If you’re coming to the end of Year 13, you probably can’t stop thinking about what’s going to happen next year. Perhaps you’ll be starting at university, starting an apprenticeship, having a gap year adventure or doing something completely different. While you’ve probably spent much of the last year considering your options and what you’d like to do, we’re here today to highlight a few of the perks of yet another option, which is enrolling in a university in another country. This is not a decision to be taken lightly, and will require quite a bit of research on your part to figure out whether this is a suitable option for you. But if the idea of studying abroad sounds like something you might be interested in, then read on for some of the benefits of going down this route, besides the university degree of course.

First off, you’re probably well aware of the tuition hikes that came into effect across the UK a year or two ago, and may be feeling a bit overwhelmed by how much universities are now charging. This is one thing that you might not find at a foreign university. Many universities in other countries have far lower tuition fees than in the UK, and many of these are based within the EU, meaning you may be able to attend them while paying domestic fees even if you’re not actually from that country. There are also many excellent universities in countries that aren’t part of the EU, and even if you’d be paying international fees, this may not actually be any more than attending a university in the UK given exchange rates. There are also often many scholarship opportunities available if you’re considering studying abroad, and some of these are quite specific (e.g. to a person of a certain nationality who wants to study at a specific university), meaning some of them are not even that competitive.

Enough about money though. What are some of the other benefits of studying abroad? Depending on where you’re willing to go, you may get a different and sometimes broader or more specific range of subjects from which to study. If your studies are based around another culture for example, why not consider going somewhere where you’ll get to actually experience that culture. And of course British universities can’t accommodate for all potential subjects of study. So if you’re interested in a specific subject but are having trouble finding a good programme within the UK, this may be another good reason to consider studying abroad.

Somewhat related to this last point is that you’ll get to experience a new and exciting culture, and maybe even have the opportunity to learn a new language to go with that experience. Speaking multiple languages is an incredibly useful skill when you begin applying for jobs (globalisation and all), so having the opportunity to pick one up while acquiring the skills needed for your chosen field is definitely a major bonus.

Lastly (and of course there are many more reasons to consider studying abroad, but this post has to end somewhere), you’ll have the chance to meet many people you wouldn’t otherwise meet and get some great stories, because studying abroad will provide you with a unique social and learning experience that you won’t get in the UK. If all of this sounds like something you’re interested in, consider where you might like to go and google a few of the universities there to see what they’ve got to offer that you might not get in the UK. It’s certainly a once in a lifetime opportunity, so why not see if it could work for you.

If you’d like to know more about studying abroad, why not have a look at our in-depth guides on the subject?