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HIGHER STUDIES ABROAD

ALL You Need to Know

For a majority of us, studying at a reputed university abroad is the imminent goal. While planning to study abroad, one must know what to look for and where, and decide accordingly on their next moves. You need to work efficiently throughout your entire application process.

What are your options?
In Bangladesh, the most popular choices for higher studies abroad are the United States, Canada, Cyprus, Australia and the United Kingdom. However, of late people have taken a liking towards some very good universities in Asian countries — Singapore, Malaysia, India and Hong Kong. The choices for destinations depend on several factors, the most important being the choice of the university itself, which is mostly decided by the University’s ranking, course rating and also the tuition fees and living expenses. Another extremely important factor for an average Bangladeshi prospective undergraduate student is the availability of any sort of financial aid, as studying abroad can be quite expensive. But getting scholarships or tuition waivers are a little tough and previous academic achievements do matter in that case, and sometimes even depend on the additional exams required by the university. Precisely for the monetary factor, you might want to look into European countries like Sweden or Germany because higher education there is relatively inexpensive.
“I chose to study in Malaysia as the quality of education here is good, and the living expenses are relatively less,” says Prioti Hasan. “And the cherry on top is that the ticket back home is cheaper.”

What exams do you need?
The requirements for additional exams that you need to take vary in different countries and universities and according to your interested stream of studies. Most universities around the globe require an English language proficiency test for those whose native language isn’t English. IELTS is the most commonly used and accepted international standardised test for that. Getting acquainted with the British Council for IELTS courses is the best idea, but there are other private centres to help you with it. You can study for IELTS by yourself as well and still do well. Some European universities, such as those in Germany, require proof of proficiency in their language, provided that English is not the language of instruction in those universities, and also to facilitate your life there.
On the other hand, most universities in USA prefer TOEFL over IELTS. They also require standardised tests for undergrad and grad studies. SAT is a basic requirement for undergrad education all around USA and tests your critical reading, writing and math skills. Graduate Records Examination (GRE) is the graduate level equivalent of SAT, for admission into grad schools. Moreover, your line of studies may require further tests such as LSAT, GMAT etc. The American Centre is the most helpful when it comes to admissions in US colleges. Private institutions like Mentors and The Princeton Review can come in handy too.
“The key to ace SAT is regular practice. SATs are important if you want good scholarships too,” says Bargeen Alam, studying at Ohio Wesleyan University. “TOEFL is much easier and the key is being precise and only answering what you’re asked. Your accent barely matters in the speaking section.”

When and How to get started?
It is advisable to start preparing for and taking the required exams a year prior to whenever you wish to get enrolled. And that’s just the beginning. Make the university’s website your textbook for the time being, and check the deadlines and requirements. Do remember that different colleges and universities have different requirements, so start the paperwork right away. Gather your transcripts, academic and extra-curricular certificates, and establish a good relationship with the guidance counsellor of your institution, so that they can help you out.
Similarly work on your application. There are loads of forms to be filled and essays to be written. Take your time and work on them, and make the best possible use of this, since these forms and essays are what will decide your fate in that university. Most universities have online application option, which is generally free of charge.
Maisha Fairuz, who is studying in Netherlands, said, “The application procedure is relatively simple and is done through an online portal, so not costly at all. But this may vary from one university to another. As an international applicant you are however required to take either TOEFL or IELTS, so ensure you have the certification of those ready.”
If you are looking for any sort of financial aid from the university, check their requirements and gather the required papers, such as tax paper, bank statement etc. These will also be needed for your visa processing, even if you don’t need financial aid.

Credit Transfers
When you are already enrolled in a university here in Bangladesh, you still have the option to study at a foreign university by means of a credit transfer. This means that the amount of credit hours you have completed in your current institute will be transferred to the university abroad, and thus you don’t have to start afresh, and can save some money. However, the drawback of this is a rejection of many credit hours by the foreign university, shall they deem those unnecessary for your degree, and this may cause the time needed for you to graduate to be extended. Therefore, it is advisable that you apply to affiliates of your current university, so that more credit hours are accepted, and do so within the specified credit range.
To apply as a transfer student you need to acquire a transcript from your current university that contains a list of the courses you have completed, along with other academic and non-academic certificates. Not for all credit transfers in US is it imperative that you complete SATs but it does increase your credibility if you’re looking to get into universities with low acceptance rate. Timing is very important and you generally require two transcripts, one when you apply and one before your semester in the next university begins to account for the credit hours completed within the time in between.
Nobel Mahtabuddin, a Bangladeshi transfer student at York University, shares, “You should compare your current university and the foreign university’s curriculums, and take courses whose credits are easy to transfer. Don’t do the major courses here, as those are usually not transferred, but opt for the subsidiary general education courses, whose credits are widely accepted by foreign universities.”

The Visa
According to most, this is the most painful and stressful part of the whole process. Provided that you’ve been offered an admission by a foreign university, you will need to face the embassy of that country for multiple check-ups. The acceptance procedures for visas may vary from country to country but the main concern is your finances. This may require bank statements, solvency certificates or other such equally important documents. Processing visas can take a long time, ranging from a week to a few months. And that’s the most challenging part — the unpredictability of it. But you need to be patient and never lose hope, even if months have elapsed since you applied for visa.
“Visas should be obtained as soon as possible, but if you are already admitted to a foreign university, the university personnel will try to help you with it as much as possible,” says Talha Kamal, a Bangladeshi student at Hong Kong University.
Getting enrolled at a good university overseas is not something that happens to everyone. However, it is attainable if you know what to do and work accordingly and efficiently. The world is your oyster.