If you’re thinking of venturing overseas to study, you’ve probably got a ton of questions running through your mind.
Will you hate it and get homesick? Will studying abroad help your career? Is it tough to apply and get accepted into overseas universities?
Most importantly - Is studying abroad worth it?
The answer is a resounding yes. While studying overseas is a big commitment that involves a great deal of time and money, it’s also beneficial to you in many ways.
On a practical note, getting an overseas degree opens up many opportunities to you, and puts you on the path to success. That aside, studying overseas also helps you grow and become more independent as an individual.
In this blog post, we share 5 benefits of studying abroad. Read on to find out more!
#1: Gain An Edge In Your Future Career Or Grad School
One of the best reasons to study abroad is… it allows you to gain an edge when applying to a graduate school, or to your very first job!
Now, the key to getting hired (or getting admitted to graduate school) lies in standing out amongst all the other candidates. Assuming you’ve done a stint overseas, this will definitely help you to gain a leg up on your competition.
#2: Grow Beyond Your Comfort Zone While Having An Adventure
Ever heard that phrase, life begins at the end of your comfort zone?
Sure, staying in Malaysia is easy and comfortable, and going overseas (where you’ll have to be 100% independent) is terrifying.
But as you tackle new challenges and navigate the tricky terrain of being an overseas student, you’ll find yourself becoming more confident and capable, and growing in ways you never expected.
#3: Discover New Interests & New Cultures
When you study abroad, the experience opens up your eyes to an exciting composition of new culture, way of life and other intriguing interests or hobbies.
Heading to the UK? You’ll get to watch football live at famous Premier League stadiums like Anfield and the Emirates, especially if you’re a big football fan.
Studying in Australia? It’s possible that you’ll fall in love with their amazing cafe culture and maybe even attempt training to be a barista.
As long as you’re open to trying out new things, you’ve got plenty of options!
#4: Make Interesting Life-long Friends
As an international student, you get an excellent opportunity to bond with other students and make lifelong friends. Take it from us… these friends will become your home away from home, and you’ll grow to love them dearly.
Now, you may or may not get to see these friends frequently once you graduate (depending on whether you’re moving back to your home country). That said, when you do get to meet your friends, it’ll be like you never left.
#5: Pick Up & Learn A New Language
To wrap up our list of benefits of studying abroad, this also makes it easy for you to learn a new language.
Of course, you can always use Duolingo to learn a language regardless of where you are, but being immersed in another country’s culture (and being forced to use a particular language) will speed the process up a lot.
Chances are, you’ll return home speaking a third language fluently. How cool is that?
Should You Study Abroad?
At the end of the day, studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that’s not to be missed. In other words: it’s definitely worth your time and money.
If you’re keen on going overseas to study, but you’re not sure exactly how to go about doing this, we’re here to support you.
Here at IDP, we’ll walk you through the process of applying to study overseas, including:
Giving you advice on what course to take
Applying for your course and student visa
Preparing for your departure
Here’s to experiencing student life overseas, and embarking on an amazing adventure!
