According to a report by Accommodation for Students, there are 207 million higher education students worldwide, a figure that has more than doubled since 2010.
Of these 207 million, around 4.6 million are studying abroad.
With a rather impressive 2.2 per cent of all students making the life changing decision to take their university studies to a different country, what are the benefits of ultimately studying abroad?
Well, in terms of the initial student experience, according to international students surveyed by the World University Rankings, studying abroad gives an enriched and enhanced university experience.
Students can experience a different culture, food, lifestyle, custom and language alongside their studies, making the whole experience both challenging and rewarding.
Secondly, there is the opportunity to meet a diverse range of people from all backgrounds and ethnicities. As an international student studying abroad there is the opportunity to make friendships which can be maintained after graduation, creating extensive links all over the world!
Universities often hold additional welcome weeks for international students, as many arrive before term begins, to encourage them to get involved with extra curriculum activities and to start chatting to fellow students.
There are even specific club nights in Fresher’s Week in the UK that encourage international students to attend!
The welcome weeks and club nights must be working, according to the World University Rankings’ site, the memories, friendships and experiences are one of the main reasons for students to seek adventure and to ultimately study abroad.
International students may also chose to study abroad to seek and experience a different form of education.
For example, the World University Rankings claim that Chinese students seek to study abroad to experience a more relaxed and flexible work environment and to improve on their soft skills, team leadership and decision making.
Many students also study abroad to improve their future career prospects.
Not only does it look rather impressive on your CV that you underwent studies, on our own, in a completely different country, it also tells your future employers that you are both resourceful and adaptable.
Studying abroad is also a choice taken by many to scout out career opportunities and to make international connections.
Studying abroad can also be a great chance to travel more.
According to Accommodation for Students, for all study abroad applications made, around 11 per cent are put forward for study in the UK, making the country the second most wanted country in the world for international studies, especially with renowned universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, Durham and Edinburgh.
For international students studying in the UK, Europe is just a channel tunnel away and many international students do take the time to explore Europe during their three years spent in the UK, with an impressive 21 per cent of all students in the UK being international, coming mostly from China (97,850), United States (28,125), Malaysia (18,400), Germany (18,205) and India (18,015).
Studying abroad is definitely the ultimate opportunity to learn a new language as by living and studying abroad, students are often submerged in the culture and experience the opportune moment to brush up on their language studies.
Many international students also claim that the experience of studying abroad helped to massively improve their people skills, communication ability and ultimately aided them to perform better in interviews.
Whilst studying abroad is definitely driven by the desire to make new friends and make memories, the whole process can also be a great confidence boost, with international students stating that the experience of studying abroad on their own massively improves their independence as there is nothing quite like being dropped into a foreign country on your own.
For some international students, studying abroad may be the final process in their love and admiration for a certain countries’ culture and scenery, with certain international students aspiring to travel to and study in a country of their choice from a young age.
Studying abroad can also be the much cheaper option for many.
The largest group of international students are actually from the USA.
26 per cent of them venture to study abroad for their university experience each year, the main reason of which could be the cost, as studying for a university degree in the US can reach staggering financial heights- as well as additional fraternity and sorority club membership, whilst countries such as Sweden offer a much more affordable university experience.
There has also been a record rise, according to the Guardian, in university applications from the EU, as students rush to study abroad before Brexit ‘closes the door’ on them.
Last year witnessed a record slump in EU applications, as students harboured fears over a lack of funding in the wake of the EU Referendum.
Yet, after the government’s promise to give international, EU students the same opportunities as before, numbers have been steadily rising once again, according to the Guardian; ‘the total number of EU and international applications combined broke the 100,000 mark for the first time.’
International Students are definitely a positive for the economy of countries.
According to the Independent, £20 billion was contributed towards the economy last year alone from international students, with ‘almost every part’ of Britain’s financial situation benefiting from international study.
With such a plethora of opportunities on offer for aspiring students in 2018, it is now a comfort that studying abroad can be such an accessible and available opportunity.
If you are looking to study abroad and are looking for accommodation, then head over to https://www.accommodationforstudents.com/ for all your student housing needs.
Sources used:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/feb/05/uk-universities-rise-in-applications-eu-students
