Education

How to Prepare for Studying Abroad

fervrtwv3rtPreparation is the basic to all that we do in life; so it is with studying abroad. If you have decided on overseas education you need to make sure you are ready and prepared with all the requirements. To help you to prepare well, following is a list of requirements you need to fulfill to make sure you are absolutely ready to study abroad.

Finances

It goes without saying that money is the primary requirement when you decide to study abroad. Whether it be the tuition fee, stay, travel, and food you need to have sufficient funds to fulfill your requirements and needs. You need to arrange for finances as well as financial documents for the purpose of admissions as well as study visa.

Research for colleges

Once you know what you really want, look for colleges that fulfill your criteria. This is one essential and useful step you can take for yourself. It is very important to know what exactly each college is offering in terms of course, facilities, faculty and job opportunities. Research well!

Documents

Studying abroad requires documentation; whether it be passport, university application forms, financial documents, academic performance documents, experiences letters, SOP, LORs, visa application forms, language proficiency documents, medical certificate and so on. Make sure you start well in advance and are ready will all these documents.

Language Proficiency and Aptitude Tests

Almost all study abroad destinations require you to give the language proficiency test such as IELTS, PTE of TOEFL. So, prepare yourself well for these tests to get the required score for admissions, visa, and scholarships. Some countries like the USA also require you to give aptitude tests such as SAT, GRE, GMAT depending on the course or level of study you are going for, so be prepared.

Statement of Purpose (SOP)

When you express your desire to study in foreign universities, it is important to clearly let them know your purpose of studying there and how you are qualified to take up the course and why they should consider you. All these things should be written well in your SOP and send to the university as well as the visa officers to consider you eligible for the course. So, prepare a well written and comprehensive statement of purpose, your chances for admission depend on it.

Letters of Recommendation (LOR)

Admission officers also look at your letters of recommendation from your college professors or your employers. Make sure you have 2 or 3 LORs ready before applying.

Apply for scholarships

Scholarships can make good quality education accessible and affordable; if it is the case with you look for scholarships as many organisations and universities offer financial help depending on whether a student fulfills the criteria. Depending on the funding organisation, there are various types of scholarships for Indian students to take benefit from. So, do not hesitate to apply.

Apply to the colleges

Once you have all the documents and finances the obvious next step is to apply for desired colleges before the deadline ends for a particular intake. So make sure you are on time.

Apply for the visa

Once you get admission to any college the next step is to apply for the study visa. After you apply for it they will call you for a visa interview. So be well prepared for the visa interview. The suggestion as to how to prepare for the visa you can meet your visa counselor they will help you.

Pre-departure

Once you have received your visa immediately make your travel plans. Book tickets well in advance to avoid high ticket prices. Also, arrange a place to stay near the university. For this, you can ask either the students who are there or consult an overseas education consultant. They will help you to find a place of your choice to stay.

These are some points to help you prepare for your overseas studies. I am sure they will be useful to a great extent.

Contributed by the team atGlobal Opportunities

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