Should You Study Abroad?

Thinking about studying abroad? Here’s everything you need to know.

For many students, the idea of studying abroad is appealing as it’s a chance to live in another country on a student visa while studying, which isn’t something you’ll be able to do as easily later on in life.

If you’re keen to enrich your life in culture and take the opportunity to travel while you’re doing your degree, here’s everything you need to know about studying abroad and how to consider your options.

What’s a year abroad?

A year abroad is when you choose to spend a year (or in some cases a semester) studying in a different country. You will become part of an exchange programme and study at a different university in a different country for a period of time while living and in some cases working there too. You can study abroad in pretty much any country that offers exchange programmes including America, Germany, France, Australia and Japan.

What to consider before studying abroad

First, you’ll need to see if your chosen course at your current university allows for international study and what you’d need to do to be able to undertake part of your degree in another country.

For students who are studying a language degree, it seems like a no-brainer to spend a semester living in a country where that language is spoken. However, for students who aren’t doing a degree that’s language-related, you may need to do further research to see if international universities will accept international students from the UK studying your current degree.

You’ll also need to consider funding and how you’re going to pay for your time abroad. Will you be looking for a job while you’re living out there to help you cover the costs of your rent and living expenses? Are you eligible for funding to help cover the costs of your tuition, and is the tuition more expensive than in the UK?

You’ll also most likely need to apply for a student visa, with plenty of time before you actually plan on partaking in your studies abroad. Visa applications can be quite lengthy with strict rules about who can live and work in the country and limits on for how long, so you’re definitly going to want to make sure you’ve done your research first.

Finally, studying abroad isn’t necessarily a decision you can make sponteanously, as many UK and international universities will have strict application deadlines. So, if this is something you’re seriously considering you’ll want to do your research sooner rather than later as the chances are you’ll need to give plenty of notice to get all of your documents sorted out.

How to pick a country to study in

Unless you’re super set on a specific country, you’ll need to consider a few things while choosing where to study. First, look up the costs associated with living and studying in the countries you’re interested in as this can help you to make a smarter choice.

You’ll also want to see how many UK students study there (so you’re not alone!) and what the visa process is like. Unfortunately, it’s not always as straightforward as liking a country and deciding to move there and different countries can have strict rules about those wishing to study there from another country and certain degrees may have a priority over others.

Another thing to consider is the cultural differences. While you can expect cultural differences while living in a different country, you’ll need to decide if the culture shock is something you can adapt to for an extended period of time. If you can’t speak the language of this country, you’ll need to research what it’s like for tourists who are native English speakers and if it’s easy to navigate. Also, will your uni classes be taught in English or in a different language? If you’re a complete beginner to this language, you may want to consider taking up language classes while you’re living there to help you out.

How to find out what you need to study abroad

The UCAS website has loads of great resources when it comes to studying abroad. You’ll need to contact your personal tutor at your university to let them know your plans and they should also be able to help point you in the right direction when it comes to university-specific application forms and deadlines.

You’ll also need to think about accommodation and where you’re going to be living. Many universities may be able to offer you on-campus student accommodation in halls of residence, or you may want to rent private student accommodation. This is something you’ll need to sort out in plenty of time, so it’s best to research the popular student areas of the country you’ll be living in to try and find somewhere to live with other students.

You will most need a visa as well as a passport which is not near its expiry date, so you’ll need to research the rules and regulations to make sure that you’re eligible to be able to study and live in the country you’ve chosen.

Since Brexit, the UK is no longer part of the EU meaning UK students will no longer have access to financial aid studying in countries in the EU, so getting a job will probably be your best bet. However, you’ll need to check that your student visa allows you to work in your chosen country as this could stop you from actually being legally allowed to get a job.

Is studying abroad right for you?

Of course, this is all down to you to work out. If you’re adventurous and love the idea of travelling and exploring, you’re probably jumping at the idea of studying abroad. However, for homebodies and those who are slightly more anxious about things the idea can seem way more daunting.

While studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity, it doesn’t mean staying in the UK for the course of your degree will provide you with fewer opportunities or advantages when it comes to your career.

If you consider yourself an independent person who can rise to a challenge and take on the idea of moving to another country on your own, then yes studying abroad probably is right for you. However, if you think you’ll miss your family and friends too much or feel anxious at the prospect of being alone in another country where things are unfamiliar to you then maybe it’s not for you.

Remember, you always have the option to travel to these countries on a holiday and experience the culture in your own time if you think that living and studying abroad would be too much of a big step for you.

Study abroad scholarships

Studying abroad doesn’t come cheap for UK students, as tuition fees can be almost twice as much as they are while you’re studying in the UK and the student loan system isn’t the same in every country.

There are scholarships available to UK students to help you gain funding to study in certain countries or certain degrees. This varies from country to country and there can be fierce competition from other students, so if you’re interested you’re going to want to do your research and get your applications submitted within good time.

Securing a scholarship can greatly improve your chances of being accepted into an international uni and can make your dream of living and studying abroad a much clearer reality, so if there is funding available you’ll definitely want to take up the opportunity or you’ll have to find your own way to cover the costs of tuition and living abroad.

So, hopefully, this has helped to clear up any questions you have about studying abroad and you’re off planning your exchange year already!