International experience increasingly counts as a bonus point on a resume. Not only does it open up new professional and academic perspectives - which is what study abroad has primarily advertised in the past - but it is also a good boost if you want a promotion or personal growth - by leaving the familiar place, purely in a new life adventure, where self-reliance, independence, and flexibility are achieved.
When deciding to study abroad, one should consider some general advantages and disadvantages in addition to personal, very individual motives.
Advantages of Studying Abroad
Studying abroad brings some noteworthy advantages, and not just for one's career. Personality also benefits from the decision to be educated abroad.
Most classes for international students are conducted in English, but there is also an intensive improvement and refinement of foreign language skills, making an international career much more enjoyable and easier to pursue.
By facing new educational and university systems with different focuses and teaching methods, one is simultaneously confronted with new perspectives. It is always important to broaden one's horizons and to be able to grow. Above all, some important soft skills are reinforced, which can only be an advantage and at the same time give you a head start in your career, since independence, adaptability, as well as the confident handling of foreign, stressful situations, these are useful key skills in any field. These qualities are almost mandatory if you want to gain a foothold and have to find your way in a foreign, new environment.
Furthermore, when you study abroad, intercultural skills are promoted and improved. Through contact with foreign cultures and new people, new interesting connections can be formed, from which friendships can develop all over the world. Meanwhile, many personnel departments even require that the candidate has studied abroad.
It is also worth mentioning that foreign universities might have better study conditions as they receive more funding. Many universities invest the tuition fees directly in the university and the teaching. Learning often takes place in smaller groups, the relationship between teachers and students is, therefore, closer and the success is more obtainable. Rooms and technical equipment are often above the medium level and offer comprehensive resources for the planned educational path.
If you do not like the course of studies, or if there are other personal difficulties, you may be able to continue your studies in your country after the first year.
Disadvantages of Studying Abroad
One of the disadvantages comes your way when you decide to study in a country where English is not the main language. A large proportion of all textbooks in the world are in English, so in this department, you will not have any problems, but day-to-day life will require you to learn the local language. Language barriers can be burdensome at first, but over time you will find that you can easily overcome them when you are in another country and have to communicate predominantly in another language. It is precisely this that leads to the consolidation of foreign language skills.
Some universities might require a resume and a video application from you, in their local language, of course. This is an obstacle and opportunity at the same time. If you do not know the required language, it will be a perfect time to practice, and if you are fluent, then you can show that you will be comfortable in a foreign environment. Do not forget to use free video editing software with no watermark so that you do not look like an amateur. Even though for some people, the language barrier is not easy to overcome, you will soon find that it is not as scary as it sounds.
Moving to another country and a completely new environment can also make you homesick at first, as you are far away from family and friends. The easiest way to compensate for homesickness is to choose a study location that is as attractive as possible. You might even find a country that you have always wanted to visit. In the pre-study courses, you can also get to know your new fellow students, find friends and start this new journey together, as it holds the same advantages and obstacles for everyone involved.
An important aspect, which must be well planned, is the financing. The disadvantage of studying abroad is the tuition fees, which cannot be compensated by the often lower cost of living. Therefore, a good financial calculation, as well as proper documentation, should take place. Of course, it takes a lot of time to sort out, but it can eliminate a lot of unpleasant or stressful situations once you are abroad. Furthermore, this hurdle paves the way for developing one's organizational skills.
When you go abroad to study, it is natural that you will be confronted with new people, cultural habits, and customs. You should not be put off by them, but learn to accept. Understanding and tolerance can come out of this, which makes life more positive and pleasant everywhere in the world or in different environments.
Besides all these factors, however, it simply requires courage and a bit of adventurousness when you decide to build and structure your life for a certain period of time in a place far away from home, and all this in another language. However, if you face this task, you will be rewarded with strong personal qualities that will ensure a confident appearance and self-confidence in both professional and private life.
Every obstacle can be used as a building block to learn that it often depends on one's own perception and that behind every border, there is a possibility waiting to be recognized and tackled in order to be able to emerge from a situation strengthened instead of dejected.
