Hesitating to Studying Abroad?

Studying abroad is now more common than ever. In the US, we see that universities are full of international students. While it is debatable whether funding your education is easier than before, many people do not want to leave the comfort of leaving their home country for a variety of reasons. Most important of them being return on investment (ROI). Job situation in the US for international students is very uncertain even for the best and brightest.

Let us briefly try understanding why students/professionals from countries like India are now hesitating to come to the US for higher education more than ever. When international students come to universities in the US, the tuition is very expensive. When you consider India's exchange rate, the rupee has become weaker and weaker making it more burdensome for students and the family at large to afford tuition and living expenses. So when you do the math coupled with uncertainty of finding a job to pay back your parents or banks, the attractiveness of coming to the US for education is lost. 

But here are reasons why one should consider studying abroad and should make suitable arrangements to make use of the opportunity:

• A change of perspective: When you study abroad, you are on your own for the first time and this struggle is important to toughen you mentally. For those especially from middle and upper class societies of the world where children lead a rather sheltered life, it is important to get out of the comfort zone and fend for yourself. You realize the importance of money, time and other valuable assets. More emphasis is laid on meeting assignment deadlines, paying your bills and other daily chores. 
• Communication: When you are an international student, you meet with a lot of people who are not from the same place as you. No two people see a piece of art the same way. The idea of communication is not just speaking grammatically correct English. That's is just the beginning. Rather it is the art of putting your point across, selling your ideas and send out a cogent message. 
• Opportunities: It is important to seize opportunities when you have them. Most US universities are melting pots - in that you meet people from various countries and cultures. That's the place where you meet and engage in meaningful conversations with people. Note that people are curious to know about you and your country as much as you show enthusiasm in theirs. To be culturally sensitive and knowledgeable is the best gift of studying abroad. It will shape your personality and your understanding of the world. From a personal standpoint, I have a broader understanding of countries, cuisines, cultures, world politics  than I did 5 years ago before coming to US. 
• Work while you study: This can under opportunities and perspectives also but it's worthy of being it's own bullet point. Most students work as research/teaching assistants when they study abroad. Some of them work in libraries, college cafeterias, parking systems etc. The benefit is twofold: you learn the dignity of labor not only from doing your daily chores but also the work that you take up here to cover your living expenses. The second benefit is that of time management. You have to work, study, do dishes and laundry etc. You have finally entered ADULTHOOD which probably you never have experienced as an undergrad. 
• Flexibility in programs: Most programs have core courses that you HAVE to take and electives that you can choose from. This is true for all levels of education in the US - undergrad, Masters and PhD. I didn't have this freedom in my undergrad in India. So I attended classes that were of little to no use because I HAD to take them. The flexibility in programs here allow you to think creatively and let you design your own course structure based on your professional needs. If you like a professor and think you can benefit from his/her class but cannot afford to pay for the course, you can always request him/her to audit the course. Most professors are kind enough to let you sit in. 
• Starting from scratch: This kind of overlaps with my previous point - a change of perspective. You start as a nobody in a foreign land. In your home country you can be son or daughter of a politician, actor or anybody for that matter. In a foreign land, none of that will be carried over. For the most part, you are admitted based on your credentials and assessed objectively. Almost never have I heard of subjective bias towards a particular international student. You are on a global platform where you are treated as equal with almost everyone else. 
• Learning Resources: Finally in terms of learning, there is a wealth of information that universities provide for students in the US. I am almost sure that the same is true for schools in other developed nations like UK, Germany, Australia etc. You have access to world class information, data and personnel in most accredited universities. To go with that, learning is enhanced when you communicate with your colleagues/classmates and professors who will always give you an opportunity to look at the same problem from a different perspective. In my personal experience, I loved the structure of assignments, take-home exams and group-problem solving. It challenged me in ways I was never challenged before.

These are just some of the benefits of studying in another country; be it Canada, UK, US, Australia or Germany. Studying for a few years in another country will give you a deep appreciation for the opportunities that exist in an unknown land. I hope this post encourages skeptics to think twice before rubbishing the idea of studying abroad.