I still remember, the toughest part of studying abroad was planning for it. Faced with questions such as which concentration to apply for, where to study, what value a particular degree would add to my academic or professional career, and what other benefits I could attain by attending a specific university or country, I was puzzled. Moreover, coming from a temperate region of the world, weather and culture were also concerns. The simple answer to all these questions and options was to do research and plan ahead!
Planning the Program to Study
Understanding your particular area of interest is crucial. This will help you narrow down which program you want to pursue and which university or college would be best suited for you. What worked for me was surfing through university websites initially and tracking down the programs that best suited my interests. Next, I connected with current or previous students of that particular program. This helped me narrow down my scope based on my interest level, program offerings, and future prospects. Of course, factors such as city, state, culture, future prospects, and environment also played a role in choosing my university. Do remember to meet all the program requirements, such as mandatory courses, papers, and IELTS (and GRE/GMAT in some cases).
Deciding When to Study
After choosing a particular program, I was faced with planning when to study. This phase of planning requires understanding your current situation professionally, academically, and financially. This part of the plan will be different for every person. It is better to plan ahead at least one to two years prior; this allows for preparation time and creates more time for researching the best course of action. From my experience, I would say if you are currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree and wish to study in Canada for higher education, then it is better to start planning one to two years prior to your graduation. This way, you would be able to determine which courses to take for the higher education you want to pursue, as some programs specifically require the completion of certain courses. For those hoping to enter a research-based Master’s or PhD program, I would recommend planning your thesis or research project, aligning it with your area of interest and the interests of professors at your targeted universities.
From a financial perspective, you can obtain a tuition fee estimation from the university website. Most universities have a tuition fee calculator, which would provide you with a rough estimation of how much money would be required. If you are planning to apply for a scholarship, researching it prior to application helps a lot. In this case, the university website would provide you with all the details. Don’t hesitate to email the university authority for information; although they might take time to reply, you are sure to get answers to your queries. Additionally, looking into community grants can be very helpful.
Planning for Applying
When you have chosen the timeline for your study, comes the planning phase for which documents you would need to apply for a particular program. Most universities open their applications a year prior to the start date of the semester you want to enroll in. So planning ahead and having documents such as your transcripts, graduation letter, and recommendations at hand becomes crucial as well. Another challenge many international students from non-English speaking countries face is the IELTS and translated notarization of documents. While an overall band of 6.5 with no band less than 6 is accepted in Canada, I would recommend aiming for a higher IELTS score to unlock all opportunities. I know it can be difficult, but when you plan with a certain duration of time in mind, it becomes easier for you. Regarding translation and notarization, it can be difficult to track down a proper notary public, and sometimes, notarization takes time as well. In my case, I would suggest contacting a well-known lawyer’s office, which might lead you to a proper notary public.
It is better to find out which professors you would want to reach out to and which scholarship programs are offered by the university at the time of application ahead as well.
Seeking Guidance
The planning phase can be very confusing and complex for many people, but the best way to navigate through these confusions is to research and reach out to people who have already been in that phase before. However, it’s better not to rely solely on one person’s experience but to diversify your knowledge. Remember, if someone else can do it, you can too!
Pro-Tip!
Make a timeline while planning. I created an Excel sheet with dates and deadlines on what to do and when to do it by. This helped me to accomplish everything ahead of applications. You can also use task management tools.
