Reasons To Study Abroad As A Postgraduate Student

Reasons to study abroad as a postgraduate student Choosing to continue onto postgraduate study after your first degree is a great idea when considering career strategy. The job market can be unpredictable, and a bachelors degree doesn’t always go that far when employers have an ever-deepening pool of graduate labour from which to recruit.

And if academic aspirations are what you have; then it's a given that you'll be competing with PhD graduates rather than just masters graduates, so you're going to be studying for a long time.

But whether you’ve decided to study a postgraduate program for career, academic or personal reasons, one thing’s for sure, studying your masters degree overseas is well worth considering.

Here are some reasons why you should study abroad as a postgraduate student.

Find your PERFECT POSTGRAD PROGRAM

1. Set yourself apart from the rest

One sure-fire way to distinguish yourself from the competition is to have studied your postgraduate degree at a foreign institution. The very fact that you have left your comfort zone and a support network, displays a degree of self-reliance and adaptability not found in those who have purely studied domestically.

Spending time in a foreign country, and actually living and studying there, is not the same as being a tourist. Anyone can mention in passing on their CV that they “love to travel”, this is not the same as relocating yourself to a whole new country and being immersed in a foreign culture. Organising housing, healthcare, work, socialising and studying far away from home is a massive undertaking and not one which should be entered into lightly, but the rewards in the long term will far outweigh the initial hardships.

2. Immerse yourself in the language

For a language student the benefits of moving to study in a country where their studied language is the first language are obvious. Complete immersion into the language and culture will provide insight and a level of language skills that are far superior to merely studying the language in a home institution, and will undoubtedly put you at a distinct advantage.

Even if you are not a language student, living in a country for a period of time will mean you will pick up the local language, which is a whole new skill to add to your CV. At the end of your stay, you may even be dreaming in the language you came to study.

3. Networking opportunities

Language is not the only factor when deciding to study abroad, an employer may be looking to implement an international business development policy in their future and a prospective recruit who already has contacts and knowledge of their desired market will arouse an employer’s interest immediately. You will certainly have a lot to talk about in your interview.

University life provides relationships which endure. And if you choose to study abroad as a postgraduate student, you will forge strong friendships with other students who are also studying far away from home. Your fellow international students will be experiencing everything you are experiencing, and for the first time too. These are the ties which bind, and these relationships will continue long after you finish your study abroad experience.

The friends you make while studying abroad are likely to find jobs once they finish their postgraduate program, as will you. And if you need to call upon a contact in their home country as part of your job, who would be the first person you think of? Networking skills are an essential part of modern working life, and these skills will be developed well when you are studying abroad.

At your international university, the native students will be keen to show you their country and befriend you too, and this means even more networking opportunities and the development of friendships for life.

4. New opportunities

Foreign institutions can provide an opportunity to study subjects which may not be available in your home country. Plus, you will likely be exposed to different teaching materials and teaching methods, which you can put into play when you go home.

5. Develop as an individual

Seeing the world through the lens of another nationality will make you a more well-rounded individual. You will be able to discuss issues with an eloquence not found in those who have not embraced the chance of foreign study. You will pick up certain nuances and inflections in your speech and mannerisms which will make you stand out from others, and people will listen to you because you will have become more knowledgeable and worldly.

Studying abroad is not an easy decision

Choosing to study your postgraduate program abroad is not an easy decision. Leaving familiar surroundings can be daunting, even frightening but the world has shrunk in recent years and one can be anywhere on the planet in a day. And with technological advances such as Skype and Facetime, you can see and speak to those people you miss from home easily, meaning that distance is no longer a reason not to embrace the chance of a lifetime.

You don’t need to go it alone

There are study programs which enable you to live with a host family if you don't feel like going it completely alone. The university should be able to help you with this if it is of interest to you.

Earn while you learn

You might also be able to make money by offering translation services, tutoring in your native language, becoming a tour guide or even working as an au pair. Your language can be your fortune and you may enjoy a quality of life which you didn't have at home simply by talking. You might even be able to use the exchange rate to your advantage and go home relatively wealthy.

Find your PERFECT POSTGRAD PROGRAM

Why Should You Study Your Postgraduate Degree As An International Student?

What Do The UK Visa Changes Mean To International Postgraduate Students?

Postgrad Solutions Study Bursaries