the unique courses they were looking for are very easily available at the foreign universities. Do not make this blunder of making reckless decisions in a hurry without doing your research well.

Look out for a course which suits your interest the most and then filter the results qualification and country wise.

“Studying Abroad Means Graduating Late”
The time taken for graduating from a foreign university partly depends on the destination you pick for studying at and how seriously you are taking your academics. If a student studies thoroughly and earns every credit required for graduation within the program duration, there is no scope for a delay in graduating. In fact, the graduation rates are 17.8 percent higher for students studying abroad than the ones studying in India.

Secondly, the time needed for graduation may differ based on your location of study. For instance, a course in business from the US may take four years while the same course would take three years in the UK. Do not take the benefits of an extended study year for granted. The education model of US is designed in a way for providing an additional year of studying to the students for gaining professional experience prior to stepping in the corporate world.

The purpose of education is not to graduate early but to step out of your university well prepared for taking up life and job responsibilities.

“Your Future Employer Wouldn’t Care About Your Experience of Foreign Education.”
Your future employers may not tell you frankly that they prefer former international students. However, your foreign degree does not matter as much as the skills that you learned.

The ability of planning and handling things at the time of crisis, bearing the responsibility of your time and studies, the ability to interact with various cultures, and most importantly, being able to stand all on your own are few of the many skills that you are most likely to learn while studying abroad. International exposure will make you more confident and open-minded.

Before making a decision of studying abroad, you need to unlearn all the myths that we all are surrounded by and make a well-planned, well-researched choice. Studying in a foreign university can be an enriching and thrilling experience, only if you make the right choices.