1. Home
2. Blogs

Everything You Need To Know While Planning For Studying Overseas

• 
• 
• 
• 0
• 0

If you are thinking about higher studies but do not know where to start, don’t worry! This blog has got you covered on that front. Firstly, you need to find out what you want to study – your core area of study that you want to specialize in. Once you have zoned in on that, you’ll have to find out which colleges offer courses on this area. You can take the help of educational consultants, use social media to network with students who study there and visit the website to get to know more about a  college’s reputation, infrastructure, funding, and faculty and course syllabus. 

Writing the right exams

Most colleges in English-speaking countries require you to have taken standardized exams like the GRE, GMAT, TOEFL or IELTS (depending on your course of choice) to exhibit your quantitative aptitude and language proficiency. Some colleges in non-English speaking countries require you to exhibit native language proficiency if the medium of instruction for that particular course is that country’s native language. Towards this, you may have to plan to take language classes and pass the required examinations.

Turning in a complete application

Apart from competitive exam scores, you might be required to submit

• a Statement of Purpose (SOP) that outlines your academic and career goals and why you want to pursue that course in that particular University and,

• letters of recommendation from your professors that vouch for your character, academic excellence and ability to take on higher studies

• academic transcripts and degree certificates from your undergraduate program and sometimes even high school, and

• a resume detailing your academic, extra-curricular and work experience

as a part of your application. Your application will be judged based on the cumulative effect of all of these parameters. Most applications can be submitted online and require you to pay a fee. Please keep track of application deadlines and make sure you submit your application as soon as you can.  

Figuring out loans and financial assistance

Once your application is submitted, colleges usually take up to 4 - 5 months to get back to you. Once you are admitted, you will have to figure out Visa formalities and payment of tuition fees. Since Visa procedures differ across countries, I will not be going into them here. Tuition fees for Master’s programs can be very expensive and so most people will have to approach banks for education loans that will cover not just tuition fees but also living expenses that will be incurred over the course of study. Meritorious students may also receive scholarships from the colleges. You will be required to furnish documents such as offer letter, Visa documents along with collateral for the loan in the form of property or other assets that the bank will require as security for approving your loan. For help on loan proceedings, please visit https://www.credenc.com/ for the best advice from experts on how to go about getting financial assistance for your higher studies at attractive interest rates.

Being smart - buying travel and health insurance

After your Visa is approved, all that is left for you to do is book flight tickets well in advance and pack your bags. Once flight tickets have been purchased, please invest time and effort in looking up travel and health insurance plans that are crucial for your peace of mind while you are studying abroad. Travel insurance plans will provide coverage from risks such as flight delays/cancellation, loss of baggage and loss of documents while travelling. It is important to realize that healthcare in foreign countries can be very expensive and it is really tough on your wallet to visit the hospital even for the treatment of not-so-serious illnesses. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to invest in a good health insurance plan that provides coverage in the country you will be going to, so that you can focus on studies and not worry about any health-related risks that you may have to face. HDFC ERGO offers some amazing plans for student travel insurance study abroad and health insurance.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before going ahead with the purchase.