Nowadays, borders between countries are becoming more transparent, and people have opportunities to go from their states to other states all over the world. They can use available options for different purposes, and one of them is to study overseas. People select overseas education for many reasons, including the higher quality of knowledge in comparison with their native countries, the ability to study foreign languages better, or the ability to emigrate after graduation. It is essential to mention that studying abroad may provide both benefits and pitfalls. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the most common benefits and drawbacks, as well as overall outcomes that are related to studying abroad and to recommend the ways to handle the drawbacks.
Studying overseas means that students go to study in other countries outside their native states. Education abroad is usually associated with various benefits and potential problems. Students should use potential benefits and try to avoid drawbacks if they select to study abroad. Studying in foreign states provides different benefits, and the most important ones will be mentioned. Firstly, studying abroad can give knowledge and skills that cannot be learned in the home country. Secondly, after graduation, students can get well-paid and prestigious professions. It is essential for people living in developing countries where specialists who graduated from foreign educational institutions are highly valued. Thirdly, people who studied overseas often stimulate their relatives and friends to do the same and to improve levels of their lives (Velliaris and Coleman-George 168). Finally, according to Tarrant et al., “studying abroad is associated with promoting at least four of the six GPI domains” (78). Thus, the general quality of the populations’ education in a particular state increases together with socio-economic indicators.
In addition to providing advantages, education in foreign states is associated with some issues. Firstly, in some countries, there may exist governmental or legal restrictions for students who want to go to other states for educational purposes (Ziguras and Grant McBurnie 51). Secondly, according to Alghamdi and Otte, “for the majority of international students, language difficulties seem to be the most challenging issue” (18). In order to handle regulation issues, potential students can be recommended to study all limits and state regulations of foreign education in advance. If possible, they should get advice from people who already have experience of studying in the same country. To handle language issues, it is necessary to consider the necessary language at least on the intermediate level before going to a host country.
The possible outcomes of overseas education can be various depending on an individual’s efforts during studying in a foreign country. In case of successful graduation, one can get a well-paid job in a native state or stay in a country of education. The outcomes can be negative if one demonstrates problems with the language of studying or faces the restrictions related to foreign education.
To conclude, studying overseas is associated with common benefits and drawbacks, and they should be considered by all students who want to study in a foreign state. The most common advantages include the ability to get better professional skills and knowledge, opportunities to learn foreign languages, to stimulate family members and friends to study abroad, and to improve their lives. Common drawbacks include government policies and limitations for students who came from other states, as well as the issues related to foreign language knowledge during studying. To overcome those issues, students should know possible regulations, limitations, and necessary language for education before they go to study abroad.
Works Cited
Alghamdi, Hamad, and Suzanne Otte. “The Challenges and Benefits of Study Abroad.” International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, vol. 6, no. 5, 2016, pp. 16–22, Web.
Tarrant, Michael A. et al. “The Effects of Studying Abroad and Studying Sustainability on Students’ Global Perspectives.” The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, vol. 26, 2015, pp. 68–82, Web.
Velliaris, Donna M., and Deb Coleman-George. Handbook of Research on Study Abroad Programs and Outbound Mobility. IGI Global, 2016.
Ziguras, Christopher, and Grant McBurnie. Governing Cross-Border Higher Education. Routledge, 2014.