7 Pros and Cons When Studying Abroad

What makes foreign education so attractive? Every country has its characteristics in the education system, but there are primary principles that the best foreign educational institutions maintain. Education abroad is an indispensable experience, a prestigious diploma and a chance to build an international career. On the other hand, serious financial expenses, moving to a new country, adaptation. Reading this article, you'll find out all about the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad.

Pros for studying abroad

Innovative science and technology startups, work in top companies, and the opportunity to travel around the world — education abroad opens a lot of new doors. And here's why.

# 1 High training level

Europe and the United States have the best universities in the world. If you come to an employer with a Cambridge or Sorbonne diploma, your chance of getting a job increases lots of times. There are also less well-known, but also very prestigious universities. For instance, one of the best business schools is the University of Massachusetts Boston. Higher education institutions in France, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, and Italy prepare professionals who can easily find a job worldwide.

Even for accommodation, you can find some affordable options near major universities. However, the entire process of searching for them can be long and tiring. Luckily, you can trust amber: a leading student housing booking platform. So, whether you are looking for student accommodation in Manchester or Chicago, their executives will help you find not only the best but also budget accommodation at your preferred location.

# 2 Affordable internships and excellent career prospects

Education abroad is the first step to building a brilliant international career. Foreign universities cooperate with the world's leading companies: from Washington State University you can go for internships at Boeing, Microsoft and Amazon.com, and from the Goldsmiths University of London at Yahoo! and BBC.
 
Students from Les Roches get on average 3 offers of internship per term and after graduation, they easily find a job in the best companies in a certain field. The alumnus of Polimoda Institute in Italy in about  88% of the time finds a job within six months after graduation at Dior, Cavalli and Giorgio Armani.

# 3 Variety of majors

Foreign universities keep a close eye on changes in the labour market to adapt these trends to their curricula to prepare in-demand specialists. These are game design, neurobiology, business education, and other fields. At the same time, the level of equipment in foreign laboratories is at the highest level.

# 4 Freedom

You have the right not to go to lectures if you feel you need to. You are free to take additional courses. You set your own study schedule and manage your educational process. Of course, freedom comes with a serious share of responsibility. All assignments, projects, and examinations in foreign schools and universities are very strictly accepted.

# 5 Lots of practice

Lectures are an important part of the learning process, only if they don't take 80% of the time. Education abroad is built on constant practice and dialogue between a teacher and a  student. Individual and group projects, research, seminars, presentations… Students learn their trades through tasks close to real-life conditions and graduate with relevant professional skills.

# 6 Language practice

Without a good knowledge of the language, it is difficult to enter a foreign university. However, through the years, you will improve your language skills to the level of a native speaker. Moreover, in some countries, you will have the opportunity to learn a second language. For example, in Canada — French, in Denmark — German, in Switzerland — both German and French, and even Italian.

# 7 An opportunity to discover other cultures

Cultural differences are greater than differences in language, food, or habits. Actual differences come from somewhere outside and influence the way you understand the world. You can't get it from books or watching TV shows. If you only live in a foreign country for a long period, you can understand another culture, can’t you?

Cons for studying abroad

Few people dispute the advantages of studying abroad, but is it too difficult, expensive and unclear? Here are the major challenges you will face when going to a foreign university.

# 1 High price

People know about education abroad not only for its quality but also for its high cost. Education, accommodation, and entertainment require significant financial expenses. There are always more budget-friendly options, though. For instance, studying in Europe is generally cheaper than in the United States, and in Germany state universities are free. Moreover, almost all countries have grants and scholarships to help repay education costs.

# 2 A lot of paperwork

Portfolio preparation, recommendation letters, translation of diplomas and certificates — all this bureaucracy you will be bound to pass through if you want to enter a foreign university. What is more, you need to do everything in fast forward to be on time for the beginning of your study.

# 3 Impossible to insure against stress

It is impossible to insure a student against the stress and force majeure situations that a student can come up against in Europe or America. It is a foreign country, and anything can happen. For example, it is not uncommon to deal with an increased level of responsibility during internships.

However, it is possible to take out baggage insurance or the best travel insurance. The cost of travel insurance services is quite favourable and gives you the opportunity to protect yourself from at least some risks. In any case, better something than nothing.

# 4 Adaptation problems

Stress is unavoidable even for the most open-minded and sociable people. Some people find it hard to be away from home, without family and friends, to be in an environment where people speak a familiar but foreign language.

# 5 Problems with choice of the University

Even if you look over a lot of ratings and reviews on the Internet, you still do not have a broad picture of how your education will look like. In addition, there are a huge number of universities abroad, so it is quite difficult to choose the right one.

# 6 Language barrier

To gain knowledge, you must learn the language in which you will be taught. Make yourself understood at the airport is one thing, but writing a 500-word essay on the prospects of artificial intelligence is quite different. You will need to understand complex lectures, take part in discussions, make presentations, and write research papers.

# 7 Difficulties with visa

You may get into difficulties when getting a student visa. Here, you will have to keep coming back to your country and renewing your visa. It is particularly true for countries such as the U.S. and Canada, which have strict visa policies. There is also an age limit for obtaining a visa. The older is a student, the more he is a "potential migrant" in the eyes of the visa officer.

Conclusion

Every university and country has its matriculation specifics, which you should know when applying. Higher education abroad is a pipe dream or a realistic goal? It all depends on the amount of made effort. And if you are used to achieving your purposes, the dream of higher education abroad is more than realistic. A prestigious higher education is not a privilege of our time. It is a necessity for those who want to build an international career and succeed in the future.