Studying Abroad is more Popular than Ever-Here’s Why

Studying abroad. That’s one of the dream goals of most people who enter secondary education, is it not? It’s always been one of those things that fills a potential student with excitement and wonder. The thought of studying at one of the top universities in the world, the experiences you’ll get from exploring a country you’ve never been to and indulging in the cuisine, the culture, the people. And the fellow third worlders, well, most of us would take any chances we could get to leave our country behind and start anew in another nation, right?

Yup, having the opportunity to study abroad is an excellent opportunity all around. Though, as we all know by now, nothing can be perfect. So let’s take a look at some of the pros of choosing to study a master’s degree abroad.

The Reasons to Study Abroad

Some of the prime reasons to study abroad include:

Immerse Yourself in a New Culture

One of the most well-known pros there is. Humans have always been excited at the idea of exploration and discovering new things, and even though we’re in an age where we have troves of information on our fingertips that desire still holds strong-after all, how can reading about a country and what they’re like online compared to actually being there and seeing it with your own two eyes? The sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can discover-cuisine, historical landmarks, lifestyles, people. I could go on and on about this point but I think you get the idea. This point is especially alluring for those studying their bachelor’s-I still remember being a wide-eyed teenager thinking in awe about all the things I could see and do at the countries I could choose to study in.

Enhance your CV

While the thrill of exploring a nation is fun and all, we cannot forget about the primary reason for doing so-education. Most people who study abroad do so in order to get into a prestigious university that they couldn’t find in their own country. And, unsurprisingly, that kind of achievement will reflect well on your CV-especially if you manage to get in through a scholarship of some kind. I cannot stress enough how much of a huge advantage it is for potential employees to put their abroad experiences down on their CV, as it gives them a substantial advantage in the job market.

Learn a new language

What better time to learn a new language than when you’re in a country with a new language? Not only will your university have a high chance of offering courses to teach you the language as electives, but you’ll also be constantly surrounded by people and media who speak it. The main problem with those trying to learn a new language is that it’s very contained-they can get on their DuoLingo and learn some new words and then they immediately go back to speaking their own native tongue for the rest of the day. When you’re in the country, however, you’re forced to get out of your shell and be exposed more to the new language, be it by talking to the locals or consuming media made by them. This is especially potent for those choosing to study in Spain or any other country where Spanish is the native tongue, as it’s the second most influential language in the job market right behind English.

Career Advantages

There are some clear career advantages that come with studying abroad:

• Communication skills: This one isn’t a shocker-get put in a place filled with strangers and you’re going to be forced to interact with strangers on a daily basis. This will force you out of your comfort zone and make you work on your social skills by talking to other people, especially those of personality types you might not be used to.
• Global connections: Want to secure a job at that multinational company in Holland? Then study in the Netherlands and do some networking while you’re studying. Want to work in that one tech company in Munich? Study in Germany and do the same thing. On top of meeting lifelong friends, you can also meet a global network of contacts during your time abroad.
• Confidence: Overcoming the challenges associated with studying abroad, managing the new and unfamiliar environment which you are in and generally withstanding the resilience to all of that is going to build your confidence. From there, it’s a snowball effect-higher confidence leads to you carrying yourself with more assertion, which leads to higher chances of interviewers picking you up, which leads to higher chances of employment.
• Project management: Studying abroad is essentially one big exercise in planning your time and organizing your schedule. From navigating around your new home to learning a new language to adapting to the different currency and culture to the actual studying you came here to do, you won’t be able to efficiently do all of these things unless you have the ability to plan ahead and the willpower to stick to that plan.
• Work after study: Same thing as the ‘Global connections’ pro above. Some countries, such as Netherlands, allow you to stay in the country if you intend to work there after your education. If you time your study abroad right, you could graduate at that country and immediately get to work.

Personal Advantages

Of course, it’s not all about the education and the career. There are plenty of benefits to your character and values which you will experience when studying abroad, such as:

• • Independence: When you’re in a new country, you’re on your own-no friends, no family, no real backup in a completely new world. It seems scary at first but those who weather the pain and make something of themselves will see them come out the other side with incredible independence.
  • Critical thinking skills: You’ll be asking questions every day while you study abroad, taking in new information, learning new ways of life and seeking solutions through exploration. You will develop your approach to think more clearly and rationally in your reading, writing and public speaking.
  • Open-minded: You will open yourself up to different ways of living and learning, accepting new ideas and perspectives thanks to people from a diverse range of backgrounds you will meet.
  • Overcome fears: Surprise surprise, going to a completely new environment is rather frightening. But you can tough it out, you can adapt to the situation and you can, slowly yet surely, overcome those fears as well as any others you might have on you.

These are just some of the benefits you can have from studying abroad. For more information on studying abroad (and university in general), be sure to check out UniApp.