Study Abroad: Your Ultimate Guide to be an International Students

Studying abroad may be at the top of your mind, but you're not sure where to start. Undoubtedly, the entire process can be a long and pretty tricky one. You may feel overwhelmed trying to figure it out. Lucky for you, we'll go over the things you need to know about studying abroad. Also, this includes why you should do it, its benefits, the best countries to study abroad, and even scholarships you can get. Let's dive right into your study abroad guide!

Why study abroad?

First things first, why bother studying abroad? Well, studying abroad is a life-changing experience for a variety of reasons. You may consider these:

• Stand out to future employers - While studying abroad, you'll gain valuable skills that you may not be aware of, but employers will take note of! For instance, after years of dealing with a range of new situations on your own, you'll grow into a stronger and better communicator. Or when you're dealing with multiple languages, you'll gain the ability to be multilingual, which will put you at an advantage, especially at a multinational company!
• Expand your network - Whether you're meeting someone from your country or making friends with a local, it's never a bad idea to build your connections. From making lifelong friendships to becoming business partners, the potential of expanding your network is limitless!

To learn more about the life-altering reasons why you should study abroad, find out here!

Best countries to study abroad

Choosing the right destination is crucial to getting the most out of your study abroad. With hundreds of countries, cities, and towns to choose from, you won't be short of choices. In fact, you might feel overwhelmed by the large number of destinations to choose from. 

To help narrow down your search, try asking yourself some of these questions:

• Do I want to study in a country where English isn't the first language?
• Do I want to study in a country that's close to my home country?
• Which country suits my financial budget best?
• Do I want to live in a quiet town or in a big city?
• Do I want to stay in the country after I graduate? 

Ideal Study Destination

Aside from asking yourself some of the aforementioned questions, try to pick out two or three ideal study destinations that strike your interest. After that, you can start comparing the pros and cons. Some of the factors you can consider when compiling the pros and cons include:

• Climate - Which one seems ideal for you? A colder or a warmer climate?
• Student life - Check out the student activities, university societies, and transport systems.
• Culture - Figure out the residents' attitude towards international students or visitors from other parts of the world.
• Programs offered - See what you'll study and how. Some degrees focus more on theory, while others on practice. Take note of the duration of the studies. 

On top of that, you can also ask friends, families, and others who already study abroad. Moreover, sitting down and chatting with someone about their experiences traveling and studying abroad can help you understand what to expect, the challenges, and even some tips. Chances are, they might give you insightful information you can't get anywhere else!

Of course, if you're still not sure which countries are the best to study abroad, here are some of the best countries to study abroad:

• Singapore - Known for its rapid economic development, Singapore also boasts itself as a highly competitive country in terms of academics. Furthermore, from its stellar reputation in students' safety to its universities that rub shoulders with the world's top universities, Singapore can be on top of your list!
• USA - Home to the well-known Ivy League institutions, the US offers a lot of things, including academic excellence, a diverse environment, and a flexible education system. 

Head over here to explore more about some of the best countries to study abroad!

Benefits of studying abroad

Many have said it before—studying abroad is not all about academics. Here are some of the benefits you can get while studying abroad:

• A step closer to adult life - Whether you're living with some of your closest friends, or living all on your own, studying abroad pushes you to become independent and self-supporting. Also, even in the most stressful moments of maintaining your grades, keeping your room clean, and managing your finances, you'll learn to rise and find out what you're truly made of.
• Travel, travel, and travel - Whether it's a weekend trip to the nearest city or a day trip to the beach, you'll expose yourself to new things you wouldn't be able to experience at home. In some cases, you may even get the chance to tick off some of your bucket lists!

Check out even more benefits you can get while you're studying abroad here!

Study Abroad with Scholarships

Tuition fees and living costs can quickly add up to a large budget for your education. Fortunately, scholarships can serve as your financial support! Here are some of the attractive scholarships you can get:

• National University of Singapore - ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship
  • Award amount: Tuition fees (after MOE Tuition Grant Subsidy), S$5,800 annual living allowance
• University of Minnesota - Global Excellence Scholarship
  • Award amount: up to USD 25,000 per year for up to 4 years

For further insight into what scholarships are offered, click here!

How to Study Abroad for Free

Although studying abroad has its great advantages, it isn't exactly affordable. In order to study abroad, you will need to pay for both your tuition fees and other necessary items, such as housing, food, health insurance, etc. The cost of studying abroad drastically adds up when you take all of these things into account. However, there are multiple ways for you to study abroad for free. 

Incredibly expensive tuition fees make studying abroad a bit difficult, so here are some of the ways you can study abroad for free:

• Seek out financial aid. Apply to the Indonesia Endowment Funds for Education (LPDP) which is offered to students by the Indonesian Ministry of Finance.
• Check out university scholarships. Apply by submitting your academic transcript, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. 
• Earn while you learn. Learn for cheaper by working a part-time job along with your studies to take off some of the financial burdens of studying abroad.

However, not everyone can receive funds or apply for university scholarships. In order to receive the rewards from either the Indonesia Endowment Funds for Education (LPDP) or from university scholarships, you need to meet their standards. Whether it be scoring a certain number on a test, or maintaining a minimum GPA, not everyone can get access to the rewards from these benefactors. 

With that being said, these are some of the best methods that you can try in order to study abroad for free. Seeking out funds from the Indonesia Endowment Funds for Education (LPDP), applying for university scholarships, and the “earn while you learn” method are all ways that can help you combat the expensive tuition given by universities abroad.

Want to know more about how you can study abroad for free? Read the full article here!

Writing a Study Abroad Essay

You might be thinking, what on earth is a study abroad essay? In summary, a study abroad essay is a part of the application process where you share your goals, experiences, and reasons for studying abroad with the college admissions board. This essay will help university admission officers have a better understanding of who you are, what you want, and why their program is the right fit for you.

Writing a study abroad essay can be quite challenging, so here are some tips and tricks to help you write a study abroad essay:

1. Brainstorm. Make a list of the reasons why you want to study abroad. This will help you get an idea of what to write about.
2. Show your personality. Be yourself when you write and try adding a personal story that relates to why you want to study abroad. But this depends on where you are applying to.
3. Don't forget to proofread! Don't submit your essay right when you finish so that you can fix typos or awkward sentences.

Writing a study abroad essay is by no means an easy task. It's going to be frustrating, and you're probably going to come across many problems as you write your essay. However, you must persevere because the essay is a vital part of the application process, and getting accepted to your dream university will outweigh the frustrations of writing the essay.

With that being said, these tips will help you write your essay for study abroad. Brainstorming, showing your personality, and proofreading are all ways that you can effectively write a good study abroad essay. Show the university admission officers that they should accept you because their university is the right fit for you.

Want to know more about how you can write a study abroad essay? Read the full article here!

Extra Scholarships to Study Abroad

Studying abroad can open many doors of opportunity for international students. Not only does it provide a good level of education, but it also teaches students important lessons, such as how to be independent. It is no secret to anyone that studying abroad is very expensive, but this doesn't have to stop you. Scholarships are a brilliant way to help pay for your university tuition. 

If you are struggling to find which universities provide scholarship programs, here are some of the best scholarship programs that you can apply to:

• Provost's Scholarship for Excellence, a 4-year USD $6,000 scholarship program from Oregon State University, United States.
• Principal's Scholarship, a CAD $4,000 scholarship program from Queen's University, Canada.
• The University of Adelaide Global Citizens Scholarship, a 15-30% discount on the tuition fee from The University of Adelaide, Australia.
• International Achievement Freshman Scholarship, a USD $16,000-$40,000 scholarship program from Oklahoma State University, United States.

Keep in mind that these university scholarship applications are not for everyone. You will need to meet the standards set by the college admissions board if you want to enroll in the university. Each university has a different requirement, so if you find one that you like, you need to focus on achieving according to the requirements of that university. Moreover, when you get accepted, you will still need to maintain good grades in order to keep your scholarship. 

Other than that, studying abroad will teach you important lessons in life, and give you a good education at the same time. Scholarships not only allow you to freely achieve your academic goals while studying abroad but also force you to work hard in order to meet the requirements of the university during the application process.

For more on scholarships to study abroad, read the full article here!

Conclusion

And that's it! Remember that you should not make any decisions about your study abroad plans instantly. Instead, try to learn as much as you can and take your time to land a well-informed decision so that you can make the most out of your study abroad. Best of luck!

It's never too early to begin the search for scholarships. Little did you know, scholarship doesn't only give you a cost benefit, but also could help you for your future prospects.

Download “University Preparation Guidebook: Scholarship Edition” Guidebook to find out all the things you need to know before applying for scholarships. It's FREE, download here.

If you still feel lost in your study abroad planning, ALL-in will happily assist you!

What we can do for you:

1. Maximise your university entrance prep with Admission Mentoring.
2. Explore your interests and dive into different industries through Career Exploration.
3. Improve your grades and knowledge through Academic Tutoring.
4. Highlight your personal brand through the Writing Skills improvement program.

Let's #TakeOnYourFuture with ALL-in Eduspace! Remember, #itsALLintheprep!