Is Studying Abroad Really Necessary?

by StudyMalaysia.com on September 22, 2016 | Useful Tips

Education is the only way to move forward, and it is always true. Once we enrol into college, studying becomes more impactful than just passing exams. Hence, choosing a major as well as a suitable university to pursue a degree requires thorough consideration.

Malaysian students prefer to study abroad because of the big gap in the quality of education between our country and other developed countries like America, Canada or New Zealand. And it’s long been established as a belief that foreign universities are always better.

However, the general quality of teaching is not easily defined by any country’s economy ranking. It is solely based on an individual’s capability to make a name for his or herself throughout the learning process. Here are the 4 biggest questions to ask when you are faced with a decision to study overseas.

Is the subject only available overseas?

Nowadays, school syllabus and teaching guidelines are pretty much standardised globally. Being one of the Asian hubs for foreign investments, Malaysia is also a rising destination for high-quality education. There are many new programmes introduced in the local Universities to satisfy the high demand of the workforce.

In general, the core subjects offered by Malaysian institutions are similar to that of international universities, so you don’t have to study abroad to be able to master the fundamentals of your chosen subjects. Unless you decide to major in linguistic, the best way to level up your proficiency is indeed by living in the country that speaks that language.

Can you and your family afford the tuition fees?

Studying abroad comes with a huge budget for both tuition fees and living costs. Hence, parents need to be realistic when choosing a study path for their children. As a student, you have to also be aware of your family’s financial capability before choosing a University no matter if it’s local or international. Let’s face the truth, the study loan will become your own burden once you graduate and you wouldn’t want to be buried in debts even before you start earning money. Furthermore, studying is already stressful, not having enough to survive in a foreign land is probably your worst nightmare.

Are you willing to leave your comfort zone?

So you are certain that a degree abroad is what you need to fulfil your future goals, it’s time to visualise your life in a foreign country. You will be by yourself and if you are too shy to make friends, the loneliness will stress you out worse than studying does. Most importantly, you will have no choice but to adapt your previous lifestyle to a new culture, where people live a different way of life and perhaps, speak a different language. You will find it hard to fit in if you refuse to open up yourself to new experiences.

Do you just want to travel?

Be mindful when to differentiate your passion for learning with your desire to travel. Young adults, or also known as the millennials today are eager to place their footsteps everywhere in the world (with their parents’ money!). Hence, studying abroad seems to be the best way to fulfil that dream. It is not ideal in a sense that you will be distracted from studying and the extortionate amount that you pay for school will go to waste. It’s never too late to see the world, so don’t rush things because education will bring you places anyway. 

When you arrive at this crossroad in life, simply reflect and see what ignites your excitement the most. Because pursuing a degree is like chasing a career goal, if your job is not what you love, you can never do it right. That leads to the insignificance of whether or not you should pay for an expensive course overseas for a recognised qualification. You may seek professional consultants to get the best advice on choosing a suitable college or university for your future.

For more financial tips and advice, visit www.CompareHero.my!

Related Articles:

• Are you prepared for university life?
• Success in College
• Balancing work and going back to college

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