All You Ought to Know About Studying Abroad

Our today’s world is increasingly becoming more and more competitive. To cope with the present dynamics of this competitive world, a quality education is much more necessary. For students in developing world, studying abroad is an opportunity, which allows them to gain quality education and to earn degree from prestigious universities. Furthermore, students also learn about different culture, language, history and adaptive skills. These hard earned skills and degrees enable them to compete in their own market and help their countries in upgrading their knowledge base. Also, these courses are an important tool to increase people-to-people exchange and develop diplomatic relations at macro-level.

Thus, it is important to understand every aspect of studying abroad. Typically, a student can go abroad for any level of education – primary, secondary and higher education. But as in the majority of cases students take decision to go for undergrad and postgrad courses, we will focus on information regarding these courses.

Requirements for studying abroad

Students who are planning to go abroad for studying should carefully check requirements. Note that there are two types of requirements: general requirements and then there are requirements which are related to the particular course a student is planning to pursue.

1.      Scores from Professional courses
Depending upon the education level being pursued, students will have to submit scores from professional courses. For undergraduate programs, students are normally asked to submit SAT score, while for post-graduate programs students are asked to submit GRE (for sciences and humanities) or GMAT (for management studies) score.

Along with the above general aptitude tests, language fluency tests are also required. There are mainly two tests in this category – IELTS (accepted widely in the UK and Europe) or TOEFL (accepted widely in the US). Note that language fluency tests are considered more important as a good score means easier adaptation for a student in a foreign environment.

Additionally, for certain higher courses (mainly in life sciences), universities ask for subject GRE scores as this helps panel members in benchmarking student’s knowledge level with American students.

2.      Scholarships and Funding
Studying abroad is most likely a costly affair. A typical student has to take care of tuition fees, accommodation cost, sustenance cost, and travel cost. Aspiring students can apply for scholarships sponsored by universities or private funders. These scholarships are very competitive. If you are planning to study in Europe, there’s a great opportunity to compete for a scholarship offered by the European Erasmus Programme in which more than 200.000 students are taking part annually. For more information we recommend to read this article elaborating on the Erasmus Programme. Remember that your performance in your school is not the only factor to determine for scholarship. Panel members look for students who have been performing well consistently, have good scores in above-mentioned tests and have a goal in life.

3.      Faculty
It is very important to gather as much information about faculties as possible. Go to online forums to find out whether the concerned faculty teaches well or not.

4.      Travel preparation
While preparing for your trip, make sure not to forget the following things:

• Passport
• Insurance documents
• Duly issued air tickets
• Invitation letter from the university
• Excess currency at least to the tune of two months sustenance bills
• Arrange accommodation beforehand

Author bio: Jeff is a motivated undergraduate student who works as a freelance writer at SolidEssay.com, which is a research paper writing service helping students structure and format their research work.

England for Students

Being an international student means something more than paying attention to a teacher or professor and passing the exams. It’s about embracing a new culture, a new mentality, a new lifestyle. Some love this, others find it more difficult to adapt. There’s no right or wrong here.

Those who prefer to experiment will find themselves with so many things to be learnt.

Take study in England for instance. There are quite many locations, all different, yet all equal, united by the same high quality level of teaching offered. Cambridge, Oxford, London and Brighton are just a few of the names that boast with irreproachable professors, abundant resources and a buzzing atmosphere that students will immediately be drawn to.

Let’s take Cambridge and Oxford.

To many, they are pretty much the same – some sort of Mecca of higher education. Well, not quite so – they are as reachable as any other university and the people here are as friendly as anywhere else. On top, there are special colleges that offer university preparation courses so as to make sure that if one truly wants to study here or anywhere else in the UK, one will succeed.

Although placed in the same “pot”, there are still some misconceptions that are worth mentioning. For instance, there is the impression that Oxford is stronger in politics and the humanities, while Cambridge is stronger in the sciences and engineering. Despite both universities stressing the idea that there is no major difference in either the sciences or humanities, this belief seems to stem back from as early as 1820s. It is true that significant changes have been made in the recent years, like Cambridge’s diversification away from intense mathematical study and Oxford’s focus on scientific research, yet, Oxford offers the course of Philosophy, Politics and Economics, which Cambridge does not. Bill Gates gives scholarships to Cambridge, while Oxford is home to the Rhodes Scholarship, one of the most prestigious awards for graduates. It seems that there is some truth in the popular belief after all…

While there’s a certain rivalry between the two, there’s also cooperation, best exemplified by the so-called ‘Oxbridge’. Most Oxford colleges have a sister college in Cambridge and both universities have promoted themselves to potential applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Some writers associated with Oxford include John Fowles, Aldous Huxley, Oscar Wilde, Graham Greene, while Charles Darwin, Alan Turing, David Attenborough, Stephen Hawking are associated with Cambridge.

Might want to try Brighton

A cosmopolitan city with two universities; also England’s favourite seaside resort. Famous in the past for its “bathing machines” that the aristocracy would use to take “health baths”, famous now for the vibrant atmosphere that students simply love. Rightly nicknamed London by the sea, it has great, varied architecture and that peculiar “air” that only seaside locations have.

London – well, it’s London

That’s it. Famous and prestigious universities and colleges, people from all over the world, interesting cultures, interesting food and so many things to do and see. And it’s not just about the British Museum or Madame Tussauds, preferred by older generation tourists, it’s about discovering places like Greenwich, Camden Market, Spitalfields, Portobello Market and Angel. Vintage clothing, amazing bric-a-brac, old photos, museum replicas, delicious affordable food and so many interesting people.

Being a student is an adventure, and all the more if you happen to be an international student. There are things to be learnt from books and teachers, and things to be learnt from a city, its food, its buildings and its people. Enjoy!

This is a guest post written on behalf of Bellerbys College – helping international students achieve their ambitions. Feel free to visit them and see if they can help you.

A Successful Return after International Studies

When studying internationally, you certainly get a flavor for the culture you’re being exposed to. Certainly, that’s the chief reason why people want to study abroad; they want to gain a greater understanding of the world in which they live and perhaps learn some new skills along the way. However, how do you successfully return home and get back to the life you’d temporarily left behind? How do you get your life back?

1. Getting ready to go home:
This is probably one of the hardest parts of ending your overseas studies. You’ve worked through all your papers, seen the sights, likely enjoyed the local food and drink, and taken more pictures than you’d ever thought possible. How do you get ready? Hopefully you’ve been keeping a journal about your experiences. The remaining time you spend in the country you’ve unofficially adopted is a perfect time to reflect on what you got out of your experience. Ask yourself questions like:

• What did I learn about my country?
• What did I learn about myself?
• Did I accomplish everything I set out to?
• What will I miss the most?

These and other like-minded questions will go a long way in helping you reflect on your experiences and discovering what you’ve learned overall. Asking yourself questions such as these may also help you solidify what you most look forward to about returning home. In addition to the memorabilia you’ve collected over your time abroad, you may also want to pack up your memories, as they will likely have been your richest learning experience.

2. Realizing it’s not all rosy:
Home ain’t always where the heart is. In fact, after participating in international studies, it’s quite likely that home is the last place you’re thinking about after you’ve been back a while. You may find that you miss the country you’d been studying in. You may also find that hearing English spoken everywhere is a bit of a surprise. People may misunderstand that some of the new behaviors you’ve adopted are not affectations, but ways you learned how to behave while abroad. Some of your relationships, in fact, may have changed altogether, as the significant people in your life may see growth and change in you where they didn’t before and now feel somewhat threatened. Be brief in your explanations, try not to engage in behavior that seems like you’re putting on airs and hopefully those who matter most to you will be able to look and realize that you’ve grown and changed as a result of your overseas time.

3. Exercise:
Because returning to your country of origin is almost always tinged with a mixed bag of emotions, it’s important to maintain a steady exercise routine. It’s been proven that exercise helps with the sadness that is associated with a return from overseas travel, so why not try to exercise regularly when you return to your country of origin? That can help you also gain some clarity of thought in those first few days back in your own home, and you’ll be a bit able to understand what exactly you learned during your time away.

4. Make a Friend (or Several):
It’s all too easy when you return from an exciting international study adventure to suddenly isolate yourself and withdraw. Other people just won’t get where you’re coming from. However, you know that you can’t just hide away; go out, make a few new friends.

These are but a few of the things you can do to make your return from overseas studies that much easier. While we predominantly fool ourselves into believing our return home from international studies will be no problem, in reality, it is.

Christina St-Jean is an English teacher based in Ontario, Canada and contributor to Degree Jungle. When she’s not teaching or writing – or teaching about writing – she’s spending time with her two young daughters, likely doing karate.

How to Protect your Identity while Traveling Abroad

Traveling to another country can be an enlightening and sometimes life changing experience. You can learn about an entirely different culture and meet people who live speak a different language, enjoy a different array of cuisine and take in all of the new sites. Along with all of this fun, comes the danger of having your identity stolen. By the time you get back home and check on your finances, the damage may already have been done. In order to protect yourself from becoming the next victim you should know what to look for and how to guard yourself from identity theft.

How Can I avoid Scams and Criminals?

The best way to avoid a scam is to be aware of your environment. There are some simple things that you can do in order to keep yourself from becoming a victim of Identity theft.

• Never use your credit card on a publicly used computer or in a free Wi-Fi area on your laptop or smartphone.
• Set up an account with a protection agency, such as Lifelock. They can monitor your accounts and personal information. If they see something that looks suspicious they will contact you. If a thief is trying to open an account in your name, they will be stopped before the damage can be done.
• Follow a set identity theft protection plan designed around your household. It should include methods for keeping your information safe and a plan for removing documents securely from the home that are considered trash.
• Think about opening up a mail box at the post office. This way no one can steal your mail from your mailbox while you are on vacation.

What Kind of Setups Should I Be Looking For?

One popular approach that thieves like to impose on tourists is called the, “Front Desk Credit Card Scam.” This ploy involves you getting a call in the middle of the night asking for you to give you information over the phone since your card did not scan right. The agent claims that they need to scan your information again to charge you for the room. So in the morning you go down to check out and find out that the front desk did not call you, but rather a stranger has run off with your information.

Another ploy to watch out for involves you being at a bank machine. The thief watches you as you begin the process and will approach you just as the money comes out of the machine. They will ask you a question designed to distract you long enough for them to grab the money and run.

Finally, watch out for the stolen wallet routine. Here the thief places the wallet on the ground just waiting for an honest person to pick it up. Keep in mind that at the same time there might be an accomplice watching and waiting for the right time to pick your pocket.

Do not let your future be destroyed because of someone stealing your identity. Take the steps today to protect your life, finances and good name.

Erasmus in Granada

Erasmates!

We found a funny and informative video for all students interested in an Erasmus exchange to Granada. Listen to some information about Granada with it’s many Universities, Erasmus exchange students, insides on where to party and information about housing in Spain.

Watch the video here.

Erasmus in Finland

When thinking about Finland, what comes to most people’s minds first are saunas, reindeers in snowy winters, and endless midsummer nights! And, well, it is true, those are all characteristics of Finland, which you are about to experience when choosing for the land of the thousand lakes as your Erasmus destination!

While many people go to the University of Helsinki for their exchange period, we would like to point out that there are more universities that are happy to welcome Erasmus students! From the 10 multidisciplinary universities of Finland, two have now joined Erasmate. Both Jyväskylän Yliopisto and Turun Yliopisto (here’s your first Finnish lesson: Yliopisto = University!) decided to become Erasmate partners to help their students find accommodation abroad and offer rooms for their incoming students from all over Europe.

If you are going on Erasmus to Finland, create your search profile for a room now or browse the list of available accommodation.

Nauti Suomi!

Special offers

Today we would like to share some different websites with you to buy your books, flights and arrange your student bank account and/or visa card.
 
For all Erasmus students in Switzerland, check out BOL.  Here you can buy your travel guides, study books and way more readings.
 
Are you planning to go to Warsaw - Poland for your exchange? Book your flight at our partner BravoFly. In case you’re living in Poland and want to fly out to another European country, we recommend eSky for cheap flights.
 
Erasmus students in Portugal, this might be an interesting website for you guys: www.exit.pt. In case you have some days of and want to check out what more this country has to offer, book your short trip here.
 
Finally, a recommendation for all Erasmus students in Belgium. During your exchange period in Belgium, you might have a site job to financially support yourself. In most cases Belgium employers request a national bank account to transfer the money to. Have a look here to open a student account and request your Visa card at PNB Paribas-Fortis.

For other special savings, check out our constantly updated student deals!

Travel Insurances

It might seem as a minor details and too much hassle to go through… But have you thought about arranging an insurance for your travelling during your Erasmus year?

We keep our fingers crossed for you that nothing will happen to you, but not only might you have problems when going to your final Erasmus destination; you may also want to travel around during the year and that always involves certain risks.

Even if you are the most careful person on the planet, there is unfortunately always a chance that due to someone else’s fault you get into problems.

That’s why we recommend you Columbus Direct for an affordable travel insurance. You can currently get a quote with their Spanish, Italian and German offices:

Spanish:	Italian:	German:

For further insurance options in other countries, you can also request a quote on travel insurances from our other partner, WorldNomads.com.