The 4 challenges international students face abroad

Studying abroad is an incredible experience that brings both personal and professional growth. Living in another country and immersing yourself in a different culture is very rewarding but may come with some challenges. Here are some tips on common issues to help make your experience stress free:

1. Feeling Homesick

Getting out of your comfort zone might be fun at first, but after a few weeks of fun, you might start to miss your family and friends. The people who know you the best, are not with you to share the incredible experience you are going through. Bringing your pet along to study abroad is one way to stay less homesick, but here are a few other ideas:

• Make new friends that will become your family abroad. 
• Stay in touch with everyone back home by downloading apps such as: Facebook, Skype, Watssap, Viber and more.
• Find your local community. 

It is always good to share your new adventures with someone familiar and to also stay up to date with news from back home.

2. Finding a job 

Studying abroad might seem like the most expensive thing in the world. Getting a scholarship is one way to fund the experience, but you might also need to find a job, which will allow you to keep swiping your credit cards.

After sending your student visa application and proving that that you meet the study permit requirements, you need to find out how many hours (if at all), you can work yearly.

In the USA, international students are not allowed to work, except in jobs on campus. It is recommended to either ask the faculty members or career centers in your university about opening jobs, or just search their website for job opportunities.

A campus job can be anything like: becoming a library assistant, tutor, lifeguard, teacher's assistant, doing research and more. Keep in mind that these are part time jobs and are usually also temporary jobs, to allow students to stay focused on their studies.


3. Losing your passport abroad

Your passport is your most valuable document and it is very important to take extra care of it when you are abroad. Many places only accept passports as a form of identification for foreigners so you often have to carry it around.

Losing your passport may seem very scary and is definitely something you want to avoid but in case it happens, here is what you should do:

• File a police report at the nearest police station.  
• Find and contact the closest embassy or consulate of your home country.  
• If you have a flight waiting for you, and you need to travel right away, you can ask for an emergency passport, if not, you will have to wait a bit for the new one to be ready. 
• Keep in mind that you might need to pay a fee for the passport renewal. 

It is also extremely important to have both a document and an electronic copy of the document for reference to prove your citizenship.

4. Overcoming language barriers 

Studying abroad is an excellent opportunity to learn a new language, whether the language spoken in your new home is Spanish, French, English, Italian, Russian or Chinese.

Taking a language course is one way to get familiarized with the local slang words or to ordering food at a restaurant.
Being surrounded by native speakers is also a huge help in learning a language.

A nice nice way to practice “social language” while making new friends is finding a tandem. A tandem is someone who wants to learn the language you speak and is native in the language you want to learn, it’s a win-win for everyone – and it's like a free course! Remember that practice makes perfect, so don’t be shy, talk, talk and talk a little more!

Facing challenges is an important part of life that makes your grow. Your journey abroad will be so rewarding you will be wondering why you didn’t go earlier. No one said it's going to be an easy journey, but at the end of the day, it will be worth it. 

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How to study abroad with a disability

Studying abroad is an eye opening experience that should be accessible to everyone, but for people with disabilities, studying abroad might seem impossible. If you fear that you might not have access to all the resources you need in the new land or on campus abroad, we have some good news for you. There are people who did it before you, and there will be people who do it after you. So why shouldn't you too, step on this journey and enrich your life? According to The Institute of International Education, there is a rise in interest in study abroad programs among people with disabilities. Today, it's becoming easier for the prospective scholar with a long term disability, to make this dream come true. 

Here are some tips on how to go about doing this:

First: find the right program

Finding the right program can be a difficult task for anyone. Here are some tips to find the one that best fits your needs: 

1.    Resources:

There are a number of resources that can be used to find information on accessibility services. Abroad With Disabilities is one of them. It is a nonprofit organization, that aims to provide information on how students can study abroad with their disabilities and is an excellent resource to begin research.

It was co-founded by Juanita Lillie, who is visually impaired and faced challenges while on a three month study program in Costa Rica. That didn't stop her from traveling, zip-lining, horseback riding and experiencing the place to the fullest. 

2.    Contact schools directly:

If you’re interested in a specific program but are unsure whether or not you will be able to get the right accommodations, it's best to get in touch with the school's staff directly. 

Have an honest conversation about what accommodations you need. Make sure to contact both the program’s study abroad faculty and disabilities faculty to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

3.   Make a list of programs:  

You find a school that has responded well to your needs and has made you feel comfortable, add it to your list of potential programs to apply to. Don’t settle on a program just because it can accommodate you. It may take some time and effort, but at the end of it, you will find a study program that suits your needs. 

If a school responds unfavorably to your needs, don't get offended. Some schools don't have enough resources to provide certain accommodations. On the positive side, there are other schools which will be more than happy to meet your expectations and provide you with an incredible experience.

Second: Go the Distance

Once you’ve found a program that you’re excited about and feel comfortable with in regard to accommodations, you may find that your mind is still not at ease. This is a normal reaction for anyone going abroad. Know that you’ve done your research and that you are ready to take the next step: actually going.

1. Make sure you have all you need: 

If you take any specific medication, don't forget to bring a supply along. Also, be sure to bring a copy of the prescriptions and get medical health insurance before you start your travels. 

2. While abroad talk to the school staff: 

Maintaining an open dialogue with disabilities staff is key. If your needs are not being met, they will be able to do something about it. 

Have a good relationship with your teachers, they should be aware of your needs so they can help you if needed. 

3. Prioritize: 

It’s also important to not take on too many tasks. Everyone has their limits and in order to minimize stress its better to have a comfortable amount to do rather than more than you can handle. Fortunately having too little to do will never be an issue while abroad.

Other Resources

Lastly, studying abroad is a great opportunity to try new things, learn about new cultures, and experience the world from new perspectives while being in an academic setting. It’s an opportunity that everyone should be able to take advantage of regardless of a disability.

Here are some other resources regarding health and studying abroad provided by GradTrain:

1. How to Calculate the Living Expenses and Tuition of Studying Abroad in the United States. This is helpful because many of these can include treatment for a disability or health insurance. These costs should be taken into consideration when looking at programs.

2. Packing tips for international students. This is relevant because some disabilities require packing specific items such as medicine or prosthetic equipment.

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Time to panic? EU students are not amused by Brexit

Not long ago, the United Kingdom was considered the second most popular study abroad destination for international students after the United States. After triggering Article 50 and voting to leave the European Union, will the United Kingdom need to work hard to maintain its “hotspot” reputation? Out of 2.3 million students who attended UK universities in 2014-15, 19% of them were non-British students. Before the results of the Brexit referendum, a survey by education consultancy Hobson showed that 82% of EU students stated that they would consider the UK far less attractive if it left the EU, and there are several reasons why...

By Danielle Neubauer

So what’s next for non-British citizens?

It is no secret that one of the main motives pushing the “Vote Leave” campaign was the wish to establish strict laws to control immigration and strengthen the British identity as a nation. Globalization has flourished in the past few decades, but some voters made it clear that they want an immigration reform.

  

According to the UK Council for International Student Affairs, there are currently 436,585 international students enrolled in UK institutions and about 125,000 of them are from the EU.    

If you are one of them, you might be feeling like an outsider now, but there are more concrete implications on the matter. If prior to receiving the referendum results, you thought about settling in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow or Edinburgh, you might now be thinking otherwise.

At the moment, nothing is going to happen unless Article 50 is officially invoked by the British government. The rest is left to be determined by the deal that the UK settles with the EU.

How will student visas be impacted?

Hard feelings are only some of the consequences of the referendum results. EU students from Germany, Italy, Spain, France and other countries in Europe, have enjoyed the no-border policy between Britain and other EU countries. They are dreading the bureaucratic complications yet to come. To control their entrance to the UK, they may need to be issued a 4-Tier Visa, just like international students are required. This is a short term visa for students over 16 years of age, who have already been offered a place in a course, can speak English and can afford the tuition and living expenses during the study period. This visa includes restrictions on the amount of time you can stay in the UK before your course starts and after it ends.

The problem with this visa, is that it also has restrictions on the allowed work hours for students. This means that the socioeconomic demographics in British institutions like Oxford University, Cambridge University, University College London, King’s College London and more, is likely to change, consisting mainly of those who have an initial budget to fund their studies.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be more jobs for the British people. Many international companies are predicted to leave the UK, due to the high employment visa prices that they would require to assign their staff from the EU. Vodafone and EasyJet are just two examples of companies thinking about moving their headquarters out of the UK due to the decision.

Will tuition fees go up?  

Two types of standard tuition fees are available in publicly funded universities in the UK. One is called “home student fees”, which is currently the amount of tuition for British students and members of the European Union. The second is the “international student fee”, which is for non-EU members, and is twice as expensive as the home student option (up to £36,000 per year).

Non-British students are afraid that once Britain leaves the EU, they will need to shift to studying on regular international student terms, forced to pay double the amount that they do now.

Students from the European Union know that there are cheaper alternatives inside the Union, which they can enjoy. This may cause the amount of students to drop, along with the institutions’ incomes and the financial contribution that they brought to the British economy. 

Along with other universities, the University College London (UCL) has confirmed in an extremely supportive statement that they have no plans to raise the tuition fees for EU students at the moment. The main problem is, that the duration of this decision will only last until we understand what the implications of Brexit actually are. Additional implications of the “Leaving process” might push institutions to the limit, having no other option, but to raise their tuition.

Will EU funds stop for good?

Throughout the years, the EU has played a huge role in funding higher education institutions and providing student loans. Leaving the EU may also mean that the funding will stop. Once that happens, who will cover the expenses for the institutions and for the students?

Students choose where to study based on one big question: can I afford it? Tuition fees, living expenses and the ability to get a scholarship or a loan is crucial to deciding where to study. Many programs such as The Erasmus Mundus course or partnership and Euraxess, both funded by the European Commission might not be available for international students interested in studying in the UK after it leaves the European Union. There are over 798 subsidies offered by the European Commission for its members in multiple fields of study, research, innovation, technology and more. Will the EU members no longer be able to profit from these grants while in the UK? Did the referendum seal the closing deal for all of these offers? Only time will tell, though it is likely to be the case. 

The implications of Brexit are still not at all very clear, but one thing is certain. Things will probably never be the same for EU residents in the UK, especially for the student community. Although many leaders of higher education are doing everything they possibly can to maintain collaborations in science, technology and innovation, there are mounting concerns that new borders will be placed on some of the greatest minds on earth. 

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The best way to start speaking a language while making new friends abroad

So you found your dream apartment, settled in your new home, and are doing everything you can to adjust to your new destination. You know that learning French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, or whichever foreign language is native to your new country, is paramount to integrating and experiencing the true native culture. Although beginner or intermediate language courses can really improve your language skills,  it can't really prepare you for the moment when you will need to say your first sentence, order food, or ask for directions at the train station in your new language. What you really need now is a tandem who will get you speaking- fast.

Writen by Danielle Neubauer 

You may have tried speaking to strangers on the street by joining sentences using the latest words learned your language class, but you’re not really making any sense, and let’s face it, your accent is a clear indication of where you come from. 

Sound familiar?

Well, we have a solution for you. 

You need to find someone who has an incentive to sit in front of you and listen to your blabbering, with some heavenly unexplained interest and super human patience to correct every third word you say...

 That perfect someone is a tandem.

The word “tandem” means to mutually work together as team. A tandem is someone you can meet up with to practice a language of your choice, which also happens to be their mother tongue, and visa-versa.  

Everyone should get one!

(It's also free.)
This is a great way to minimize the cost of your studies abroad and save up the money you would have spent on a tutor. 

The business model is somewhat of a non-profit B2B based on "give and take". No money involved! ...(Or maybe just paying for the coffee you treat yourself to while you two talk.)

Still sound weird? Well, here are some motives which explain the benefits to both parties:

Your tandem’s motive: You speak the language that they want to learn, and that suggests that they are interested in learning about your culture too. You’re like an exotic creature in their land, and besides from learning their language, they want to get to know you. 

Your motive: Practicing the language. Finally having someone explain the small gestures you’ve been seeing people do in your new home but never really understood or had someone to talk to about it. They can give you a local’s insight into where to go, what to see, and what not to do (in their native language, of course!), and most importantly listen to you.  

How to do it?

You might feel really embarrassed at first, trying to mumble your first words in the chosen language. Don’t worry about your tandem judging you, because once you switch roles, it will be their turn to impress you. The point is to correct the mistakes the other one makes, until the language you are practicing is flawless.

5  Strategies for finding your perfect tandem:

Potential Tandems are everywhere. You just need to learn to spot them. Here’s a few ways you can go about finding the right One:

1. Language exchange groups:

Every major self-respecting city has language exchange groups. These groups make the cities global, hip, and welcoming to strangers and international students. In the event that your city doesn't, make sure to gather up a cool crew and create your own. 

2. At your university:

Many universities in the world organize these meetings to allow their international students to integrate into the country and meet new people. If you haven’t heard about anything like this, knock on your international office door, and ask the staff members about it. They can give you all the details and point you in the right direction.  

3. Hostels - a meeting point for people from all over the world: 

Some Hostels in your town might also host language exchange meetings. Although you might not want to associate yourself with tourists, a language exchange meeting at a hostel is actually not a bad idea! It could be a meeting point for a lot of locals and international students like yourself, who want to learn that foreign language. Call the closest hostel around and give it a shot.   

4. Facebook pages:

The most effective way to find tandems is through Facebook pages and events. If you search for tandem groups in your city or language, trust me, you’ll be able to find quite a few people who are interesting in meeting up for a coffee, and blabbering in their language of choice. You can even write your own post on what exactly it is that you are looking for, and the right person will find you.

Before you contact your potential tandem, make sure that you are presenting yourself on social media in a way that is not going to freak them out.  You can do that using Rep'nUp, to scan your profile.

5. On the street and here, there and everywhere!

You would be surprised at the amount of people that are interested in learning your language. Doesn't matter if it's widely spoken or not, there will always be that one person in a group that has taken up trying to learn it. If you find someone like that, don't hesitate. Ask them if they want to be your tandem. 

The beautiful thing about “tandeming-up” is that it serves a number of purposes. You get to meet awesome people who are open minded enough to take interest in your culture and your language too. This makes the interest mutual. Second – you get to practice and improve your language of choice and make as many mistakes as you can. Third – you make local friends who will make your stay so much more interesting and give you a genuine experience in your new home. 

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4 Tips to Follow if you want to Study Abroad - From Ales Jug

When asked "where’s home?", Ales answers, "it's where the family is". This is because Ales has been for years commuting between the city he's from in Slovenia to Boston, where he is currently doing his second Ph.D. degree and teaching, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. With 5 degrees in fire and health safety, maritime, transport and entrepreneurship, it's quite clear that Ales has hacked the code to gettinginto basically any program he wants. After hearing about his impressive journey, we decided to expose some of his tips and get a true professional's insight into how to do it like a pro. 

One of the qualities that make Ales so inspiring is his view on opportunities. He believes that the path that he took of going abroad to study happened to him by chance, after an opportunity showed up. When he finished his first degree in Slovenia, he happened to bump into one of the deans in his university at a coffee shop. After introducing himself, the faculty member convinced him that it would be a good idea for him to do his second degree in fire and health safety  in the United States. He saw this as an opportunity, and went on a quest to finding the right program in the States. 

Back when Ales decided to study in America, the internet wasn't very developed and other than a few brochures he received, he didn't have a lot of information on how to study abroad. He took a flight to the States for a congress, to search for the right program. He scheduled a meeting with one of the professors from Worcester Polytechnic Institute when he arrived. He was surprised by the extent to which that professor helped him, and the amount of time he spent talking to him. He recommends others to not be afraid, and do the same. Personally go talk to a professor and see how they can help you. 

Personal contact has always helped Ales. He finds this the most effective way to gather all of the information that you need when trying to do something you've never done before. Before studying abroad, it's impossible to know about all difficulties you will face, but if you talk to someone who has already done it, they know exactly what you need to expect. 

Ales found that personal contact allows you to get information, but it also allows people to get to know you and want to help you. When a professor meets you and knows who you are, they would probably be more interested in having you on their team in comparison to someone they haven't met and don't know anything about. 

To go through the process of studying abroad is kind of like entering a dark tunnel. You don't always know what to do, and the path isn't always bright. Don't be scared of the unknown! Try to embrace and enjoy the feeling of figuring out what to do along the way. It's kind of like a puzzle which you need to solve, and every step of the way you get another piece to complete it. Ales also believes that the best way to deal with this feeling, is just to dive into the water and start swimming and learning as you go. 

Ales is also an entrepreneur himself. After finishing his Masters, he realized that a big problem in the world is that research in universities isn't effectively distributed to the masses. To solve that problem, he founded a startup which brings health and fire safety to people in different parts of the world like Africa and East Europe. Ales has a true passion for entrepreneurship, and is also helping students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute develop their own ideas, and succeed in their fields of study. 

If these tips helped and inspired you, help others too, by sharing. 

Let us know what you thought by commenting down below and following us  on: 

Instagram,        Twitter,          Facebook,        LinkedIn

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How to Calculate the Living Expenses and Tuition of Studying Abroad in the United States

So you got into Columbia University, Princeton, Stanford or your dream college school, and now you are finally going to make your dream come true and move to the United States. You say goodbye to your friends, kiss your parents goodbye and you are ready to pack your bags and get on the first flight to New York, San Fransisco or Boston. Just as you are about to walk out the door, you realize there’s only one question that’s holding you back. How much is it going to cost and how will you pay for it?

Whether you want to study law, engineering, mathematics, science or art, it is no secret that studying in the United States isn’t very cheap. On the positive side, international students can apply to student grants and scholarships that can cover these expenses or use other tricks to save money while studying abroad. 

   

How much will it cost to Study in the States?

American schools can be divided into three main categories according to the cost of their tuition and living expenses.  

1.      

1. The Ivy Leagues: 

These are considered some of the best universities in the world because of their excellent study facilities and professional reputation. MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton and Columbia University are just a few famous names that fit into this category which attract thousands of international students from China, India, Europe and basically everywhere in the world. If you are not sure which one would fit you best, take the personality test to find out. These universities have the highest tuition costs, but also offer their students, the best financial aid. So if you rocked your GRE tests, you have an impressive statement of purpose and you are talented enough to get accepted into one of these schools, the tuition costs shouldn’t hold you back.

Let’s take Harvard for example. According to them, their yearly standard student budget for 2016-2017 is estimated to be around $63,025 without taking personal spending into consideration. This includes $43,280 for tuition, $3,794 for additional fees, $9,894 to rent a room at the university and $6,057 for the board. But don’t let these numbers scare you. Talk to former international student at the university of your choice to figure out how to get a fully funded scholarship at the top university of your choice. 

2. State Universities:

As their name suggests, these universities are usually public institutions that are funded by the state or district which they are located in. To study in one of these universities costs less than in the ivy leagues because they get subsidies from their state to encourage students to enroll, making the tuition significantly less. Some of the top public schools that attract international students from all over the world include the University of California (Berkeley), University of California (Los Angeles), University of Virginia, University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill).

The tuition at these universities vary according to the applicant's background, study program and the school of choice. The University of California for example, requires a student to have a yearly budget of $32,384, which includes $13,518 tuition, $14,992 room and board costs, $2,612 for a student health insurance plan and $1,262 for books and supplies.

3. Community colleges:

These colleges offer students an associate’s degree which is a two-year program, counting as the first half of the bachelor’s degree. Students can later complete the degree after transferring to a university. Out of the three categories, this is the easiest to get into as well as the cheapest option. Some of the best community colleges include the Gordon Cooper technology center, Knox County Career Center and Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center.

At the Gordon Cooper technology center for example, the average yearly study budget is $23,247, which includes $5,697 for tuition, $300 for books and supplies and $17,250 for room and board costs.

Now that you have an estimation of how much it will cost to study in the States in different universities, find out how you can study for free by reading our blog and talking to a coach who will help you get all of the information about getting a scholarship, a grant or a loan. 

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Salman's best tips to succeed in studying abroad

Excited about his new research position at the University of Louisiana, one of the first things Salman said in his video interview with GradTrain was “welcome to my new office!” 

Out of millions of prospective students, who dream about studying abroad, Salman made his dream come true last summer. He sent six applications to different universities in the United States, got accepted to 5 of them, and started his masters at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he now studies with a full scholarship. Here's your chance to hear his success story, get inspired and get tips for studying abroad.

Salman has been to over 6 countries but still characterizes himself as being raised in a very typical Bangladeshi family. He believed that after finishing his first degree in engineering, in Bangladesh, he will go on to find a typical job in the field, and pursue a “normal life” in Bangladesh. Fortunately for him, things went better than planned.

During his undergraduate degree, Salman started working in a lab in Bangladesh, to gain work experience. He worked in research with Dr. Nadim Khandaker, who completed his PhD in a reputed US university. Although he wasn't a straight-A student, he was very dedicated to his research and his team was very happy with his work. When he finished his first degree, his professor inspired him to get his advanced degree in the United States. Salman's professor knew from experience, that Salman’s career can take a huge leap if he did his masters in the US.

Starting the process

Salman started the process by searching the web for programs of his interest and figuring out the requirements necessary for applying. He found out that there are a lot of parameters to take into consideration when applying, and that it really isn't an easy task. He needed a strategic plan! 

First of all, he found out about the GradTrain admissions predictor, that anlayzes you background automatically and helps you choose the right school that you can get accepted to. He put in his required field of study and schools. He found and was able to significantly narrow down his choices.

Next, instead of spending many more hours researching what he should do to apply, he started finding out who can help him. While all his friends were signing up to agencies which filled out applications for them or helped them retake their tests, Salman decided to try something different. He found GradTrain, and began taking video sessions with a GradTrain coach who went through the study abroad process who could help him.

Salman had many questions, which only someone who went through the process would know the answers to. One of the main things that Salman needed advice on, was whether he needs to retake his tests to have a higher chance of getting accepted to a university. Now, when asked to give advice to international students, he says: "Don't waste your time on redoing tests."

His coach helped him create a strategic plan to focus his attention in the direction that best fits his background and ambitions and with the coach’s guidance, Salman upgraded his application package. Salman advises to look at your overall profile, and find out what your weaknesses and strengths are when applying. The coach also helped him better understand what US universities are looking for and what to emphasize or de-emphasize in his essay. 

Following his success and based on his positive experience with GradTrain, after getting accepted to the university of his choice, Salman requested to become a GradTrain coach himself, to help the future generations of international students who want to follow in his footsteps.. You can get advice from Salman by scheduling a 1:1 meeting with him.

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