STUDYING OVERSEAS

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY

"HELP! I have 10 conditional offers from different universities! I can't decide which one to take!"

Many of our students are facing a similar dilemma, so I've outlined some advice and things to consider when making your decision below...

Continue reading for MORE ADVICE ABOUT CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY...

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY

Reputation

You are (probably!) only going to study abroad once in your life, but you will have the qualification for the rest of your life. You will have it on your CV/resume to show to future employers and the reputation of your university will be important.

Check out the University Reputation Rankings to see what employers think of your course.

Cost

Another important consideration is cost. Of course you need to consider the cost of tuition which can vary widely from one university to another. However, you also need to think about rent and the cost of living. In capital cities such as London this can be much higher than in smaller cities. Studying outside London, for example in Manchester, might give you more spare money to rent a nice apartment, enjoy more freedom to travel or simply to treat yourself to more evenings out with friends.

The Course

Hopefully you have taken the time to consider and compare the details of the courses you have applied for. Consider the course content in more detail now and choose the course that most interests you and which will give you skills which will be useful in your future career.

Faculty

As well as the course, check out the background information on the lecturers and academic staff. If you have a particular area you want to research, make sure there is someone on the faculty who is suitable to supervise you.

Links to Business

If you are taking a business-related course, make sure that the university has good links to businesses. This will help you to network and make useful contacts for the future. You might also want to consider what type of businesses are in the local area if you specialise in a particular field.

Fun and Entertainment

Of course, you are going to study, but at some point you will want to let your hair down! If you like nature, choose a city with access to hiking, walking or other outdoor activities. If you are a party animal, choose a busy, vibrant city with lots of nightclubs. Larger cities with a central campus usually have more cheap restaurants, cafes and bars for students.

Travel

Most students enjoy taking short trips during their vacations. For example, budget airlines make Paris, Rome, Barcelona and other destinations easily-accessible from international airports in the UK. If you are into travel, check out which budget airlines fly from your nearest airport and where they fly to.

The Weather!

No city in the world has perfect weather, but if you are worried about the weather, check out some meterological information to see just how cold (or how hot!) it gets.

Language/Accent

The local accent is not really that important - after all you are going to go to an international university and meet people from all over the world. Don't worry too much about accent as wherever you go the local people will have an accent of some kind. You'll soon get used to the local way of speaking and this can be a fun way of getting to know the country in which you are studying.