Study abroad: How to choose a cool program
The older you get, the more pleasant it is to study. After all, learning is no longer a child punishment, but a voluntary choice. We have collected some tips for those who want to make it as conscious as possible - for example, going to a foreign university.
Text: Anna Aristova
Decide on the country and city
Of course, there are no universal tips here - everyone approaches the search individually. Someone is guided by the prestige of a particular program or university, someone - a love for the culture of the host country, and someone just from childhood wanted to live in a particular country. "I have all very well coincided: the love of travel, the thirst to try something new, the end of undergraduate, not too rosy atmosphere in Moscow for a young specialist, at that time nothing kept me here - it remained only to choose where. As a result, flew away I'm in Brisbane, Australia, which has become a very spontaneous destination, but naively desired since childhood, ”says Dasha, who studied at Griffith University on the east coast of Australia. "I wanted to do science, because in an IT company where I worked, there was too much routine. I liked certain topics in the field of computer science, I read articles on these topics and, of course, knew professors from different countries who they are engaged in. I contacted several of them by email and received a response from my professor from Germany. You can say that I did not choose Germany, it just happened, "- says PhD-student of the Technological Institute Karlsruhe Yaroslav.
Take time to search and evaluate the scale of the preparation of documents
It is necessary to start searching for a suitable curriculum in advance - in some cases, a year or two before the start of training. If you want to leave next year, you need to submit an application to some countries right now. “I started collecting documents in February, and in March I already sent the first package of papers, with notarized translations,” says Alisa, now a student at the Sorbonne School of Communication. “It was important to have all documents translated into French, including a school certificate, this takes time. And, of course, you need to pass an exam in language. In 2017, exam sessions were held in December, March and May - I literally jumped on the last train, signing up for the May session - I was lucky that the university considered my application was late and I managed to send them my result. I advise you not to be me and hand over everything in advance and without nerves. "
If you have financial resources, contact the intermediary companies involved in collecting and translating all the necessary documents, and sometimes even accompanying them when moving. "My admission was handled by a specialized educational company that provides consulting services, collects documents and acts as an intermediary in contacting the university itself. The service is quite inexpensive, but it saves time, nerves and feels more confident at such a crucial moment," says Dasha. For me, a rather long medical examination procedure for a student visa to Australia was a big surprise for me: it was necessary to pass a bunch of tests and undergo nogochislennye examinations. "
The procedure for PhD programs is different: "In fact, there was no recording procedure. I was given a work visa and I arrived. In Germany, PhDs are considered researchers, not students," Yaroslav says.
Study university reviews and ratings
Regarding the choice of the program - before submitting an application, study the websites of the universities you like, including on the subject of courses, teaching staff and students' scientific works. Look for groups on Facebook and write to students enrolled in your chosen faculties - who, if not they, can talk about the quality of education. Look at the rankings - not only the classic lists of the best universities in the country, but also the ratings in your specialty: sometimes the best in terms of teaching and the professorial staff of the program are found in completely unobvious universities. "I have a rather narrow professional segment - the aviation business, so the list was not long. The decisive factor for me was the reputation and reviews of the university, its location, and also a relatively simple and quick admission process," says Dasha.
"For lawyers, there are two options for the master's program - general and specialized (for example, on intellectual law or human rights). It was important for me to enroll in a general law program that would give me more freedom to choose the legal subjects studied - every year the list of courses and teachers changes it is usually not available at the time of application, so it was important for me to leave a choice. An interdisciplinary program is also important. I think lawyers need to look at what people in related fields do - for example , in Cambridge, we studied the subject “The Birth, Development and Afterlife of the States”, which included history and sociology, or “Economics of Law and Regulation", where several lectures were devoted to the philosophy of artificial intelligence. I also wanted to go to a major research center - so that decide whether I want to become a graduate student. Plus, this is a unique opportunity to seriously sit down with books in the library and talk with the best law professors. I also drew attention to the number of scholarships for undergraduates, because I could not pay for my studies myself. In large and prestigious universities, there are more such opportunities, "says Diana, who was trained under the LL.M (Master of Laws) program at the University of Cambridge.
See if your university works with someone.
If you are frightened by the procedure of collecting documents and responsibility, the easiest way is to go through an exchange or a double degree program from a Russian university. Many universities cooperate with leading universities around the world, so study the list of partner universities - perhaps there will be the same university where you wanted to go. "While studying at HSE, we had the opportunity to go on exchange to one of the partner universities of our program or to the university from the university list. In the second case, the competition was much higher because students from different regions of Russia applied for me The main role in the selection was played by the rating and the motivation letter - it seems to me that it helped me to go to the university of dreams, ”says Katya, who left for the trimester on exchange to ESSEC Business School in Paris.
Calculate the budget
Remember that the study itself is only a small part of the cost. The main expenses usually fall on payment for housing (which often costs twice as much as Russia) and food. The ideal option is to get a scholarship or apply for financial assistance already being in the country, but sometimes it is worthwhile to think once more, and perhaps postpone the trip for some time in order to earn some money and save up money, thus avoiding the fear of starving to death by the border. If waiting is not an option for you, think about a side job while studying - the visa rules of some countries allow you to work several hours a week. “Before I left for Sorbonne, I began to search for students of my program on the forums to ask if our study schedule allows us to earn money on weekends. Then they answered no categorically — they said the study was too complicated and intense to do Something else. However, I decided to take a leap of faith and left with the thought that “I’ll figure it out.” During my studies, I wrote articles in freelance and translated - this helped me not to fall into despair because of local prices and not much to lose in quality ve life compared to Moscow. Some things like buying clothes I have to give up until now (but I discovered a wonderful world of swaps and conscious consumption) - but I see this experience as a contribution to my future, "says Alice.
Think of a scholarship or grant
When choosing, it is worth paying attention to the scholarships offered by various international organizations - they fully or partially cover the cost of studying at prestigious universities and help a lot at first abroad. "In the UK, studying is very expensive, the cost of a program for foreigners can sometimes reach several tens of thousands of pounds. Along with this, there are not so many scholarships, mainly large universities like Oxford and Cambridge provide them. Finding a scholarship that partially covers the cost of the program is much easier But this option did not suit me. You can apply for a scholarship either simultaneously with the application for admission on the university website (just tick the required item), or on a separate scholarship program website In this case, I’ll have to fight for the place separately. I studied in Cambridge under the Chevening scholarship program funded by the UK government. The scholarship fully covered tuition, airfare and visa costs. In addition, I received monthly payments that were enough to rent a house. , there are sometimes even traveling around the country.In addition, besides the scholarship itself, Chevening provides an opportunity to participate in UK events in Russia - and this is a very valuable resource for networking. A prerequisite for such a program is that after graduation you will need to return to Russia and work here for two years. "
According to Diana's experience, to get a scholarship, a diploma from a top Moscow university is not very important - she recalls that about half of the scholars of her year were from the regions. "I think the motivation and achievements of the applicants are important. Achievements are not necessarily a successful career in a large corporation: activism, volunteering, city and regional initiatives, projects in the sphere of culture and science are valued. For example, employees and the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts received a scholarship with me , and the regional branch of human rights NGOs, "- says Diana.
Do not hurry
If you have not received this year, it is better to wait and submit documents in the following. “It’s better to go to a good university right away. Otherwise why is this all? There are many magistracies in Russia where studying will give you much more for personal and career development. The same applies to finances - in my issue of Chivning there were several people who received a scholarship from the second times. One of the scholarships went to the prestigious London School of Economics, which she has now successfully completed, "- says Diana.
Think about the future
Before you leave, still think, what would you like to do next - stay and work abroad? Return to Russia with new knowledge? Get the experience of independent living in another country? The answers to these questions are important too. “After graduating from university, I returned to Russia. Australia’s specificity is such that either a marriage or an additional diploma in the chosen field allowed to stay there (the total duration of uninterrupted stay in the country is at least 2 years). Employers are not at all interested in providing employment to foreign citizens: significant expenses of the enterprise, extra paperwork with an abundance of local labor. Now I enjoy life in my homeland, it’s not for nothing that they say: where I was born, it was useful there. abundant and look at the world without any territorial boundaries, "- said Dasha. “The experience of studying abroad was very cool, he broadened my horizons. I really became a different person and I have a different attitude to everything,” says Nadia, who went abroad for language courses.
Think again
Living abroad is not at all the same thing as a tourist trip. Remember that when moving you will have to start life from scratch, which means that you will need to move to a new apartment or dormitory, deal with registration of local insurance, residence permit and social subsidies. In some countries, this process can take months - much longer than in Russia. In France, for example, almost all papers to municipal structures need to be sent by mail, to the point that you can cancel a contract with a mobile operator only by writing a statement by hand and sending it in a real letter. There is another important factor - attachment to the house. “When you realize that you are leaving for a long time, departure is perceived quite differently. At first, you walk, and it seems that nothing has changed. It seems that I live on suitcases and can fly back at any moment. This feeling does not let go. There is no stability. It’s hard that there are no friends here - you think that you do not depend on them, and in general what a difference, there is always a telephone. But this is not so. There is not even a familiar café that you always go to. There are no guidelines. They appear with time, but the first time is very difficult. The first time is still completely about proves the language and when get the chance to speak in Russian, it's nice to not ever thought that it would be so. "-. says a student of classical philology at the Sorbonne Arthur.
Photo: Elena Shvoyeva - stock.adobe.com, ilona - stock.adobe.com, Olga Galushko - stock.adobe.com
