Study Abroad Versus Locally
Studying Abroad VS Locally
Will the difference make a huge impact on career path?
FOR a very long time, studying abroad was an option purely for the deep-pocketed elite. Apart from the cost factor, many families chose to send their kids overseas because of the cultural wealth and better job prospects that came with it.
Fast forward to today, many still choose to send their children overseas to pursue their education. Thanks to rising affluence, more families are able to send their kids abroad.
But are the benefits of studying some thousands of miles away versus just down the street so drastic that it’s really going to make a huge impact on one’s career path?
Studying abroad
The main issue to consider when studying abroad is that it requires more financial support and planning. Lee, a 30-year old information technology graduate from the United States admits that the biggest issue about studying overseas is the cost.
“Studying overseas can be really expensive. Accommodation and food is denominated in a currency that’s probably higher than ours. Furthermore, most countries do not allow foreign students to work, so you need to have money before you arrive in the country or have someone from home supporting you.
“However, having a foreign qualification helps to make your resume stand out compared with the rest,” he says.
Dinesh Kanavaji, 31, is a practising lawyer in Malaysia who studied law in Britain in the late 90s. His two-year course cost him about £15,000 a year or about RM90,000 annually given the high exchange rate at the time.
“At the time, the tuition fees cost about £10,000 annually. Accommodation and food cost about £4,000 or so, this of course, provided that you lived at a campus hostel rather than elsewhere.
“Ultimately, it was a character-building experience, having to be able to live, cook and travel on your own,” he says, adding that studying abroad also provides a unique opportunity for language and cultural immersion.
Dinesh also feels
Will the difference make a huge impact on career path?
FOR a very long time, studying abroad was an option purely for the deep-pocketed elite. Apart from the cost factor, many families chose to send their kids overseas because of the cultural wealth and better job prospects that came with it.
Fast forward to today, many still choose to send their children overseas to pursue their education. Thanks to rising affluence, more families are able to send their kids abroad.
But are the benefits of studying some thousands of miles away versus just down the street so drastic that it’s really going to make a huge impact on one’s career path?
Studying abroad
The main issue to consider when studying abroad is that it requires more financial support and planning. Lee, a 30-year old information technology graduate from the United States admits that the biggest issue about studying overseas is the cost.
“Studying overseas can be really expensive. Accommodation and food is denominated in a currency that’s probably higher than ours. Furthermore, most countries do not allow foreign students to work, so you need to have money before you arrive in the country or have someone from home supporting you.
“However, having a foreign qualification helps to make your resume stand out compared with the rest,” he says.
Dinesh Kanavaji, 31, is a practising lawyer in Malaysia who studied law in Britain in the late 90s. His two-year course cost him about £15,000 a year or about RM90,000 annually given the high exchange rate at the time.
“At the time, the tuition fees cost about £10,000 annually. Accommodation and food cost about £4,000 or so, this of course, provided that you lived at a campus hostel rather than elsewhere.
“Ultimately, it was a character-building experience, having to be able to live, cook and travel on your own,” he says, adding that studying abroad also provides a unique opportunity for language and cultural immersion.
Dinesh also feels