02/03/2006 | The Expert's View, Newsletter
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The Experts View - study trends 2005

By: Tim Rogers

In 2005, more than two million students travelled to other countries in pursuit of degree-level qualifications. Approximately one third of these opted for postgraduate programmes. The variety of choice available to those interested in postgraduate study today is remarkable and extends across almost every aspect of education. Country destination, location of institution, subject choice, mode of delivery, length of study, cost of programme and teaching style are all areas of concern for students thinking of pursuing a postgraduate degree internationally.

With the global labour market placing more importance on postgraduate experience, getting the decision right on where and what to study is increasingly complex. But what do you really need to consider when you choose your postgraduate programme?

A number of factors must be balanced when you think about where you will study for your qualification –

  • The length of time you are willing to spend away from employment. Many European and US Masters degrees require you to study for between 18 months and two years, whilst Australian and UK equivalents tend to be one year or less in duration.
  • The mode of study can vary from institution to institution, and country to country. Most Masters degrees are primarily taught programmes in the UK, US and Europe, with significant amounts of contact with academic members of staff in lectures, classes and tutorials. However, some programmes allow for a period of independent research related to an area within your degree.
  • The choice of physically where you study. Each country and indeed national system of education offers advantages and disadvantages. The choice comes down to a balance of personal preferences - where will I feel most comfortable? Where will I enjoy living the most? And academic ones – where is the best programme for what I am interested in? How internationally respected is the institution I want to study in?
  • Your choice of where to study so often hinges on how much it actually costs for academic tuition and living expenses. Financial aid and scholarship packages are commonplace, either offered by individual institutions or national governments, keen to encourage the very best international students to their country. But these schemes tend to be devilishly competitive and heavily oversubscribed. As a very broad guide, quality and brand of a particular postgraduate programme tends to be associated with high cost - as with anything in contemporary society.
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