How to choose Overseas College or University for Study

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Having the opportunity to study overseas is a great way to experience another country . You’ll get to spend time with the locals along with other foreign students that give you yourself insights and contacts . You’ll see your studies through different eyes and assess how it measures up to what you’re used to. If you’re studying languages there’s no better place to do it than where it’s spoken daily.

Application Process
The application process for studying abroad is time consuming. It requires applicants to start preparing well in advance of their anticipated start date. It is very important to begin the admission process early because in many cases application deadlines are far in advance of the start of the semester (sometimes as many as ten months). You also need to allow time for scheduling any standardized tests needed for admission and then having the results of these tests sent to schools. There is no uniform world-wide application system. Each college or university establishes its own unique policies.

The 6 basic steps to follow:
1.Identifying country, universities and the course of your interest.
2.Request universities for Application forms.
3.Taking various required tests.
6.Arranging and preparing Essays and recommendation letters.
7.Completing and Sending Application forms along with required documents.
8.Reporting various test scores to the universities.

Application Requirements
Once you start receiving application forms and material, go through the material in detail and check the application deadline, minimum scores required in the standardized tests, recommendation letters needed and other such information.

Tabulate all these requirements and compare them with your objectives and group the universities under three categories:
1.Schools that seem to match your requirements.
2.Schools that are not suited to your needs.
3.Schools that do not completely fit in any of the above two categories.

You can try and focus on departments that you would most like to attend and the school rankings in that field. And any special facilities that the school may offer you in that field. Make a list of schools on basis of fresh and more specific criteria like:
1. Objectives of the program and kind of methodology as well as approach
2. Admission / Entrance requirements
3. Availability of assistantships and funds in the field of your choice
4. Research facilities
5. Location Profile of students enrolled
6. Narrow down your list to about 6-8 universities to whom you intend to apply

Once you have decided on the universities to apply to, you have to start filling up the application forms that required your personal details, academic record, official transcripts, various essays, personal achievements, extra curricular activities and recommendation letters.

Admission Stage
Universities usually inform students of their admission decisions well in advance of the beginning term. If you have received admission in more than one university, you will have to decide which one you want to attend. You should focus on following points :

Objective Criteria
1.Best program curriculum, length of program, choice of courses
2.Best funding offer or best program with respect to costs
3.Cost of living
4.Strength of related departments/program

Subjective Criteria
1.Overall reputation of university/department/program
2.Location-region, safety of neighborhood
3.Climate
4.Social life
5.Facilities available
6.Accommodation & housing

It is essential to do a lot of research on the universities and their offerings. Colleges and universities offer varied educational packages. You will have to find out which of these are likely to meet your goals by spending time in the reference library.



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