The most important consideration when choosing your course is asking yourself why you are looking to study. Do you want to further your career by extending your skill set? If this is the case you should choose a course in a subject that is a natural progression of your existing skills and qualifications.
It’s really important to think about what you are interested in, and what course you want to study. Is it because you can see your exciting, glittering career ahead? Or is it because it’s what your parents want?
There are really two parts to this. Where is the best country to specialise in this subject area? Maybe it’s a country with plenty of internship and graduate work opportunities in that industry. Or a city that has access to specific resources.
Now that you have found your dream, let’s just stop a minute and make sure it’s realistic. Can you afford the flights, tuition and cost of living?
While you are researching, you’ll come up with all kinds of different criteria to judge a university or course by. So make a shortlist of the top three features you’re looking for.
Some people prefer final exams, others like regular assignments to keep them busy throughout the year. Some like theory, others like practical hands-on application, some like to work in groups, others like to work individually.
Find out where other international students at that university have worked after graduation, and if there’s an active alumni network, or the opportunity to meet industry leaders during your course.
Every subject has so many different options, so it’s good to know the most specific interest you have. Engineering students could study anything from bio-medical engineering to civil engineering.
Yes, this is an important decision. But if you get there and you realise you’ve made a terrible mistake, it’s not too late. Talk to the student counsellor on campus, and see if there are better options for you there.