So, you have decided that you would like to study abroad – you have the whole world and tens of thousands of universities to consider. You have taken the first courageous step of thinking outside the box. Now, where, and how, do you start this global search?
Your starting point should always be a determination to ultimately find the location, university or course that is right for you as an individual. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to university. Talk to people that know you, teachers, friends and family. Get their input as to how they see you, but, ultimately, after hearing what they say, listen to your own ambitions. What are your reasons for study abroad and what are your priorities in a university? What languages are you comfortable in and what are your longer-term study or professional objectives? Are academic or cultural considerations more important to you? Have you got extra-curricular considerations? What lifestyle do you want? How are you going to finance your studies and will you need funding from a bank or an undergraduate scholarship?
Ideally, armed with a vision of what you are aiming for, you need to set about researching countries, universities and courses on offer. The Internet allows fast access to institutions if you know what you are looking for, but getting that starting point can be very difficult. No worldwide list of all universities exists and you need to get a feel for the quality of the institutions you are considering and life in the countries too. Helpful printed and online reference sources can give you a starting point. The book Guide to the World’s Top Universities, published by QS in association with Blackwell Publishing, available to order from this website, is an invaluable starting point in a worldwide university search. It provides a directory with full contact details of more than 500 of the top universities worldwide. It also includes ranking of universities worldwide by subject specialization. This website also provides lots of useful information and direct links that will help you begin to search the worldwide web and get some of your first impressions.
Fundamental to study abroad must be the desire to spend a period of time – often years – in another country. If you can shortlist or identify your country, or what you want from the country first, then you have a starting point for identifying possible universities to apply to. Guide to the World’s Top Universities also includes profiles of the top ten most popular study destinations worldwide and this website includes regular country or regional profiles.
You may be searching by language. If you want a period of time in a Spanish-speaking environment, for example, consultation of the THES-QS World University Rankings might lead you to consider Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (95*), Mexico, as well as The University of Barcelona (190*), Spain and universities in other Spanish-speaking countries as starting points. Countries such as Australia and New Zealand are popular choices for study and their universities fare well in the Rankings. Once you have short listed your country, you can identify some of the national organizations, such as UCAS in the UK featured in our Institution Watch, who can point you in the right direction for providers of scholarships and further information to refine your search.
When searching worldwide for a university that is right for you, there is no substitute for coming face to face with people from that university. Clearly it will most often not be feasible to actually visit the university before applying. However, major worldwide universities have alumni associations, often with an international network. It is always worth trying to identify any alumni who may be willing and able to meet you closer to home or just talk to you on the phone and give you that all-important feel of what it is like to actually study at their university. Education fairs are an effective forum for meeting representatives from universities, talking with them and comparing approaches and what courses are on offer. The World Grad School Tour (WGST) takes place from August to December each year, visiting 44 cities around the world in 2007. WGST focuses on international graduate program on offer and can be invaluable in allowing you to talk about your specific interests in relation to each university.
Your key to finding the university and course right for you is to keep an open mind. Identify your priorities, do research online and in books and talk to people. You are about to embark on one of the most exciting and important experiences of your life. Let the search begin!