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| Image Credit : MS Word 2010 Clip Art |
Going
abroad for tourism, job offer or further studies are seen as a growing trend
among many aspiring individuals. These could be attributed to the vast
influence of globalization, internet, social media, movies, and the growing
importance of international experience. The experience of visiting abroad as a
tourist/s is much different than working or studying. There lays huge set of challenges that one
needs to be prepared for or when encountered. The set of challenges or hurdles may
vary depending on whether you are a student or working professional.
However
when we talk about pursuing studies abroad, it requires meticulous planning keeping
in mind we would be miles away from our motherland and family.
When I was planning to move abroad for further studies,
one of the initial hurdles that I faced was lack of awareness of how to go
about starting visa processing, funding options/ agencies, accommodation, food
etc as I come from a small state and we did not have good internet connectivity
those days.
I had no clue as we did not have the exposure to
career fairs, career talks or other information from country specific
organizations e.g. British Council, Goethe institute (Germany), Alliance Francaise
(France). These organizations in collaboration with universities (local
universities in state & foreign universities) could provide useful
first-hand information on the universities, language courses and other criteria
or requirements for the same. These organizations are mostly located in metro
cities and they regularly organize events. This gives way to enhance student
exchange programs or cross collaborative programs among the two countries.
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| Image Credit : MS Word 2010 Clip Art |
One of the common requirements for many
universities abroad is the English proficiency course for which I gave my IELTS
and Pearson Test of English
Academic (PTE academic) #DefinitelyPTE exam in Bangalore. Though PTE has many centers across india, i choose bangalore since all tests centers were available here and i found lot of friends with similar aspiration. Collaboration became easier.
PTE academic test was accepted in some of the colleges i had shortlisted for applications such as : The University of Southern Queensland - Sydney Education Centre, University of Applied Sciences Frankfurt, Cambridge Education Group, Buckinghamshire New University and Florida State University
For PTE Preparation Course, i relied on the official online practice materials to fasten my preparations. This sample questions not only familiarized me with exams but also were less stressful compared to other exams where free prep material was not available. Any savings which will not impact the final outcome is a blessing on disguise when running on a tight budget
My seniors recommended
me to have as complete as many tests as i can do , since proficiency in
multiple English test which are accepted across the world will only increase
the trust global universities, colleges and governments have on my candidature
(since the competition was high and the Asian pool was very competitive)
I also pursued a German language course to learn
basic language skills to prepare myself for day-to-day interactions in the
supermarket, peers, immigration office, travel etc. Generally, the
international office at universities abroad are the first point of contact as they
primarily help in finding accommodation, residence permit, and other
requirements. But it is always advisable to find other students who are
currently studying or working in the area.
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| Image Credit : MS Word 2010 Clip Art |
A
genuine interest to study abroad is the utmost and an important factor that
needs to arise from the individual. The individual needs to confirm, his/her area
of study that includes the subject, country, colleges etc. The best could be to
draw a plan and google basic information. The university websites generally
host all the course related information and various application requirements on
their website. The individual is expected to make a thorough study by reading
their website and then followed by the potential interaction with the graduate
student office/faculty for any specific queries or discuss projects. The
student is also expected to write a basic research proposal in line with
departmental research interests and strengths.
While
preparing your applications, personalize your cover letters to address the
specific requirements of the course of study or job. Ironically as a post-doc,
I served as one of the coordinator for the same master program in neuroscience
that I took after moving to Germany. It is essential to personalize your cover
letter. Universities which are accepting international students receive a lot
of applications all over the world. It is difficult for the committee members
to judge and rate the applicants based on their grades because the scoring
system varies from country to country. Thus your cover letter is very
essential. It should emphasize your strengths relevant to the course. You would
need academic transcripts from the registrar office which gives details of the
grades and the scoring system.
One
could also check for funding options available for the universities through
organizations such as DAAD (Germany), British council (UK), Alliance
Francaise (France) or by sending queries to international office of respective
universities. The
international offices can generally guide students about the monthly expenses
required, visa categories etc or the information is available on their website. Last
but not the least food could be a hurdle if you are a fussy eater.
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| Image Credit : MS Word 2010 Clip Art |
Having learnt all those experience as a student,
today I have become a confident global citizen who does not hesitate from
travel. With the world becoming so small due to digital connection, the challenges
today are verifying the authencity of information. Anyways if you need help, do leave a comment.
will be happy to answer any questions.
If you are looking for more details on #DefinitelyPTE , then below are helpful materials
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