Category Archives: Common concern of parents on studying abroad

What are the important things a parent or a student has to consider while pondering overseas education?

There is one major thing that both the parents and students should do while pondering overseas education- that is, they have to do a thorough search about the course the student wants to study, the college or university he wants to join and the job prospects of the course he wants to pursue.

It is true that it’s the duty of an overseas consultant to evaluate the student for his potential and suggest him a course and a college that will suit his taste and needs, but it is also very important for the student to research and find all the things that are important to him. Like the campus he is going to join, the city he is going to live in, part-time job prospects in that city, its climate or in other words everything that will affect the quality of his life in the new country.

Often it happens in such a way that a student wants to join a course that’s suggested to him by his friends or his family. While their suggestions have value, it should be noted that a student should follow his own ambitions and skills while deciding on a course. Normally the student can find all about the course and what all is expected from him as a student while studying for that course from the college/university website. Research the website thoroughly. Know everything that’s there to know.

It’s really necessary to have an understanding of these things beforehand

  1. Accreditations of the course

  2. Professional licensing that the course enables after completion

  3. Mandatory or optional internship

  4. Required grades to get into internship programs

  5. Learning outcomes

  6. Credits divided among semesters

  7. Courses covered in each semester

  8. Flexibility in selecting majors/minors

  9. Career outcome

He has to learn about the job market and the possibilities that are offered. He should develop an understanding of the political, social and economical scenarios so that it’s easier for him to blend in.

While asking for information from relatives and friends regarding the course and the college he is contemplating his admission is okay, never take their words as final. They may not be in a position to advise him as they are not career or education professionals. Practice caution.

Also, know that overseas education is not a vacation trip to a foreign land where you go to leisure. A decision to study abroad is a serious decision involving a large amount of money and personal time- so respect that. Do the necessary research regarding the course and the country so that one is prepared beforehand.

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About Ms. Nicy Binu, Director, Santamonica Study Abroad

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With over a decade’s experience in international education, Ms. Nicy Binu is the brain behind Santamonica’s overseas student program and has steered the organization to a position where it figures today among the prominent overseas education facilitators in India. You may contact her at +91 6282 903 703 for overseas education queries and doubts.

Parents 5 Main worries, when it comes to overseas education of their children.

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You might be the first one to have mooted the idea of sending your son/daughter for overseas studies. Browsing dozens of university websites, talking to friends, relatives, colleagues, to scanning every   bit of information available on the web and visiting the best overseas education consultants in town and what not, before finalizing on a particular study abroad destination and institution that is best for your child, and now he / she is about to fly in a matter of days. Though happy with the outcome, anxiousness takes precedence over excitement. This is a situation most of the parents go through when their kids embark on studies abroad.  Some common worries go like this

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Will my son/ daughter be safe there?

Safety is a genuine worry in the current world scenario. Though no country can be 100% safe, considering the high priority given by governments of popular study abroad destinations for security, you can be rest assured   about the safety of your loved ones.  As a matter of fact, most universities / institutions abroad provide accommodation within their campus or facilitate safe accommodation, so that worry can be laid to rest .Travelling also should not be a major cause of concern as most of these countries have excellent transportation systems including, bus, taxis, trams etc.   Exercising a little bit  of caution  like safe keeping of one’s wallet , credit cards ,avoiding  travelling at unearthly hours  through isolated locations  etc  there is remote possibility of anything untoward happening.

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How can we be in constant touch with them?

This is a very common worry, most parents of students embarking on overseas studies have, but in this age of advanced technology with endless options like Skype, Google hangout, viber, whatsapp etc, getting in touch with your child should not be a problem. Apart from phones at hostels and accommodations, calling cards are also easily available from international desks of the concerned institutions.   All you have to do is to fix a time slot, probably after class hours. Sunday would be ideal as you can hear from him / her all the interesting developments of the week.

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Will my child properly utilize the time for studies while he / she is abroad?

Whether my  child would  wisely utilize  the time  spend abroad  and concentrate  on  his/her  studies  rather than  on partying , sigh seeing   etc ?,  is a common  concern of many parents, though they may not admit it openly.  However it is heartening to find that majority of students take their studies seriously.   As a parent one must also understand apart from studies, a little bit of mingling with students and spending time outside, exploring the country side, its culture, food etc is equally important in getting exposure, which would come handy in their professional life abroad.

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What will be the food like?  will my child get food to his/her liking?

A typical worry of most parents especially mothers whether their child would get food to his /her liking however it is very interesting to note that most students love food, offering a bit of variety in taste and ingredients, at least for the first few days, before craving for Indian food. Even the most introvert student gets a feel of the locality near to accommodation or university/ college and locates restaurants serving Indian food which is very common irrespective of the country you are in.  Students studying abroad are usually seen to enjoy cooking and try out some home recipes to great effect.  So relax your loved one is not going to starve any way.

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How much money is enough for my child for his comfortable stay abroad?

This is something that every parent have on the back of his/her mind but unfortunately there can be no tailor made answer for it as it depends on many things including the life style your child is accustomed to, accommodation taken, food choices etc but it is generally seen that Indian students usually don’t ring up their parents for extra money and find out ways to earn their pocket money by doing part time jobs.  Scholarships also to a large extend comes handy in reducing the financial burden.  Considering the hard working and high adaptability nature it is generally seen that Indian student do not trouble their parents for extra money unless it is beyond their control.

Still have concerns regarding overseas study phase of your child, contact Santa Monica study abroad, your trusted overseas education consultant with over 13 years of experience with association across 10+ countries and over 200 universities/institutions of repute with services ranging from Colleges short listing to application submission, liaising with Universities, visa guidance, scholarship assistance, financial aid, education loan assistance to pre departure and post landing assistance.  please feel free to reach us on o484 -4140999