MIT or NTU? NUS or Havard? LASELLE or AFI?
A major dilemma that almost every student will face is choosing the right university.
Some may decide to study in a local university and enjoy the benefits of subsidised fees and being at home.
Other adventurous ones may choose to venture overseas to study in a foreign land.
If you are one of the adventurous ones but still unsure which option you should pick, then you have come to the right place!
We are going to be breaking down the different factors that you will need to consider before opting to study overseas.
Budget
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One major downside of studying overseas is the cost, which includes tuition, application and living fees.
The main benefit of studying locally is that the tuition fees are subsidised by the government, especially if you are a Singaporean citizen.
However, there are several public universities, in Europe especially, that offer free or subsidised tuition for international students.
Some of these countries include Germany, Estonia and Denmark.
With that being said, you should still consider the living costs, as countries like Germany are notorious for having high costs of living, which include housing and travel expenses.
School Prestige
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One of the main things that your relatives, friends and parents would ask you first is, “What school ah?”
As expected, the more prestigious the school, the harder it is to get in.
Notable schools like Havard and Stanford only accept 3.59% of all applications yearly!
If your A Levels grade or Polytechnic GPA is on the higher end, and your portfolio is reasonably sized, then you might stand a chance to be the rare few that gets accepted to the ‘elite’ universities.
Don’t be discouraged though! As long as you display a strong level in interest and have either a good portfolio or decent grades (or both), the school would definitely take you into consideration.
Australian universities are also on the rise as one of the top destinations for international students due to their strong proponents of internationalisation.
Grades
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How are your grades?
Different universities across the world have different admission requirements.
As schools gradually move away from the stigma that ‘only grades matter’ and ‘grades are the most important’, they start to look towards portfolios and experience.
So even if your grades are not mind-blowing or outstanding, you can make up for it by building up your portfolio with apprenticeships and internships.
Displaying a strong interest in the field by means such as personal projects and schoolwork can also help boost your portfolio.
Grades do not mean everything!
Cultural Differences
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Are you the adventurous kind that loves new places and meeting new people? Then overseas universities might be the right fit for you!
The most important aspect of studying abroad is whether you can adapt to your new surroundings.
Different languages, food, customs and weather might unsettle those who have no experience being in a different country for long periods of time.
And naturally, homesickness.
Conclusion
Studying overseas is scary yet exciting for many.
Although there might be a few uncertainties ahead, there is no doubt that the experience will be worth it in the end.
There is no right or wrong answer to the titular question “Should you study university overseas?”, and whichever path you choose, we are
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