Study abroad

This year, universities and schools are reporting what seems to be a spike in tuition payment scams targeting college and university students. International students in particular appear to be a target for bad players trying to take advantage of unsuspecting young adults and their families navigating a variety of new situations in unfamiliar surroundings.

British universities are undoubtedly among the most expensive in Europe. The same goes for the costs of living as a student in the UK. The situation in Germany, on the other hand, could not be more different. Freed of exorbitant university fees, German students enjoy higher education of a comparably high standard that usually does not see them graduate with a huge pile of debt that then has to be paid off. 

If you’re one of the thousands of students that have decided to study in the US this year, you may be aware that unfortunately you cannot escape the dreaded piece of personal writing, even as an international student.

For international students, the seven days prior to orientation is a period in which crucial decisions can impact the quality of your entire stay in the United States. We hear first-hand from international students about their early misfortunes, “wish-I-knews” and hindsight, and every time we wonder why this information isn’t more widely available.

Students looking to study abroad have an increasing number of options and China is becoming more and more popular, according to research from Student.com, which provides accommodation for international students. Here are five reasons to consider joining the throngs of international students already there.

The United States is the most popular destination among parents of students considering going abroad for university, but Germany is judged to be the best quality choice, according to new research across 15 countries.

Almost half of the 6,241 parents surveyed by HSBC named the US as one of their top three preferred destinations for their child’s university education, even though on average tuition fees are highest in the United States compared with other countries.

“Minus 27” and “Minus 1” – in times like these you need not be a mathematical whizz-kid to understand the meaning behind these arithmetic operations. Twenty-seven places to live, love, study and work could be lost for Britain‘s youth. While not shutting the door entirely, Brexit and those who voted for it have pulled up the drawbridge, most likely taking away many of the privileges enjoyed by past generations. 

Student Content Editor Carly Minsky addresses five general questions about the impact of the EU referendum result on international students, which were put to her by The Hindustan Times

1) Will studying in the UK become more expensive or cheaper after Brexit? How and why?

For European Union students who are currently eligible to pay EU rates at UK universities, tuition could become more expensive if they are charged international student rates instead, or if they are not eligible for EU funding and loans.

UK student Camilla Devereux just completed her anthropology degree at the University of Sussex:

I woke up this morning and stared at my phone for a good five minutes in disbelief. Living in London, socialising with students, colleagues and lecturers, I'd been lulled into a false sense of security. I thought that we'd vote to stay in the European Union.

I was so sure. I mean, we couldn't really vote to leave, could we? Nobody I knew wanted to leave, after all.

I was so wrong. Very, very wrong.

With the stability of the UK economy and free movement across European borders now in question, the impact of Brexit – the UK’s decision to leave the European Union – could have both short-term and long-term effects on international students.

Importantly, the UK’s status in the EU and its relationship with other member states will not change overnight.

It will take a minimum of two years for the UK to leave the EU and much has to be negotiated in the meantime.