Brightening Horizons: Studying Abroad Online
Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Enjoying the culture of a different university is something that every student wishes for but cannot always obtain because it is so expensive to leave home, let alone move to a completely different country. There is also the possibility of homesickness and venturing into the unknown, and both can unhinge even the most stable of individuals. These are the reasons why many individual students are put off studying abroad. However, there is now a way in which many individuals can study at a different, often more prestigious, and yet foreign university without leaving the comfort of their living rooms.
Studying abroad online is becoming popular among online students and has steadily increased over the past five years or so. Online education gives an individual student so many more options to consider that it is simply mind-boggling to think that he or she could be at home in Colorado or New Jersey and yet be studying for a degree at the University of Liverpool (John Moore) in the United Kingdom. It may seem strange, but it is completely true.
There are so many advantages to studying at a different university or college away from an individual's home country. The first is that the range of choices as far as courses are concerned is massively expanded. For example, a course may be offered at a university in the UK that is not offered in the United States. It would be a huge financial strain to send an individual student to the UK for an education, but it would be much more affordable if the course could be completed online.
This instance is especially applicable for individual specialist schools that offer unique course content and often pave the way into a certain field. In truth, then, an online university or college course could actually provide a route into a specialist job role that very few others compete for and can thus infinitely enhance the career prospects of many individuals.
Another reason why studying abroad online can be of benefit to an individual is that he or she would then have a working knowledge of another education system and can take the best parts of the regime and practices and put them to use in everyday life, which again can help to enhance an individual's career prospects. For example, the university system in the United Kingdom has a fundamentally different structure from US universities and relies heavily on an end-of-year test as well as several 3000-word essays throughout the year. This will enhance memory and make a student more complete in terms of educational practices.
Although studying abroad is usually expensive in terms of course fees, doing a study abroad course online can really save an individual money. With no housing fees and no transport costs, the money required to complete such a course is actually halved. As a result, you would get the experience for half the price and yet probably earn more after college as a result. Some online systems will actually offer study abroad options as well as home country options and yet have them all count towards the degree credit. Although this is extremely rare, it is available at some paired institutions.
Before deciding to take on a study abroad course online, make sure that you have weighed up all of the options. Getting used to a new educational system can be hard work, so make sure that you are fully aware of the pros and cons of the situation before signing up!
PPPPP
Word count: 601
