Studying overseas ensures you add a whole new dimension to your academic world by experiencing a different learning culture, massive sightseeing opportunities and experiencing the local culture at ground level rather than as a tourist.

There is a plethora of universities to choose from internationally. You could go quite mad from the choice in one country alone….apart from Liechtenstein. But even this tiny principality of just 160 sq kilometers has four universities.

So how do you, a person who has better things to do than studying 3,500 university handbooks, work out where to apply for?

Well, make things easier for yourself.

Are you an existing Undergraduate?

Head down to your own university’s student centre and talk to the student centre about international study. They’ll have loads of information about how they can help get you heading overseas.

The Student Centre may have lots of info, but getting them to give you the info you need is another matter. So head to the web page of your university’s overseas study section and read it. That way, the info they give you will then make more sense. Often how it works is that a university will accept an international student to study with them, for each student that it sends overseas. The higher the prestige of a university, the more requirements it has. Universities like Oxford or Cambridge rarely accept international students for part of a degree. As a result, many universities tend to have partnerships with similarly ranked overseas universities. These ‘partner uni’s’ make it much easier to study between them, in fact your university may say that if you want to study at a university which isn’t a partner, you’re on your own. You would have to pay in full, get no grants, sort out academic yourself, etc. So….stick to the partner uni’s!

Here’s a brief checklist to get you started:

  • Which universities run courses in English or the language you speak.
  • Which overseas universities accept applications for the subject you’re studying.
  • Will they let you study for a single Semester study, or would you have to spend a full year there.
  • Check out the ranking of that university
  • Where is it located? Will you be stuck miles from anywhere without transport, or can you walk into a town or city with vibrant night life.
  • What are the restrictions on the student visa of that country? Can you work in a cafe or bar to make some money?
  • Could you have a fun social life there – are you of local driving, drinking age and can you afford to live there.