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Why should your child study abroad?

Living in another country can be one of the best experiences of your life. It gives you the opportunity to experience so much more than you can during a holiday and by studying or working there, you get the chance to experience the real way of life.

Although the United Kingdom is increasingly multicultural and most British universities offer an increasingly international environment, the only way to experience life in another country is to live there. So, if you think that you might like to live abroad, now is probably the best time in your life to go!

There are many ways to answer the question of “Why Go Abroad”? Some of these vary over time, for example the dollar is very weak right now making US education more affordable. However, the main reasons remain roughly the same and these are the top 5 ways in which studying or working abroad can help you:

  1. Getting a Good Job – In a crowded job market in a global economy, having first hand experience of another culture is a valuable commodity that you cannot learn from a book. Many professions prefer to recruit graduates who have work experience and many international universities can offer you this as part of your studies.
  2. Learning a language – Living in the country where a language is spoken is by far the best way to learn. Even if you aren’t studying languages at the moment, don’t despair. There are plenty of universities around the world that teach in English so that you can learn while you are in the country.
  3. Growing Up – Not perhaps the most exciting reason to study abroad perhaps, but by living in another country you will develop your interpersonal and communication skills. If you don’t know what you want do with your life, then experiencing something new and meeting new people could be just the thing to help you find focus in your career.
  4. Saving Money – But surely studying abroad is an expensive option? Well, the introduction of £3,000 top-up fees has really changed the typical cost of studying for a degree in England and the cost of living in this country is one of the highest in the world. Many countries might work out cheaper than going to university in this country. We would never suggest that you choose your education purely on the basis of cost. However, we do think you should carefully consider all the options open to you. Have a look at the “How much does it cost?” for some examples.
  5. HAVING FUN!!! – Let’s be honest, this is one of the most important things you are looking for in higher education and at the start of your career. Studying abroad can be a great way to get the experiences you are looking for from a gap year, for example, but at the same time you can gain academic credits and qualifications which will help you get on in life at the same time. Studying abroad is also a great way to make friends from all around the world.

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