International experience
Some students may be desperate to undertake a gap year, but are unwilling to risk losing momentum on their studies or job search. Some may just love the idea of studying abroad, and experiencing new cultures. Whatever the reason, the benefits are abundant.
One of the most obvious reasons to study abroad is the option to combine your education with travelling. Understandably, the onus is on study rather than travel, as opposed to a gap year oriented around exploration. However, much like you’d go into town after lectures and at weekends in the UK, you will be able to explore the local hotspots in a more exotic location, with the scope to spread your wings and travel further afar when your academic schedule allows. Studying in Australia, for example, presents an enviable range of coastal themed activities such as scuba diving and surfing, which may offer a slightly more exotic December weekend than one in the UK. The scope for unpredictability in extra-curricular activities offers an exciting accompaniment to your studies. The option to engage in cultural activities will also enhance your world understanding, and give you an appreciation of various waves of life. Depending on the subject you are undertaking, this facet of studying abroad may add substance to your degree programme. For example, the study of History could be enhanced by investigating local places of historical value.
As well as opening yourself up to new cultural experiences, studying abroad presents an invaluable opportunity for personal growth. By leaving the familiarity of your UK home, you may be required to step out of your comfort zone and push your boundaries. It may also help you to realise ambitions you weren’t previously aware of, one of which perhaps being a desire to work overseas or travel as part of your job. On the topic of employment, studying abroad will look impressive on CVs and in interviews, as it suggests a resourcefulness, and an encouragement of challenging yourself and seizing opportunities.
University places
By studying abroad, you are also opening yourself up to new perspectives. Different cultures may have different styles of teaching, for example, offering you an alternative mode of study to that which you have received throughout secondary school and college. As well as providing a new experience, this can provide you with new communication tools, which can compliment your interpersonal skills when seeking employment. Immersing yourself in a multi-cultural environment may also help you to develop new linguistic skills, whilst broadening your horizons on an international scale through food, music and various pastimes.
With places at UK universities quickly filling up, studying abroad can offer an opportunity to expand your chances of pursuing your academic aspirations, especially when considering the rise in UK tuition fees. Studying abroad can provide a cheaper alternative to studying in the UK, as unlikely as that may seem. France, Germany, Italy and Spain offer highly reduced tuition fees, whilst some countries, including Denmark, offer free tuition to members of the EU.
Studying abroad presents bountiful benefits, which can define your academic years as well as your personality. If it is an avenue you wish to pursue, researching into options available could help you to realise your international ambitions.