Where Should I Study Abroad?

If you’re considering to study abroad, it could be very hard to find the perfect country for you. I mean, there are so many countries to choose from, right?

There are some questions you can ask yourself that will eventually direct you to a country that suits you best.

In this article, we have listed these question that you should think about. After reading this article, you will have a better idea of which country to go to.

How far would you like to go?

Start with asking yourself how far you would like to go. A study abroad in a neighbor country might seem like a convenient choice: still a different country, familiar culture, less culture shock and you could go back to your home country more easily.

You might also consider something farther like Latin America or Asia for the opposite reasons: completely different country that opens perspectives, getting to know a new culture and you are throwing yourself into the deep since you’ll not be able to easily go back home if you get homesick.

How large is the language barrier?

The second thing you should ask yourself is if the language locals speak is important to you. If you prefer to speak English, you can think of countries like the US, the UK or Australia. You could also consider countries that do not speak English as a native language but are very proficient in English like Scandinavia, the Netherlands or Singapore.

You might also want to challenge yourself and learn a new language. If you’re keen on learning Spanish, Latin America might be your destination. You might want to go to a country that does not speak English well, so you have no choice other than learning the native language.

How’s your wallet?

If you’re clear on the first two questions, the third one is to consider the financials. For many people the US is a dream to study at: Americans are friendly, ambitious and all speak English. These are a lot of advantages, but according to EP-Nuffic, the tuition is between €5000 and €42000 a year if your university does not have a partnership! That’s not cheap at all.

Also, the cost of living is relatively high compared to other countries you could go to. The website Numbeo lets you easily check the cost of living in countries and cities all over the world. You can also compare to your home country.

Which countries best fit your study program?

Lastly, we recommend you to check which country best suits your study program. If you’re doing a musical study you might want to consider London, while a study in Africa suits better if you would like to learn more as a tropical animal caretaker.

Besides, your university often has partnership universities abroad. This makes the communication between them usually better. Also, it can cover the tuition fees for you. Usually, a partnership among universities means that you get to pay your domestic tuition while studying at the partner university abroad. If your government covers part of your tuition fee at your home university, you will save a lot while studying at a partner university. The disadvantage though is that your possibilities are limited to the universities and cities your university has chosen for you.

If you are going on an exchange but you decide not to do it at a partner university, it is important to check whether it is allowed to go there. Also, check if the study credits are equal or if you have to gain more/less.

In the article The Best Places To Study Abroad we have listed the best places to study abroad around the world according to us.