Studying abroad offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture and gain new perspectives on life.
It also gives you the chance to build your résumé and network with professionals from around the world while learning skills that will help you be successful in your career. Click the link below to apply:
While studying abroad has plenty of benefits, it’s important to remember that there are drawbacks as well. As with any major decision, it’s important to weigh these out before making the leap.
Below, we outline some of the pros and cons of studying abroad so you can make an informed decision about whether this opportunity is right for you!
SEE: Study in USA Scholarship for International Students
Why it is Worth Studying Abroad
Travel is exciting, but also a little scary. You’re leaving home for an unknown time period.
Sure, you’ll have to leave your friends and family behind; what’s more frightening is that you’ll never really know what awaits on the other side.
When thinking about studying abroad, there are a lot of questions: How much will it cost? What about visas? Will I be safe? Studying abroad can be an exciting adventure, but you should know all of its advantages and disadvantages before deciding whether or not to go.
To help you decide whether or not studying abroad is right for you, we’ve outlined some of its key advantages and disadvantages below.
Before reading further, take a moment to ask yourself if any of these apply to you: Are you willing to spend money on travel?
Are you able to live in another country without knowing anyone? Are you interested in learning about another culture and language? If so, then studying abroad might be worth considering!
List of 5 Main Benefits
Studying abroad offers a diverse, new experience that is unlike anything else.
- You’ll get to go somewhere far from home and live in a different country for an extended period of time.
- Studying abroad gives you more real world experience, thus making you more attractive to future employers.
- When studying abroad, it is very likely that you will be able to gain some type of professional work experience.
Some schools allow students to pursue internships or work study programs while studying abroad. Studying abroad will also open your eyes up to new cultures.
Even if it is only for a semester or two, being exposed to new cultures will allow you to learn so much about yourself as well as other people around you who come from completely different backgrounds than your own.
- Studying abroad can help improve your language skills. If you are going to be living in another country, then it is highly likely that you will need to speak at least some level of their native language.
The longer you are there, the better chance you have at improving your language skills.
- Studying abroad allows students to meet new people from all over the world which can make for great networking opportunities later on down the road.
Networking with others can lead to connections with potential mentors or even possible job opportunities after graduation.
The main drawbacks
Language barrier: The benefits of a second language can’t be overstated, even if you don’t plan to visit a country where it is spoken.
Learning another language is like another door into understanding human life on Earth.
In an increasingly global society, knowing more than one language means access to more opportunity.
Jobs that require fluency in multiple languages are becoming more common by the day, as global business becomes less regionalized with new generations of entrepreneurial businesspeople exploring both domestic and international markets.
Studying abroad also means being able to communicate effectively with friends, family members, colleagues and classmates from all over.
Being able to speak their language will help you better understand your peers from different cultures – but only if you take advantage of it! If you study abroad without learning at least some basics of your host country’s primary language, then what was the point?
You might have fun for a few weeks or months before moving back home again – but what did you really gain?
A good time? Or true cultural immersion? A great way to learn another language is through immersion programs available at many colleges around the world.
How you can Overcome the Drawbacks
When it comes to studying abroad, an obvious advantage is that you get to travel.
The negative side of that equation can mean added expense (particularly if you want to do an extended study abroad program), and dealing with jet lag.
If you plan ahead, however, there are a lot of things you can do to make sure your experience is rewarding without a ton of hassles.
One way is to start planning early—the earlier, in fact, while you’re still in school.
Before diving into a full semester abroad or a summer program or another kind of extended stay opportunity, investigate what kinds of resources your university offers for preparing international students for their time away from home.
Many schools have offices dedicated to helping their students study abroad, and they can be invaluable sources of information about everything from practical concerns like housing options to cultural issues like how not to offend local sensibilities.
You may also find out about opportunities for internships or other types of work during your time overseas that will help you build skills as well as contacts when you return home.
Conclusion
Studying abroad is an experience that will stay with you for life. Whether studying abroad will help or hurt your grades, it all depends on how much effort you put into it.
When it comes to studying in a foreign country, many students may be afraid of being left behind by their peers who are not as willing to study abroad, but with dedication any student can find themselves excelling in their classes abroad just as well as they did at home.
Overall studying abroad is one of those experiences that everyone should do at least once in their lifetime; so don’t worry about what people say if they think you’re crazy for even considering studying in a foreign country, just remember that with hard work comes great rewards! Good luck on your study abroad adventure.
