The Most Attractive Destinations for International Students

Studying abroad is a unique experience that provides young people with great opportunities. It gives you access to a vast new world of knowledge that will make you grow not only academically but also personally. As you can imagine, there are countless options when choosing where to study abroad. To refine your search, you need to consider some important factors such as quality of education, tuition fees, average monthly cost of living, and available job opportunities during and after graduation.

Criteria for choosing a destination for international students

First of all, you obviously need to have an idea of what kind of studies you want to pursue. You have to keep this in mind when searching for the best destination. Some countries or regions are notable for specific fields of study, so this may already limit your choice. But apart from that, there are other important factors to consider.

Quality of education

The easiest way to find out whether the quality of education offered by the university or college is high is to check the international rankings of educational institutions. There are several reputable academic institutions that regularly evaluate universities and other higher education institutions around the world in terms of the quality of education. Universities and colleges are then ranked so you can easily see how they stack up against others.

Tuition fees

Studying abroad can be very expensive, but if you spend enough time researching, you can find very affordable study programs, especially if you are willing to compromise. There are several factors that can affect the amount of tuition you will have to pay.

Type of program

If you do not enroll in a program at a public university or qualify for a scholarship, the cost of studying abroad can be very high. The type of study program you plan to undertake will be a major factor in how much you will have to spend. Graduate programs typically have higher tuition fees per year. However, as many of these can usually be completed in two or three years, compared to the four or five years needed for an undergraduate degree, the overall cost may still be lower.

Country

If you enroll in a program at a public university or if you are lucky enough to qualify for a scholarship, you can save a considerable amount of money. In some cases, you may not pay your tuition fees at all. By contrast, in private universities, it is common for international students to pay more than USD 30,000 a year, especially in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. In France, on the other hand, annual tuition fees don’t even reach USD 10,000.

Field of study

The field of study you choose will also be a factor in your total cost of study, unless you decide to study in the United Kingdom where tuition fees are standard for all fields at most universities. Typically, courses in business, engineering, and health sciences are the most expensive, while those in psychology, computer science, and education are usually much more affordable.

Housing

Housing is one of the main considerations in choosing a destination for studying abroad. The monthly rent for a house or apartment is pretty much the same in most countries, but if you want to save money, there are a few tricks you can do.

Dormitory

For example, you can apply to stay in a university dormitory. Most universities have a lot of affordable options, some of which even include a meal program. If you don’t mind living with a roommate, you can cut down on your housing costs even more.

Private accommodation

Renting a house or apartment is much more expensive, but if you care about privacy, this is the best option. You can save on expenses by staying away from accommodation that is directly near the university or in the city center, as these tend to be more expensive. In suburban areas, it is usually much cheaper and calmer.

Homestay program

This is a special type of program that allows international students to stay with local families while studying. The specific arrangements may differ depending on the agreed program. It may be more expensive than renting a private home, but the experience is much more rewarding and gives you many more opportunities to grow and learn. For these reasons, many international students are considering this option.

Average monthly cost of living

Factors other than housing that play a significant role in the average monthly cost of living include utilities, groceries, academic supplies, and so on. It’s not hard to cut back on these items if you just practice self-control and stick to your budget.

Work during and after graduation

To cover some of your expenses as well as gain experience in a field of your choice, you may choose to work part-time while studying. Sometimes you won’t get paid for them, but the experience will certainly be very valuable. If you plan to stay in your destination country after graduation, you should definitely look at internship programs at the university and in nearby companies that may eventually accept you as a full-time employee after graduation.

Best countries for studying abroad

The final decision is entirely up to you, but according to UNESCO data, the following countries are the most-preferred countries for students wishing to study abroad.

Study in US: The United States is still at the top of the list, as it has been for many years, largely because of the huge number of universities to choose from as well as the highest quality of education these universities provide. At New York University alone, more than 30 percent of students come from other countries. Other popular universities for foreign students include Harvard University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), West Point, Juilliard and Berklee School of Music.

Study in UK: The United Kingdom is also very popular among international students, not only because of its quality of education, but also because of its rich cultural and historical environment that is conducive to learning. More than 400,000 foreign students from all over the world are in the United Kingdom to pursue their higher education and many choose Oxford University, Imperial College London or Kingston University.

Study in France: There are many great reasons to choose France as your destination country for studying abroad, but it probably stands out for its very affordable tuition fees. The monthly average cost of living is not bad either. France is also a highly multicultural country with many great learning opportunities in and out of the classroom.

Study in Australia: The main reasons mentioned by foreign students who chose Australia as their destination are the high quality of education, great cultural diversity and the friendliness of the people. The country offers interested students over 22,000 university programs in more than 1,100 world-class institutions. There are also many opportunities to work during and after your graduation if you choose to complete your university education in the Land Down Under.

Study in Germany: University degrees from German universities are highly respected by employers all over the world, which is one of the reasons why so many students choose to go to Germany for higher education. However, you have to be very focused and determined if you want to earn the much-desired German degree. The most recent data show that the dropout rate for foreign students is around 41 percent, which is attributed to the difficulties of the language barrier.

As you can see, there are so many factors to consider when choosing a destination to study abroad. You need to carefully evaluate all of the criteria mentioned above, as well as your own personal goals and needs. But no matter what choice you make, there is no doubt that studying abroad will open up tremendous opportunities for you to grow, not only academically but also personally.