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General Overseas Education Questions
Why should I go abroad, when I can get the same
education at a lower cost in my country?
When should I start my application process?
Why should I apply overseas for my education?
Which countries can I study in?
Pre-Admission and Finance Questions
What is the cost of education in the US?
What is the meaning of a ranked school’?
Who ranks a school? (Top 50 or beyond...)
What is the criterion to get into a ranked
school?
Will I get any sort of scholarships from
Universities ranked in the Top-50?
What kind of financial aids are available for
undergraduate students?
On-Campus Questions
What is a semester?
What is a Fall/Spring/Summer term entry? Is there a
difference in these?
How many students will be there in my class?
What are on-campus jobs?
What are graduate assistantships?
Personal Questions
What is the student life abroad?
How safe am I living alone?
How do I contact any other students of my
nationality in my future college?
Will I need to learn foreign languages before I go?
How often can I come back home?
Can I take my parents / spouse with me?
Why should I apply overseas for my education?
An education abroad would provide you with invaluable
experiences. The international exposure, a high-quality education, the
wide range of subjects to choose from and the flexibility of curriculum are some
of the most attractive features of studying abroad. At the end of your
education, you would become a more evolved individual with better job prospects
globally. In short, an education overseas will give you a cutting edge
over your peers.
Why should I go abroad, when I can get the same
education at a lower cost in my country?
Yes you may argue that you could be doing the same degree
‘per se’ at a lower cost. But you will still miss out on the quality of
education, flexibility in curriculum, state-of-art technology, numerous
universities to make a choice from and working in well-equipped laboratories
where you will learn of the most recent trends in the industry. Above all
you will return back with an internationally recognized degree that will be your
passport to some of the most competitive jobs globally. All of this adds up to
an opportunity worth striving for!
Which countries can I study in?
The popular choices are English speaking countries such
as: United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada. Students
interested in Hotel Management can explore their options at Switzerland. For
other specific courses, there are some good schools in France and
Singapore. However, language may pose to be a barrier and you may need to gain
relative amount of fluency in a language other than English or French.
What is the cost of education in the US?
Costs of education vary from one state to the other,
particularly the cost of living. For example, an education in the USA
would cost you anywhere between $10,000 to $40,000 per annum (It would also be
worthwhile to know at this stage that these costs increase annually on grounds
of inflation at approx. 8% each year).
What is the meaning of a ranked school’?
Schools get ranked on the following parameters (this is not
comprehensive list but indicative) -
- The majors they offer
- Graduation rate
- Student-teacher ratio
- Number of Ph.D.'s among the teaching faculty
- Research funds & grants
- The number of applications for admission received per year
- The number of Ph.D.'s that graduate
- The number of research articles that they have been able to publish
- Placement services
- Percentage of students getting jobs 3 months after graduation
- Average starting salary of students after placement
Who ranks a school? (Top 50 or beyond...)
There are various organizations that rank universities;
however the most popular one is the US News Review. Others would include
Business Week, The Time Magazine and Financial Times.
What is the criterion to get into a ranked
school?
Admission in various rankings of schools depends on:
- Academic profile
- Scores on standardized tests like the SAT, GMAT, TOEFL and GRE
- Recommendation letters
- Reflection of your personality in your essays
- Achievements (academic/non-academic)
- Work experience and resume if you are an MBA student
- Portfolio if you are an art student
Will I get any sort of scholarships from
Universities ranked in the Top-50?
At the undergraduate level, ranked schools do not give
financial assistance on the basis of need. But there are exceptions and some
offer scholarships based on merit or need based assistance. The
scholarship award varies. However, the Liberal Arts programs are quite
generous. As a Master’s student you will receive applications for
assistantships along with the application for admissions. These
assistantships may range from half tuition to a full tuition waiver. MBA
students too may gain merit -based scholarships.
What kind of financial aids are available for
undergraduate students?
At the undergraduate level there a large number of colleges
that offer need based financial aid. Students who are green card holders
or permanent citizens of America can file the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA). American citizens and green card holders can also
apply for financial aid through the CSS Profile. All international
students who do not have a green card and are citizens of countries other than
America must file the Foreign Student Financial aid form (FAF).
What is the student life abroad?
As a student when you go abroad you should be prepared for
the following:
- A different educational system
- A difference in culture
- Independence – living away from home
- Hard work and long hours
- Responsibility and self- reliance
- Abiding to the rules of the University and the Law of the country
How safe am I living alone?
Contrary to what is believed, the campuses are as safe as
your own home is. College campuses are well equipped with excellent
security systems, a part of the state-of-the-art technology. Most universities
have campus police and a "Campus Escort Service". If you happen to be
working in a laboratory or a library until late at night, you can call the
service and a trained student volunteer will escort you home.
How do I contact any other students of my
nationality in my future college?
A large number of University’s have an Asian community.
Every University has an administrative office or homepage dedicated to
international students. You can look up the University home page of your future
college or email the International Students Office (ISO) to learn about other
students from you nationality.
Will I need to learn foreign languages before I
go?
The basic language of instruction in the United States,
United Kingdom and Australia is English. If you are planning to attend a
Canadian University, you need to know some basic French. Some Canadian
provinces like Quebec generally use French. You would need to be savvy with
foreign languages if you were going to European countries such as Germany,
France and Switzerland.
Can I take my parents / spouse with me?
The US Law only permits students to take their dependents
along. Your father or mother is not your dependent and hence they must
travel on a B1 visa or Tourist status. You can take your spouse or children as
your dependents, on the F2 visa.
When should I start my application process?
One year before you are scheduled to leave for your degree
overseas would be an appropriate time for you to start the application process.
You will need to factor in dates to take the standardized tests keeping enough
preparation time, giving the school and recommender’s enough leeway to organize
paperwork required for your application process. Please check ‘Our
Process’.
What is a semester?
Every school divides its academic year into 2 or 3 terms,
which are called semesters or trimesters. More often than not, a term or
semester is equivalent to 4 months of the calendar year. Some universities
follow the quarter system wherein the calendar year is broken into four quarters
or four terms.
What is a Fall/Spring/Summer term entry?
Is there a difference in these?
Most schools, typically in the United States have three
terms of entry - Fall, Spring and Summer. As the term suggests, the
academic term begins in those seasons. Fall term begins in August or September.
Spring term in January and summer term begins in May/June. A few colleges
which have the quarter system have a slight difference. Fall term begins in
August / September, winter term begins in November / December and the spring
term begins in March and summer term begins end of May.
How many students will be there in my class?
Every school has its own teacher to student ratio.
When you receive your application package for various school this ratio will be
mentioned. Generally the student faculty ratio is 1:15. What is an exchange
program / study abroad program? Am I eligible? An exchange program is one
where a foreign University ties up with a local University in your country for a
specific period of time for specific programs. If your academic profile is
good you may be eligible for this exchange program.
What are on-campus jobs?
An international student on an F1 visa status is allowed to
work up to 20 hours/week on campus as per the American laws. The average
earning is approximately $7 per hour. Students may find employment in the
library, computer centre, horticulture department, or cafeteria. This
income can be used towards paying for one’s personal expenses and food bills.
What are graduate assistantships?
Graduate assistantships are awarded to students purely on
the basis of merit. These can be in the form of a Research or teaching
assistantship. Professors at various Universities employ students as
Research Assistants for projects that are being researched. Teaching assistants
are employed by professors to conduct lectures for junior classes that the
student is well versed in or to grade papers.
How often can I come back home?
You can come back after the completion of any semester,
whenever you have a semester break. Your multiple entry visas will allow
you to fly even mid-semester in case of a family emergency. /p>
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