What are the benefits of studying abroad?
When thinking about studying abroad a lot of students think of the wrong benefits. A lot of the times the benefits revolve around the idea of settling abroad and having an increased income. However, studying abroad brings much more benefits. Some of the benefits are quite interesting and some are unexpected. People hardly think beyond visas and dollars when it comes to studying abroad. If you are looking to build a successful life in any field, you need to recognise all sorts of benefits only then you can actually evaluate whether or not you have made the most of the opportunity to study abroad.
Benefits of studying abroad:
These are just some of the simplest and most obvious benefits you should attain when you go abroad for study.
Academic qualifications: It is no secret going abroad will most definitely enhance your academic qualifications. These qualifications are going to open a lot of doors for you in terms of jobs.
Access to world class universities: Education is not just the curriculum/syllabus being covered in a course outline. It is an experience which comprises numerous factors. Having access to world class facilities within universities might be one of the top reasons why you should study abroad. The combination of world class facilities with quality academics gives you an experience which will shape your future. Quality of the computer labs, libraries, and the overall access to information and ideas that universities provide is something Pakistani institutes are unable to match.
Faculty: Universities abroad are home to a diverse group of faculty members. These faculty members not only encompass disciplinary diversity but also ethnic cultural diversity. Along with this most institutes abroad have experienced faculty members. Not only do these individuals have teaching experience but a lot of them also have industry experience. This allows them to share a lot of vital information about future career pathways and industry trends.
Exposure to corporate and industry: Most foreign universities have a strong network with large companies in various industries. This network exposes you to the corporate world in ways you cannot even dream of doing in Pakistan. This exposure helps you refine yourself and teaches you the intricacies involved in building a prosperous career. This sort of exposure does not exist in local universities.
Latest techniques: One of the major reasons to study abroad is the discovery of the latest techniques. It doesn’t matter which field you enrol into; most universities abroad make it a point to teach their pupils the latest techniques and trends. Be it the use of the latest technology or latest research, foreign universities provide you with the chance to enhance your vision. Universities abroad are in the business of facilitating career growth and the use of latest trends and techniques in teaching certainly provides you the right platform for growth.
The above are some of the benefits or reasons to study abroad that are obvious. But going to study abroad is much more than academics. It is an adventure, which provides the most unexpected lessons of life. An endeavour which gives you skills you thought you would never have. Some might even call them the real benefits of studying abroad.
Unexpected benefits of studying abroad
Improved budgeting: When you are living with your parents in your home country most of the financial decisions are taken care of. Everything from the amount your household spends on transportation to food is mostly decided by the adults. You, the student of the house, usually have to worry about how to spend their pocket money. However, when you go to study abroad you are in charge of your entire life. You must decide how much to spend on food, what to eat, where to do the groceries, which shampoo to buy and much more. Surprisingly a lot of people do not think about this aspect. Concept of financial responsibility is something extremely important. Learning this not only makes you a better manager of your life but also makes you efficient. Your school might be teaching you economic theory but on a daily basis your financial decisions regarding transportation, eating out and groceries will help you practice that theory in real life.
Improved cooking: Sadly, many countries out there do not have many halal food options, if they do then the chances of them being suitable to Pakistani taste buds will be low. Sooner or later you will have to call home or open up YouTube and look for the perfect Pakistani recipes. Not only will you have to go out buy all the essential ingredients, but you are going to have to cut up some onions, feel the pain of trying to hold back your tears as you do your knife work. Burn something and even clean up the dishes afterwards. All this sounds terrible to an average mind but if you plan on being above average then this is a window of opportunity to attain one of the major benefits of studying abroad. The benefit of being totally self-reliant. This is going to turn you into a person who is not going to be dependent on others for basic things like food. You will become a well-rounded personality with cooking skills to match your new independent, powerful, and confident self.
Travel opportunities: Another major benefit of studying abroad is travel opportunities. When going to study abroad you are not just going to the country or city which hosts the university you enrolled in. You are going to a new part of the world which relates to different countries, cultures and destinations. Going abroad not only allows you to explore your host country but also other countries and destinations. Take Europe as an example, if you go to study in one of the European countries you are legally allowed to cross all the borders within the European Union and other countries such as Turkey. Travel opportunities such as this allow you to explore places you would not be able to explore using a tourist visa (which is extremely difficult to attain in many cases).
Communication skills: Having to navigate in a foreign land really improves your communication skills. It teaches you how to approach strangers, break the ice and turn small talk into meaningful conversations. Students who stay in Pakistan are usually always going to be stuck in their comfort zone, therefore a lot of them never develop the ability to communicate clearly. Improved communication skills is most certainly one of the top reasons to study abroad.
long with the unexpected there are some interesting reasons or benefits for studying abroad. These are advantages very few individuals think about. Once you recognise them though you will be able to make maximum use of your experience of studying abroad.
Interesting benefits of studying abroad
Cultures: Most universities abroad comprise diverse students. You will meet people from all over the world. The exposure to a diverse set of ideas and cultures enables you to learn things you would not be able to learn in a classroom. Socialising with people from different cultures opens your mind. In many ways it makes you tolerant and helps you develop a greater understanding of the world and its dynamics.
Punctuality: Believe it or not this is both an unexpected benefit and interesting one. This is something a lot of students hardly think of. Arriving on time for class is something most students are good at but the problem arises when you have to arrive somewhere else on time. Most students in Pakistan are not able to exercise punctuality because culturally the entire society does not really value it that much. However, most cultures abroad place a lot of importance on punctuality. Not only that, but most students abroad have to use public transport networks which work like clockwork. Therefore, it is vital to become punctual if you want to survive socially, academically, and of course given the use of hourly wage rates for part time jobs, punctuality is a must if you want to earn.
The above explanations really provide an insight into the top reasons for studying abroad and provide you with an in-depth look at all the real benefits of studying abroad that you need to recognise so you can capitalise and enhance your personality and career.