Abroad studies

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STUDY IN CANADA

Choose to study in Canada, and you’ll have the opportunity to encounter vastly different cultural and natural experiences – from the ski slopes of British Columbia to the prairie province of Manitoba, with cities such as Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Quebec famously friendly, tolerant and multicultural.

Occupying the northern half of the North American continent, Canada is known for its natural beauty – few nations in the world can boast anything close to its wealth of forests, lakes and mountains – and for its multicultural diversity. The country has official bilingual status, with both English and French used concurrently in the government and official documents.

It’s also known for its sparse population (despite being the world’s second-largest country, it has a population smaller than that of just one US state, California) and for its harsh winters (in some parts of Canada, snow covers the ground for almost half the year – but you’re unlikely to find any Canadian universities in those regions!).

Universities in Canada

Canada has a well-established position among the world’s leading study destinations; as of 2012, it was the seventh most popular country for international students, who accounted for 6.5% of all post-secondary students in the country. Of those, the most popular Canadian provinces were Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, which between them are home to many of the top universities in Canada.

For those looking to study at an elite university in one of the world’s most developed nations, applying to study in Canada can be an attractive option. A total of 26 universities in Canada feature in the 2013/14 QS World University Rankings®, of which three are in the world’s top 50 and nine make the world’s top 200 – a feat matched only by a handful of other nations. The two highest Canadian entries are the University of Toronto (17=) and McGill University (21), located in Toronto and Montreal, the two largest cities in Canada. Also within the global top 200 are the University of British Columbia, University de Montreal, University of Alberta, McMaster University, University of Waterloo, Queen's University, Ontario, and Western University.

Undergraduate degrees in Canada can take either three or four years to complete, depending on the university, while postgraduate degrees last between one and three years to complete depending on the type of degree. Different types of higher education providers in Canada include: community colleges, technical, applied arts schools or applied science schools (which grants certificates, diplomas, associate’s degrees and bachelor’s degrees), or universities (which carry out research and provide both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees).

As universities in Canada are managed by provincial governments, you’ll find there will be slight differences in how education is carried out. Quebec in particular is markedly different to the rest of Canada, with different term times and length of study (in secondary school students finish a year early and must take a mandatory pre-university ‘General and Vocational College’ (CEGEP) course, essentially eliminating the freshman first year of university). Checking with your chosen institutions for specific details.

Preparing for your studies in Australia

You’ve booked your flights, enrolled in your course and applied for a student visa, so what’s next? There are still a number of things to organise before you arrive in Australia that you may not have considered. To help you out, we’ve put together a checklist of tasks you’ll need to complete before you leave your home country.

Research your chosen city and local area

It’s a good idea to research the city where you will be living and studying — this includes finding information about the facilities near your home or campus, such as banks, shopping centers and hospitals; public transport options (including ticketing systems and the location of pick-up and drop-off stops and stations); living costs; and the local climate. It also helps to read about Australia in general, including Australian culture and lifestyle, and places or attractions you may like to visit — even how to speak the Aussie way. See Living in Australia, Australia’s regions and Aussie slang for more information.

Organise your accommodation

If you haven’t organized your accommodation, now is the time to do so. There are different types of accommodation available depending on your needs and budget. These include homestay, university accommodation (in the form of residential colleges, halls of residence and apartments), hostels and guesthouses, and private rentals. See Accommodation for more information, including average costs. You can also contact your institution’s accommodation service for help and advice.

Take note of key dates for orientation activities

Your institution will run a number of events at the start of the year to help students ease into their studies, such as an orientation week (commonly known as ‘O-Week’) and sessions that help you pick your subjects. These events provide a great opportunity to ask questions and sort out administrative matters, as well as a chance to meet some of your future classmates. It’s important to make sure you arrive in Australia in time to attend these sessions — most institutions run orientation activities around one or two weeks before the start of semester. You can also take some time to look through your institution’s academic calendar (usually found on the website), which will give you an indication of assessment periods and semester breaks so that you can plan holiday trips to see Australia or visit family back home.

Have all your important documents ready

Before you leave you’ll need to make sure you have all the required documents for your stay. This will include your passport (with an expiry date of at least six months after you finish your studies), airline tickets, your student visa, your offer letter and Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), up-to-date academic transcripts (if required by your institution), medical records and personal references. Check with your institution to be sure you are applying the documents they need, as requirements vary. You should also exchange enough money to cover initial expenses in the first few days. See Banking in Australia for help with setting up an Australian bank account.    

Make sure you understand Australian quarantine laws

Australia has strict quarantine laws to protect the agricultural industry and environment, so it is very important that you know what you can and can’t bring into the country. Prohibited items include food, plant material and animal products. There are also some items that need to be declared if you are bringing them into Australia. This rule also applies if you are bringing cash into Australia, with amounts above AUD$10,000 needing to be declared. You may be fined if you do not follow quarantine laws or fail to declare certain items.

Let your institution know when you’re arriving

Many institutions offer free airport pick-up or other services for international students, so it’s a good idea to contact them before you leave to confirm your arrival. We also advise that you confirm your accommodation arrangements. Your institution may also be able to help with these matters and will be able to advise you about other tasks you’ll need to complete before you leave home, as well as once you arrive in Australia.

Study in USA

The American education system requires that students complete 12 years of primary and secondary education prior to attending university or college. This may be accomplished either at public (or government-operated) schools, or at private schools. These 12 years of schooling (or their equivalent) may also be completed outside the USA, thus giving foreign students the opportunity to pursue the benefits of the American education system and obtain a quality American education. Perhaps one of the most impressive facts is the large number of presidents, prime ministers and leaders from other countries who have experienced the American education system and graduated from a university or school in the USA. In many fields and industries, the American education system offers the most cutting-edge, sought-after programs at the world's best schools. That is why graduating from an accredited American school and being exposed to the rigors of the American education system is an investment in your future.

The United States is a favored destination for thousands of students from the nation for their further studies. There are several reasons for that.. Firstly, it has one of the most advanced systems of education in the world. The other reasons are the affordable fees, easy and transparent visa processing and the abundance of superb research and employment opportunities.

The United States is the home for Universities like Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Cornell, to name just a few. These universities and others set very high standards for themselves and their students. The United States is also the venue of most of the cutting edge research and development in the world. Combined with the strong economy and the huge industrial base, it is almost an irresistible choice for most students contemplating further studies abroad. Most schools in the United States operate rotational semesters. There are 3 entry dates. Spring (January/February): This is perhaps the most important entry date with the largest intake and the most scholarships on offer.

Visa Procedure

The procedure of obtaining a student visa for the United States is relatively easy and stress-free.

The steps are outlined below:

 Research colleges and decide which one(s) you would like to attend.

 Send completed admission forms and all required documents to the college of your choice before the deadline

 Receive your I-20 (INS forms) from the college

 Compile your documentation for the Embassy interview

 Submit the visa application form and SEVIS fee to the consular section and obtain your interview confirmation ticket.

 Take your interview.

The German Higher Education System

Although the ongoing reforms stemming from the ‘Bologna Declaration’ – aimed primarily at establishing internationally accepted degrees, enhancing the quality of study courses, and increasing employability – are in the process of doing away with stark contrasts that have existed between education systems of the European countries that have adopted it, certain distinctive features of individual systems are bound to remain in place. The German Federal Government, federal states, and higher education institutions are, within the ‘Bologna Process’ context, undertaking the largest higher education reform in decades; there’s a lot to the German higher education system however, that is time-proven to produce excellent results and should stay in place.

The German higher education system is widely regarded as being one of the best in the world; it is fairly diverse, with a variety of institutions that cover a wide range of academic profiles and confer different types of degrees.

As a general rule, German universities are recognized and held in high esteem worldwide – they perform very well in the international university rankings (usually right below the most prestigious American and British universities). One reason why German universities under-perform in rankings, relative to some of their famous American and British counterparts, may be the fact that some of the most famous independent research institutes such as ‘Max Planck,’ ‘Leibniz,’ and ‘Fraunhofer,’ which although embedded within university clusters, are seldom if ever included as integral parts during university rankings.

Competences over Education

In Germany, it is the 16 individual federal states (Länder) that are given the competences by the German Constitution and Higher Education Act, to decide on all matters pertaining to education. Respective higher education laws of individual states determine the organizational structure and specify the responsibilities of higher education institutions.

Federal states also fund the majority of higher education institutions, and therefore have regulatory control over them. There are however, institutions of higher education that are not under direct state control: Catholic and Protestant Church run higher education institutions as well as state-accredited private institutions (the majority of the latter are the so-called universities of ‘applied sciences’).

The General Division

Institutions of higher education in Germany are they state (public) or state-accredited, are generally divided into:

·         Universities;

·         Universities of ‘Applied Sciences’ (a.k.a. “Fachhochschulen”);

·         Colleges of Art and Music;

·         Cooperative State University of Baden-Wuerttemberg (essentially a university of education, where training is provided for different teaching degrees);

The entire system in Germany totals nearly 400 higher education institutions, with roughly 120 universities (or their equivalents), 189 Fachhochschulen (including universities of public administrative sciences), and over 50 art colleges.

The Dual Education System

An important guiding principle of the German education system as a whole, and one in accordance with which individual higher education institutions regulate activities taking place within them, is the principle of ‘The Unity of Learning and Research,’ which is at the core of, what is referred to as the “the dual education system.”

The combining of the theoretical and practical educations (with a strong emphasis on apprenticeship), makes German higher education institutions into settings where teaching and research not only cohabitate, but prop each other up and act synergistically.

Why Study in Australia?

Australia is one such destination which is growing in popularity day by day. Every year, thousands of students choose this country to pursue their higher education. This is one such destination which is emerging as new study destination among the students across the world. There are many reasons behind this emerging trend such as cost of study, number of scholarships for international students, living expenses, work opportunities, variety of course options and international recognition of the degree. Let's check out some major factors which make this country popular among international students:

1.      Growing destination: Australia is growing as one of the most sought after study abroad destination. Students from all parts of the world choose this country to pursue their higher studies. Presently, Australia has the third largest international student population.

2.      Global Recognition: Australian universities degrees are internationally recognised and globally accepted. There is a special boost for students that higher education system is federally regulated. This ensures higher standard of education because all the universities are regulated by the government.

3.      Lower Cost of Living: The cost of living in this country is comparatively low. This cost of tuition fee and living is much lower than USA and UK. This is an advantage for international students and this makes this country more popular among foreign students.

4.      Wide Range of Course: Australian universities offer wide range of courses to students. The universities offer degrees, diplomas, certificates, bachelors, masters and research oriented programmes. The country offers programmes in almost all the field from engineering, medicine to humanities, etc. You can search for a course which suits your needs and helps you to build a good career.

5.      Technology: Australia is one such country which is in the list of top 10 spenders in the world for research and development. 2% of all scientific papers in the world are from Australia, placing Australian at the leading place of new technology and innovations. The country has won total 7 Nobel Prize.  

6.      Opportunity to work for international students: The Australian immigration system allows foreign students to work up to limited hours per week during their term time, and during the vacations students can work full time and earn some extra money. This opportunity makes it more affordable for students who can attend schools and still fund their education with some work.