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How should students shortlist and apply to international universities?

Sun February 16, 2020     994

Researching and choosing a university is one of the most critical decisions a student makes when he decides to pursue his further education from a foreign university. There are various inhibitions that the students, as well as the parents, face in the process of narrowing down on the best university. Well, the first thing to do is to do intensive research.

shortlist universities

Eligibility

Different courses have different criterion for admissions. The criterion differs not only from course to course but from institute to institute. So make sure that you do an in depth research on the same. Filter down your searches and look for the institutes or the colleges that are good for you and suit your prior academic qualifications and marks. And if in doubt, just come on to Program Explorer and let our experts do the needful for you.

Trust yourself

Studying abroad is one of the most challenging and life changing decisions for any student. When one plans to shift their base to another country, there are a lot of suggestions that pour in, from friends, relatives and your neighbours. Listen to everyone but do what you want to do. What might be a good option for someone might not necessarily be right for you. Trust your instinct and go forward with what you wish to do. Talk to your parents and convince them as to why you want to pursue a particular field or course.

Don't apply to too many colleges

There are multiple options available in many countries when you decide to go abroad and study. Students make the mistake of selecting a lot of colleges and then applying to each of them.This practice not only wastes your time but also involves a lot of costs. An application to a university requires hard work and efforts in writing the applications and essays, and if one applies to too many places, the quality of the essays is bound to suffer.

Understand what you want and then narrow down to about eight to ten colleges. For the students who are facing issues shortlisting colleges, experts at Program Explorer are there to help you.

Course

You might really like a particular city or a college, but the question that arises is whether that specific institution offers the course you wish to study? Don’t settle for the institution just because it is more renowned than the other. Decide the university on the course you want to pursue and the coursework it offers. Contact the experts at Program Explorer if you have any qualms about the course or the university.

Location

The location too plays a significant role in deciding where you want to study further. Whether one wants to study in a metropolitan city or a small town, a state college with 20,000 students or a smaller college with a mere 2,000 students, a place where the winters are extreme, or a place that has many beaches, these factors affect the decision of applying to a particular university/institution.

Cost

One of the most crucial elements in deciding a university or a city for your education abroad is the cost involved. The significant chunk of money is spent on the tuition fee as well as the living expenditures that a student incurs on a daily basis. Check whether your university is publically or privately funded for public universities are comparatively cheaper. Also, see if your institution offers any scholarships or bursaries to international students to cut down some of the costs. Use the inbuilt filters of Program Explorer to find out the best institutions for you based on your budget.

Attendance

The attendance norms vary from course to course and also depend on the students. Decide if you wish to pursue a full-time course or a part-time course and fulfill the other commitments you have in your life and then shortlist the colleges. For doubts that might arise, feel free to contact the experts at Program Explorer.

Intake

Universities usually have three annual intakes, the Winter Intake (January-April), the Summer Intake (May-August) and the Fall Intake (September- December). Some of the intakes are bigger and accept more student applications than the others. Check what intakes are available in your college on Program Explorer and make a decision based on it.

Your future goals

And lastly, don’t forget where you see yourself in the future. All your decisions, your studies and your college will in a way affect your future and your career so make sure your coursework/program is in association with all your future goals and aspirations.

Choosing the right college/university is a critical decision and involves inputs, both from the parents and the students, and so they should know what they want. And it is perfectly fine to be perplexed. Program Explorer is the right place to start your research. The features and the filters can be easily used to shortlist your universities and come to a conclusion. And if you are still in doubt, we have experts to answer and resolve each and every query of yours.