Find your 'Iron in the Fire'

Victoria D'Sa
Every year thousands of students travel abroad in the hope to pursue their dreams and see a brighter future. Despite the recent economic downfall which has led to the rapid fall of the rupee, the number of students going abroad to pursue their studies has not dwindled. The reason why the number of students going abroad has not reduced is because there has been a rise in the number of countries offering courses at lower fee rates without decreasing the quality in education.

Countries like Germany and Norway require a lot of skilled labor and thus have decided to fund the entire course fees of the foreign students planning to pursue their masters. But in the U.S., students hoping to pursue an Engineering program or a MBA will have to spend anywhere between Rs.15 lakhs to Rs.40 lakhs and Rs.15 lakhs to Rs.70 lakhs respectively. Apart from the fee structure, students also look at job opportunities in the country they are planning to pursue their studies.

Over the past couple of years there has been a decrease in the job opportunities in the U.S. as a result the number of students going to pursue their higher studies have decreased as well. Despite this the U.S. is still one of the primary destinations that students look at in order to pursue their studies. But recently, countries such as Germany, Norway, France, Spain, Netherlands, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand as well have become popular destinations for students hoping to pursue their studies abroad and get good job opportunities.

While students primarily move abroad to get good jobs that pay well, they also gain a lot of in depth knowledge. The courses that students pursue abroad give them opportunities such as specializing in the field of their choice and as well as international exposure. Studying abroad also helps strengthen their resumes even if the students decide to come back to India and work here.

In the past, the only students who would go abroad to study and get good paying jobs had to be intelligent. However, the situation in the present has changed. Now, students who are average or poor academically are also able to pursue their studies abroad and get well paid jobs. The students are able to understand the concepts better as the courses are taught more practically with the help of case studies, assignments and research projects. For instance, one of our students who got depressed as he had secured only 53 percent in his bachelor in technology degree was not able get a job. However, he decided to pursue a masters course in Germany and at present is on the verge of completing it and getting a good job.

Important Facts to Keep in Mind

Students who wish to study abroad must sit with their family and plan the situation out properly. In order to understand the steps and procedures that are involved to get admissions in universities abroad, students along with their families can also seek the guidance and advice of the career counselors. Students have to submit all their educational documents properly and truthfully in order to get their visa. Students can avail loans from any of the banks in order to fund their studies if they are facing a financial crisis. Vineeth�s family did not have sufficient money in the bank and therefore applied for a loan by mortgaging their home in order to help him pay the fees. Students are able to obtain a visa only after they present all the necessary documents as per the country�s visa checklist. An important fact that all students must observe is that they do not make the foreign country officials feel like they are potential immigrants.

Before travelling to the country of their choice, students must always research about the country, culture, people, behavior and rules. Victoria mentions that in order to pay for their daily expenses students can pursue part time jobs. Students who wish to pursue their studies in other countries besides Singapore can work for 20 hours on week days and full time during holidays. By communicating with the faculty members and student associations, students can get jobs within the university or part time jobs in the city. Most students who pursue courses in most foreign countries are given a stay back option which varies from one to two years. With the stay back option students receive more time to search for jobs as there is no campus recruitment. Students must always ensure to stay focused and work hard while going abroad as it provides them great opportunities, which furthermore allow them to afford a better lifestyle.

GECS is a professional Overseas Education Consultancy firm based in Bangalore India, with several years of experience in placing students in the right universities in the U.S, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, France and Singapore.

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