Study Abroad Guide For A Successful Transition: 7 Key Components (College Applications, Fees, Housing, Visa, Immigration, Interviews, Packing Lists)

Study Abroad: College Applications, Fees, Visa, Immigration, Interviews, Packing List and Accommodation

Looking to study abroad in the recent future? Are you passionate to pursue your education at a prestigious institution and study abroad for it? Are you facing stress and anxiousness for your college applications process and immigration and visa? Do you wish to know about the step-by-step procedure to shortlist, apply and secure admission to a good international college? If you answered a ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then you do not need to worry at all! We’ve prepared an effective guide to study abroad that covers all necessary aspects such as shortlisting colleges/institutions, applying in top 15 institutions of your choice, writing a persuasive and meaningful statement of purpose, getting letter of recommendations for applications, preparing well for admission interviews and visa application interviews and packing list for departure and looking for good accommodation.

This article shall serve as a one-stop solution for all your queries and doubts regarding study abroad process right from applying to preparing for departure to the concerned country.

Table of Contents

Why One Should Study Abroad: Importance and Benefits   How to Research and Prepare for College Applications Abroad   Selecting the Right Program for Study Abroad   Financial Planning for Study Abroad   Visa and Immigration Requirements for Study Abroad   Writing a Meaningful and Persuasive Statement of Purpose For College Applications   Pre-Departure Preparation For Study Abroad   Post Departure Tips For A Smooth Study Abroad Experience   Conclusion

Why One Should Study Abroad: Importance and Benefits

There are several benefits and advantages associated with studying abroad for undergraduate and postgraduate programs. It is therefore essential to understand all the key benefits associated with studying abroad in colleges. The primary advantage of going to study abroad is that one can essentially learn to become self-sufficient, independent and manage to do everything as a responsible adult. There are several other added advantages to study abroad education opportunities.

Here are a few primary advantages of going to study abroad:

1. One learns independence and becomes self-sufficient by learning to take responsibility for their actions and decisions. By managing everything by oneself, one can easily adapt to changing situations and learn to interact with new individuals and thrive in a new environment.
2. By living in a different environmental and cultural setting with a different climate profile, one can easily build body tolerance by surviving extreme climatic conditions of heat, cold and monsoon.
3. The real value of family members and the ease with which one got everything can be realized only after staying away from family members and whatever one considers precious and invaluable. One then learns the importance of little things and attempts to appreciate everything they received till now.
4. One learns patience, tolerance and also truly expands the horizons of their knowledge as well as sensitivity and inclusion towards different cultures and communities by interacting with people of different color, race, ethnicity, language culture and religion.
5. Whatever experiences one gathers can prove meaningful in their future endeavors not just in the professional domain but also on personal and societal levels.
6. By beginning to earn and generating income by doing part-time jobs, one learns several important skills that might be essential to be placed in good organizations/firms.
7. The biggest advantage is that of community living. One begins to thrive with people possessing different ideologies, mentalities and mindsets.

How to Research and Prepare for College Applications Abroad

The process of finalizing and shortlisting colleges abroad can be daunting and might appear cumbersome and highly tiring. It is during such times that one needs to perform thorough research and analysis of different courses offered by colleges/universities abroad and make the perfect choice of a course that is suitable for one in all aspects such as budget, job opportunities ahead, growth rate of industry, nature of course as well as analyze the concerned country of one’s interests.

Here’s a checklist of the necessary do’s and don’ts while researching and shortlisting colleges abroad:

• Check the credibility of the course program by verifying the validity of the program online via other career counselling sites.
• Consult college counsellors/educational consultancies in order to facilitate a smooth application and immigration process abroad.
• Be specific about your course, future expectations of career outcomes, ability to learn concepts and ideas taught in it and overall preparedness to manage it single-handedly.
• Check the yearly tuition fee for programs of your interest, convert them into local currency and assess whether it aligns with your affordability and budget.
• Discuss potential programs and institutions with family members, college counsellors and take their advice regarding their ranking, whether they are good options for future pursuit.
• Connect to alumni/senior students of the colleges you wish to secure admissions in by applying. This could give you a good idea about the admission process, eligibility criteria as well as job placements post completion of the course by getting to know their raw experiences regarding the course and the college.
• Carefully examine the eligibility criteria, tests required for admission and accordingly begin preparation for entrance tests and interviews.
• Assess the country/location of study by studying about its climate, culture, overall safety, crime rates, inclusivity towards foreign students/minority cultures
• Find relatives/family friends or trusted individuals residing in the concerned location in order to receive external moral support and guidance in your initial months in the concerned location. Request them to provide help in finding accommodation at nominal rates near their house/residence.

Selecting the Right Program for Study Abroad

There are different kinds of programs offered in different colleges and institutions abroad. The nature of these courses varies based on duration, mode of conduction, commencement period, overall popularity, fee structure as well as nature of program such as exchange, part-time, full-time or fellowship program. It is important that one considers the following factors before finalizing on a given course in a specific international destination:

• Nature of conduction: Online, Offline, Hybrid
• Medium of Instruction: English, French, German or other foreign languages
• Test Scores required: IELTS/TOEFL, SAT, GRE/GMAT, ACT/PSAT
• Fee structure: Semester-Wise, Yearly/Monthly Installments
• Nature of Program: Exchange, Full-time, Part-Time, Fellowship
• Job Prospects: Growth rate of industry, internships/apprenticeships
• Location: USA, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, etc.
• Climate Profile: Snow, Monsoon, Hot, Moderate
• Safety: Crime rates, inclusivity for minority cultures/international students
• Presence of relatives/known persons
• Ranking of Program/University in the World (Should be in Top 50)
• Requirements of Proficiency in Foreign Language based on region

Financial Planning for Study Abroad

Apart from assessing factors such as safety, climate profile and nature of program, it is also important to consider financial aspects such as budget, overall expenditure involved in immigration and residing internationally.

Here are a few points to consider on the financial domain while planning to study abroad:

• Understanding and analysis of the key costs involved: accommodation rent, food, transportation, tuition fee, emergency costs for medication, hospitals, etc.
• Checking for grants/scholarships or financial aids for international students with moderate family incomes
• Applying for scholarships/fee waivers wherever applicable based on eligibility and merit
• Consideration of educational loans from banks
• Analysis of available assets for collaterals: cars/motorcycles, housing, properties, investment funds, provident funds, jewels, etc.
• Looking for guarantors abroad for sponsorship of education
• Applying for management/NRI quota seats
• Check annual income requirements and plan to keep appropriate money balance during the time period of application

Visa and Immigration Requirements for Study Abroad

A key understanding of the process associated with visa and immigration process for study abroad is an essential component for smoother transition into different destinations. One must research extensively for the visa and immigration requirements for the specific international locations they are looking for studying.

Here are some important aspects of visa and immigration that one must consider while applying to study abroad:

• Researching about visa requirements that are specific for your desired location(s)
• Note down all important documents required for visa and immigration
• Compile all documents in a specific file/folder for easy access
• Ensure that you have both digital and physical copies of all documents in your laptop as well as at home in a folder
• Prepare extra colored photocopies of each document for emergencies
• Double-Check requirements with travel agents/educational consultants and friends who have travel history to concerned destinations
• Apply early to avoid last-minute rushes and difficulties in getting visa interview slots
• Prepare thoroughly for your visa interview, ideally a few weeks in advance to its commencement
• Give the interview without hesitation and with complete confidence

Writing a Meaningful and Persuasive Statement of Purpose For College Applications

It is essential to understand that statements of purpose or personal essays are the quintessential representations of one’s larger academic goals, professional endeavors, aims/objectives in order to apply at the concerned institutions. A single written document easily indicates one’s strengths, weaknesses as well as acquired experiences and skills, larger motivations in life, purpose of applying to the concerned institution and other aspects such as upbringing, values as well as prominent ideologies. Therefore, it is important to write it in a manner that appropriately explains/summarizes oneself in a honest manner without fabricating or overemphasizing upon anything. The personal statement should appear completely raw and organic as if mirroring your own image to a larger group of people who do not know you, and therefore it should be ensured that one does not go overboard with the content and ends up being unnecessarily repetitive about themselves by boasting and praising oneself.

Here are a few things to keep in mind while writing a statement of purpose:

• It should be a true reflection of yourself and should not include external opinions and analogies about yourself. The content should be limited to being compiled by yourself in the truest manner possible.
• Do not attempt to showcase your English proficiency and language command by using complex vocabulary and complicated sentence formations. Be simple and clear.
• Do not write extremely long or short statements of purpose. The content should be such that it should appear appropriate and satisfactory to the admission committee.
• The statement of purpose should be written entirely in your own words by summarizing your ideas and no particular part of the content should be adapted or taken over from other external sources/websites. Plagiarism is easily detected by universities and their admission committees as they use plagiarism detector software.
• A reliance on AI writing software shall also be heavily reprimanded by universities so ensure that you do not rely on any such software for writing your statement of purpose.
• Be confident and assertive about your personal character without concealing anything significant.

Pre-Departure Preparation For Study Abroad

One needs to consider and pay attention to various factors while preparing to study abroad. It is essential to keep on ticking boxes of important tasks to be completed before departure so that one does not miss out on anything important.

Here are a few important factors to consider while preparing for departure to study abroad:

1. Medical and Health factors:

• One must be aware of the important medical requirements in order to be eligible for the immigration process. This includes renewing medical insurance, taking necessary health precautions and checking the health advisories for the immigration on the specific portals of the concerned destination
• Several countries such as the USA and the UK require students to get vaccinated for certain illnesses such as Hepatitis A and B, Flu as well as require COVID vaccination certificates post the pandemic
• One must ensure to double check all medical requirements and get them resolved before departure.

2. Accommodation and Housing Arrangements:

• One must begin the process of searching and finalizing housing and accommodation well before planning to depart to the concerned destination
• In order to avoid paying double the prevailing market rates for housing, it is better to consult someone who resides there in order to get a better idea about the prevailing rates.
• One must begin shortlisting good housing options and preferably at a location that is closer to the university campus to avoid transportation costs
• It is suggested that one begin their initial residence by sharing apartments with fellow ethnicity members or those with same nationality to break the ice easily and for convenient living.
• Apart from finding suitable housing, one must attempt to understand the local customs as well as housing laws to avoid getting into any kind of trouble.

3. Packing List:

• Apart from medical and housing aspects one must prepare a packing list for departure in order to carry all important items that one uses/requires on a daily basis
• Prioritize which items need to be taken and which could be purchased post reaching the destination
• Keep on ticking the boxes as and when you pack each item to avoid missing out on anything important
• Ensure to carry warm clothes that fit into your luggage to avoid facing issues with the cold climate
• Do not carry a lot of things if they are not too important since there is a weight restriction for luggage in international flights

Post Departure Tips For A Smooth Study Abroad Experience

1. Timely Arrival: One must ensure that they arrive at the desired location at least a few weeks before the commencement of their course in order to ensure that they understand the local culture, get an idea about nearby landmarks from university and housing as well as get accustomed to the climate and food. It is also important to reach early to avoid panicking in terms of understanding the new culture, new people and new laws. One must also get an idea about nearby grocery stores, medical stores, hospitals as well as banks.
2. Interact and Build Network: It is important to interact with new people and get accustomed to different ideologies to thrive in a new environment. It is important to start making new friends at an earlier stage in order to avoid feeling lost or homesick and uncomfortable in a new location.
3. Travel and Explore Local Culture: One must explore the local culture of the country they travel to for studying in order to experience the people, cultures and traditions in a closer contact.

Conclusion

Planning to study abroad is an experience of a different kind and it is important to explore it once in one’s lifetime in order to experience independence, financial sustainability, self-sufficiency and to learn important skills for survival such as community living, cooking, paying house rent, planning travel/trips by oneself and managing studying and work together. It is also important to learn about new cultures and traditions by managing to thrive there and interact with new people of different mindsets, cultures, ethnicities, religions as well as race. This helps one acquire important qualities such as cultural sensitivity, acceptance and harmony by minimizing inter-personal prejudice, discrimination and hatred.

It is always suggested to pursue some course either at undergraduate or postgraduate level abroad to experience a different kind of freedom altogether!