Studying Abroad: How it Can Help you Grow as a Person
Let’s start by answering one of the biggest questions you might have: why study abroad? Well, as you’ll soon find out, there are many benefits but let’s talk about a few of the major advantages.
Firstly, studying abroad gives you the chance to experience a different education system. In turn, you’ll gain new knowledge, learn new skills and broaden your mindset.
One of the most important skill sets you can refine by choosing to study abroad is your English proficiency. If you come from a non-English speaking country, and you decide to study somewhere like the UK or Australia, you’ll have countless opportunities to improve your English language skills. Since English is the most universal language, this is an amazing skill to have in academic, personal and professional settings.
How studying abroad helps your career
Studying in a new country can also be a launching pad for a global career. By having a study abroad experience, you’ll be exposed to new and unique employment prospects that you wouldn’t have known about if you’d stayed in your home country. We’ll talk a little more about some examples of different work opportunities you could encounter later in this session.
Similarly, when you study in a new place, you’ll meet an array of new people, including teachers, peers, colleagues and more. The connections you make during your studies could eventually provide you with job opportunities, career advice, and more. We’ll talk more about the role that studying abroad can play in your employability later on in this session.
What is studying abroad like?
Finally, studying abroad is an incredible way to broaden your horizons. When you embark on your international study journey, you’ll meet new people, experience new cultures and travel to new places.
Studying abroad isn’t just about where you study, but also about who you meet along the way! Meeting new people and making new friends is one of the most beautiful aspects of this experience. Classmates, tutors, co-workers, flatmates - you’ll be surrounded by so many new people who you may have never met otherwise. This gives you the chance to build strong connections who you can depend on for emotional support while at university. If you’re lucky, the friends you make while studying overseas could be friends for a lifetime.
By experiencing new cultures, you’ll improve your sense of cultural awareness. This is the ability to understand and show sensitivity to people of various backgrounds. Studying in a new country will open the door for you to meet people from different countries and cultures. Not only will this allow you to better understand people’s various customs and beliefs, but it will also help you communicate more effectively with people from different backgrounds, which is an invaluable skill in today’s workforce.
Studying in a new country can also be the first step in travelling to new parts of the world. For example, studying in the UK can put you a quick plane ride away from destinations like Ireland, France or Belgium. Or choosing to study in Australia could mean adventuring to New Zealand or Southeast Asia on your summer break.
Experiencing a new education system, learning new skills, experiencing new cultures and places - these are just a few of the many benefits of studying abroad.
