What are the benefits of studying abroad? Is it worth the mass educational relocation of African youths?
Many African students fly yearly across the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Mediterranean deep waters. They leave family, friends, and everything they’ve grown fond of behind to settle in a foreign land. But that’s not all.
They also adapt to a new culture as alien as the weather condition while learning to interact with an overwhelmingly diverse community, all at once. Yet, more young Africans desire to apply to and travel abroad to study annually.
There are many contributing factors to this mass education-oriented departure, such as environmental aesthetics and scholarship opportunities.
However, other prominent factors attract students to these coveted international education destinations. These factors can be categorized as “benefits” of studying abroad, and they make such a profound impact that can’t be exaggerated.
Some of these benefits of studying abroad include:
Quality of education
The cost of pursuing your academic goals abroad is significantly higher than within Africa. However, the difference in quality is unparalleled; hence everyone who can afford it is interested, and others, are hopeful of a scholarship opportunity.
According to the Canadian Foundation of innovation report, her government invested over 77 million USD in supporting research in their 50 universities in the last quarter of 2021.
USA, China, the UK, Australia, and the governments of other leading academic destinations are all doing the same – heavily throwing their economic weight towards enhancing their already renowned education systems.
So it’s no surprise that the quality of education, research, and faculty members found in these coveted study-abroad destinations are way ahead of equatorial Africa tertiary institutions.
Studying abroad is your best bet at acquiring the best available education while furthering your education.
Opportunity to get some global work experience
Another significant benefit of studying abroad is that it allows students to get substantive work experience while still learning.
In Australia, Canada, the UK, and other notable destinations, students can work for a certain number of hours a week during academic sessions and often to their satisfaction during public holidays.
These work opportunities provide students with extra income to offset essential bills for groceries, study materials, and many other benefits.
Benefits like better interaction with the community enhanced professional skills, and work experiences are invaluable for personal and academic growth.
Lots of opportunities
This is a significant benefit of studying abroad yet, the most overlooked. Whether you decide to return to your native country or take the necessary steps required to stay back, studying abroad will always provide an array of opportunities for anyone willing to put in the necessary work.
With a high quality of education, international connections, work experience, and all, every international student already has a competitive advantage that could be maximized for career or business purposes.
Quality of life
Compared to the most developed African state, the quality of life and standard of living is pristine, one to be embraced by anyone who has the opportunity.
Studying abroad obviously has much more benefits beyond quality education, from health care systems to infrastructures, transportation, environmental quality, and others. It simultaneously provides an opportunity to have a high quality of life.
Though the cost of living is higher in these countries than in West Africa, in Canada, it’s estimated to be 86% higher than in Nigeria. Yet, according to the living-cost website, the average wage difference between Nigerian and Canadian-based hourly workers is over 250%.
The cost of living is undeniably higher, but the monetary reward for your time and the quality returns for your money are similar.
An opportunity to see the world and make international connections
This is a significant benefit of studying abroad. As a result of the quality of education and other captivating factors in these destinations, students from all parts of the world converge at once, making these academic communities highly diverse, and most importantly, a crucible of world-class ideas, opportunities, and possibilities.
In addition to this, studying abroad will allow you an opportunity to see a world beyond the immediate confines of your country, broaden your horizon, enhance your communication skills, and connect with great minds while at it.
In Conclusion
Leaving your country, loved ones, and environment to a completely new one has never been an undemanding venture, especially when it demands a lot in finances. However, the rewards are tremendous, and these factors described are only a few of the many benefits of studying abroad.
Contact us to start your study abroad process today!