It feels like everybody is talking about studying abroad these days. Escaping your home country, living independently from your parents while getting to travel and exploring a new culture - sounds like a lot of fun, doesn’t it? It is true that more and more students have started exploring international education opportunities, despite the challenges it brings. Here is why YOU should do it too!
1. Top Quality Education
Higher quality education is rightfully one of the main reasons why students choose to study abroad. The sad reality is, not every country is on equal footing when it comes to educational resources and technological development. Those who choose to study abroad often set themselves for higher standards of teaching, better career opportunities and a wider pool of schools and programs to choose from.
2. Unique Career Opportunities
Study abroad experience is extremely valued by employers and can easily set you apart from other job seekers. By living and learning abroad, international students tend to develop a number of precious professional skills, such as high stress resistance, creative problem solving, teamwork, multicultural awareness, adaptability and many others. All of these skills are immensely important for your professional growth and will definitely help you boost your career journey. According to the IES Abroad survey, nearly 90% of study abroad alumni found their first jobs within six months of graduation compared to only 49% of the general college graduate population who found jobs within a year; study abroad alumni also earned $7,000 more in starting salaries.
3. Overcome The Language Barrier
There is no doubt that you will have to brush up your language skills while studying abroad. First and foremost, for your classes, of course - you will have to learn the language of your host country if you haven’t yet done so in order to fully comprehend the lectures and learning content. You will also need to develop those language skills to simply navigate your daily life, from asking for directions to ordering takeout at your favorite restaurant. It may be hard to get used to living in another language at first, but it will get better in no time! Remember: practice makes perfect.
4. Bring Diversity Into The Workplace
Another career benefit of studying abroad - you didn’t expect it, but here it is! Workplace diversity is no passing fad - it is becoming increasingly important, as it is a natural way for businesses to bring innovation, improve decision making and, in turn, boost financial performance. These days, companies spend millions of dollars to implement workplace diversity practices and improve their diversity hiring methods, so your studying abroad experience will help you bring that value to the table, whatever direction you choose to go.
As shown by the AIFS Study Abroad survey, 80% of students reported that studying abroad contributed to their ability to adapt in diverse workplace environments.
5. Enhance Your Network And Make New Friends
Networking is absolutely essential for your career growth, and it is a very good idea to start doing this in school. The purpose of networking is to form relationships with other professionals in your or related fields in order to gain advice, perspective, valuable information, or referrals that will potentially benefit your career. As an international student, you will have a unique opportunity for global multicultural networking - something you would never be able to do in your home country. So get ready to put yourself out there and take your first step towards a successful career. Remember, networking should not be viewed as a one-way transaction. Instead, try thinking of it as making new friends - now that is a gamechanger!
6. New Cultural Experiences
One of the biggest advantages of studying abroad is getting the chance to immerse yourself in a totally different culture. It is often easy to forget how diverse our world can be while you are stuck in your home country. This unique experience will help you gain the ability to look at the world from a new perspective and even see your own culture and yourself through a different lens.
7. Personal Growth
There are various reasons why students choose to study abroad. Most of them are seeking to receive top quality education, enhance their resumes, learn new languages, or just have fun. But what they don’t expect is the unbelievable personal growth they will inevitably achieve. Studying abroad brings a lot of challenges and experiences that will just make you start thinking outside the box and increase your maturity, self-confidence and independence.
8. See The World
Being an international student often means having a very busy schedule, but rest and new impressions are very important to prevent burnout - sounds like the ultimate excuse to travel! Don’t waste your precious time and ask your new friends to share their favorite sights, check out your off-campus activities and events, or even take a trip to a neighboring country. It’s not always easy to find the time to travel after entering the workforce, so as long as it doesn’t interfere with your studies, start exploring the world around you and fill that bucket list of yours!
Studying abroad is a major decision and very significant commitment, both for students and their families. Hopefully, after reading this article, you are now aware of how beneficial international education can be for your future. However, the most important part is choosing the right institution that will help you reach your academic and career goals. Here at IECC Global, our primary goal is to become your information provider and deliver the most accurate and detailed resources to students that are looking to study abroad.
To learn more about how our international education services can help with advancing your global career, please visit our For International Students page!