Challenges Of Studying Abroad

what are the challenges of studying abroad (Challenges, Reasons, & Tips)

Challenges of studying abroad, when you study in another country, you can take part in a learning environment of a world-class standard or gain exposure to a different cultural milieu, which may come in handy at some point in your professional life. When one studies in a foreign country, they have the opportunity to broaden their personal network. This may come in handy in one's line of work or pursuing one's interests.

Undoubtedly, international students must contend with distinct obstacles on top of the obvious monetary and eligibility criteria. They will have to adjust to a new culture, deal with homesickness, and at times feel as though they do not belong, all of which may put additional stress on their academic life.

Challenges of studying abroad, this article discusses the benefits and difficulties of attending school in another country. It also lists the top locations for students coming from other countries. The purpose of this post is to provide readers with information that will assist them in making an educated choice on whether or not they should pursue education overseas and where.

It is only sometimes the case that students are linguistically and culturally prepared to make the most of their educational possibilities. Students may need help integrating themselves into their host community for various reasons, including but not limited to the possibility of linguistic and cultural challenges. One of the reasons for this is that the primary focus of international students these days is not on language acquisition but rather on completing their degrees in other areas of study instead.

According to the IIE (2014), barely 5% of all American students attending SA schools participated in language study abroad programs in 2014. The remaining students are pursuing degrees in STEM areas (23%), social sciences (22%), business studies (20), humanities (10%), fine or applied arts (8%), and other fields (12%). This has the effect of downplaying the significance of linguistic and cultural studies and makes it an implicit presumption that the language of communication will be English.

Advantages of Studying Abroad

Why even try to study abroad? There are many reasons to study overseas, and the benefits go beyond what students learn in a foreign school. Being in a new place with a different culture and getting to know the host community and other international students gives you chances you can't find at home.

Students who went on a study abroad program felt that it significantly affected their lives, especially in the areas of public involvement, knowledge production, philanthropy, and social entrepreneurship, which are all related to their present jobs. Some students also said that learning abroad made them want to go to higher school.

1. It makes people more aware of other cultures.

Studying abroad allows students to see things from a different point of view. This isn't meant to make the student question or change all of their views, but it does give them a chance to see things from the other person's point of view and learn to understand.

Researchers have found that learning abroad makes people more aware of other cultures and helps them learn about different views, ways of life, and customs (Chieffo and Griffiths, 2008). When people were able to do this, they got better at being sensitive to other cultures, accepting new cultural norms, and seeing how other cultures work.

2. It gives people a wider range of events

College students, especially first-year students living independently for the first time in a different city or state, often learn . about new activities and customs. But even though these things are other than what they are used to, they can feel very familiar.

On the other hand, when a student stays in a foreign country for a long time, they are totally out of their comfort zone. It puts students in a different society and gives them a chance to use their creativity to fit in. Students also learn essential life skills like living independently and handling daily tasks like making a budget, shopping, cleaning, etc.

3. It improves foreign language skills

Everyone will always gain a lot from learning a new language. When you study abroad, you are in the right place and have the drive to learn a new language. When a student is trying to learn a language, being around local people who speak that language helps them feel less nervous. When you learn abroad, you also improve your writing skills and listening ability.

4. It makes learning more interesting

Students show they are better at learning and have more confidence when doing chores. Compared to their peers who haven't studied abroad, students whose GPAs go up after studying abroad are better at school than their peers who haven't. The results of a student self-assessment survey and faculty observations showed that study-abroad students improved their intellectual development in terms of self-confidence and self-reliability in class and their ability to understand meaningful connections across intercultural contexts.

5. It improves the chances of getting a job in the future

Employers are often impressed by the global viewpoint and unique understanding of people from different countries that graduates of foreign study programs have. So, they are the best candidates for jobs that involve working with foreign business partners and leaders. In fact, a 2011 QS Global Employer Survey found that six out of ten companies often give students with foreign experience extra credit.

The same study also says that Energy (71%), Travel and Hospitality (64%), Electronics and Technology (64%), Consulting and Professional Services (63%), and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (63%) are some of the businesses that want to hire international grads.

In addition to the demand for international students in different fields, SA students also benefit from living in a varied environment and learning about different beliefs, ways of living, and traditions. Also, people who have learned abroad are better prepared to work in the world market.

6. It teaches people to be independent and makes them feel better about themselves.

If going to a neighborhood college or university helps a student become more independent, think about what studying abroad can do. Going to a new country alone for a long time will teach international students how to be independent. Compared to kids who went to school in their towns, these students were more independent and had better self-efficacy. They can handle stress better, are more likely to meet their goals, and are happier with their lives overall.

7. It gives people more chances to travel

Being a student in a different country gives you a chance to travel, which is a great perk. No matter where the school is, there are usually more chances to visit new places. For example, a student stationed somewhere in Europe can use a free weekend to visit nearby countries and learn more about the different cultures on the continent. Students who live in smaller places can and should take regular trips all over the host country.

What Are The Challenges Of Studying Abroad

There are benefits to studying abroad, but there are also unique hurdles. In their list of top concerns about studying abroad, Jenny et al. (2015) included homesickness. Distance from loved ones, monetary constraints, difficulty adjusting to a new culture, difficulty communicating with locals, language obstacles, cultural norms, and food restrictions all play a role. While some of these obstacles are unavoidable, it is beneficial for international students to understand them more deeply.

1. Challenges of studying abroad (Longing to return home)

Many students who have studied abroad before said that they struggled with homesickness and adapting to life in a strange country. Many first-time participants in the study abroad program struggle because they lack an immediate family member or other close personal support systems. According to UNESCO, one million international students were at U.S. universities in 2019. Of these students, 92% say they miss home comforts while studying abroad; 57% say they miss the senses the most, and 74% say they miss hearing familiar sounds.

One hundred percent of international students who studied abroad said they wouldn't change a thing about their experience. However, there were certain challenges in adapting to the new setting. At least once a week, 43% said they missed their homes.

Plus, 49% say homesickness has damaged their academic performance, and 40% say it has disrupted their sleep. According to the poll, the sharpest emotions of homesickness are particularly noticeable late at night, between 10 p.m. and 12 a.m.

2.Challenges of studying abroad (Course prerequisites in the current curriculum)

Some students worry that going overseas to school will slow them down. Adolescents who have already planned the quickest path to completing their chosen significant fall into this category. Some students choose to only take advantage of study abroad programs if they are confident that leaving for a semester or longer will set them back academically. Also, many worry that they'll have to take classes that won't credit toward their degree.

3. Challenges of studying abroad (Differences in language and culture)

Many issues, including language and cultural obstacles, arise in international students' first few months of study. If pupils cannot overcome the linguistic and cultural barriers, their academic performance will suffer. While many universities provide English language classes to help international students who need to be more competent in English, these programs typically lack the necessary rigor to meet the classroom's needs.

Half of the overseas students polled said they needed help speaking English well enough to keep up with their classes in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, 43% said language hurdles harmed their education and grades overall, and 30% reported switching from their major to English language courses due to language difficulties. Students' linguistic and intellectual development suffered from cultural hurdles as well. According to the same poll, only 17% of students claim cultural differences have no influence on their schoolwork, while 40% claim the opposite is true.

4.Challenges of studying abroad (Challenges with money)

Expenses for a study abroad program can add up quickly. Unless they come from a very well-off background, international students may need help making ends meet during their studies. Understandably, the cost of tuition is substantially more than for local courses. While it's true that some international schools don't charge tuition, other expenses, such as housing, food, and transportation, may still add up.

The costs associated with adjusting to a new nation, including tuition, housing, food, and entertainment, may quickly pile up. Earning extra money may be challenging for international students on study visas because they are typically not permitted to work off campus. These factors may contribute to the prevalence of financial concerns as one of the most significant challenges to adjusting to life in a foreign country.

5.Challenges of studying abroad (Concerns about nutrition and health)

In the same way that accommodation is essential, satisfying and familiar cuisine is also emotionally necessary for international students. Teachers understand the significance of serving tasty, familiar meals to their out-of-town students. This might be especially true for students who adhere to a kosher, halal, or vegetarian diet.

Foreign students at two Canadian universities reported experiencing food insecurity, which Erika Stewin, an anthropologist, defined as "a temporary or ongoing inability to access healthy and preferable foods that allow one to live a functional life."Students discussed their struggles with eating disorders, melancholy, homesickness, identity loss, hunger, weight gain/loss, and religious compromise.

According to reports, overseas students are more likely to be labeled as problem gamblers, smoke or use drugs often, and have worse mental health than their local counterparts. International students were less likely than domestic students to report seeking treatment for mental health issues, relationship issues, or alcohol/substance use problems while experiencing comparable levels of general psychological discomfort, study stress, or financial hardship.

Challenges Of Studying Abroad And How To Overcome Them

Before enrolling in a program that is offered overseas, students need to be able to evaluate the educational goals that are most important to them and make an accurate assessment of their capacity to manage a long stay in another country. This should not just refer to the student's ability to pay for their education; it should also include an open and honest assessment of whether or not the student is mentally prepared to study in a foreign system, inside a different culture, and perhaps speaking a different language.

As soon as a student has decided that they will go through with studying in another country, they should start making preparations as quickly as possible to guarantee a seamless transition.

The typical items of advice span from the functional to the social and include the following: being familiar with the local community (including commuting, places of interest, and supply centers), developing a flexible budget, and maintaining a communication system that is dependable with one's home. The following are other equally useful pieces of advice that might assist students in making the most of the short amount of time they have available to study abroad.

1. Familiarize yourself with the rules of the host institution.

It is only standard for international students to be curious about the history, culture, and people of the country in which they are studying. However, in their eagerness to do so, students frequently need to pay more attention to researching the educational environment of the host institution. Students are strongly urged to conduct further research beyond the materials provided by the institution, such as brochures and internet reviews, to learn more about how to make the most of their time there.

It is also a good idea to investigate how the system at the university that is hosting you operates. Students will benefit from a greater understanding of the university's values, organizational structure, grading system, and hierarchy if they familiarize themselves with this information. This will allow them to manage their expectations better.

2. Ensure that the credits earned for college are still valid.

Acquiring the necessary number of college credits while studying in another country ought to be the primary goal of all the effort that is put into the experience. First things first, you need to find out how many credits are required for a bachelor's degree. Then, before beginning your study abroad experience, you should make every effort to confirm the legitimacy of the credits you have already earned. Once the program has begun, it will take a lot of work to change directions.

The first step would be to ensure that your present class fits within the overall plan for your education. Students should consult with both the study abroad office and the registrar's office of their home college to see whether or not the former will give study abroad course credit from the latter. Even if the response is affirmative, the student need still submit a complete list of all the classes for enrollment and have each approved for credit.

The student ought to make it a priority to get an official document testifying to reality whenever it is feasible to do so. Assuming that everything mentioned above has been worked out, it is also a good idea to check with the education ministry of one's home country to see whether they would recognize these credits as acceptable when applying for a license in the future.

3. Check the university rankings

Acceptance into a top-tier university is considered a significant accomplishment in and of itself for more ambitious students. Even though it may be simple to choose a famous institution just based on its popularity, for example, by contrasting Oxford with Cambridge, the assessment had to go further than that. There are a great number of organizations that have developed rating systems in order to list the best schools and institutions all around the world.

As various firms employ different measures, students can select whatever indicator is closer to their aims and utilize them as their foundation. Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Shanghai University Academic rating of World Universities, QS World University Rankings, and U.S. News Global Universities Rankings are only a few popular university rating systems now in use.

4. Look into student assistance resources

Upon arriving at the host institution, international students will find the international center an excellent place to begin their academic experience. This office gives information on everything a newcomer to the campus will require in order to find their way through the various locations. In addition to its role as an information kiosk, the international center frequently offers a variety of extra services.

These include support with tutoring and translation, as well as first aid and counseling on the front lines. If nothing else, you may generally find other international students concerned about the same things here. Consequently, students can meet new individuals who share their interests and develop new connections.

In addition to the foreign office, students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the locations of the following assistance facilities: housing services, health center and counseling services, legal services, campus police, tutoring services, and writing/computer centers. According to Mountford-Zimdars and Soffe (2018), there is also the possibility of offices that deal with research opportunities, scholarship funds, and travel scholarships.

5. Become familiar with the community and be sure to take notes.

Students who decide to spend time studying in a foreign country will have the chance to communicate with family and friends back in their home countries about their adventures. It may be simpler and more convenient for a student to socialize with other students from their own country or from other countries, but this reduces the student's opportunity to learn more about the world outside of their own.

Attending events, parties, or activities that bring people together is the best way to meet new people and engage in cultural dialogue. Conversations with natives may also give practice opportunities, which can help enhance one's communication abilities. Exploring the various student groups on campus and selecting some of them to join is another way for visiting students to get the most out of their time there. Having friends and acquaintances outside of the classroom significantly expands a person's network and can be useful once they graduate from school.

6. Ask for help

Students from other countries should bridge communication gaps, whether such gaps are the result of cultural differences or language barriers. If there are any aspects of the assigned work that the students are having trouble with, they are strongly encouraged to ask questions about those topics. Outreach organizations and financial aid facilities are also available to people who require support.

Remember that the choice of persons you can seek aid does not have to be restricted to those on the campus. It is possible to maintain contact with one's native country by paying the local embassy a regular visit. It may be helpful for the student's spiritual needs to make periodic visits to the local house of worship, especially if the student is leaning more toward religion.

7. Make sure you have medical coverage.

No experience can compare to the terror of being ill while traveling. Unless it is one of those rare cases in which the student does not have health insurance, and the nation they are studying in does not have universal health care coverage. The United States is a paradigmatic case of a government in which the expenditures of medical treatment are of a very high order.

Student visa holders may be required to have health insurance. However, this requirement only sometimes applies. Students should always have health insurance, regardless of the visa type, especially if they want to remain in the United States after graduation.