Discussion of The Advantages of Studying Abroad

In today’s world where globalization is taking place all around the world, there is a rapidly growing interest in studying abroad for university among high school graduates. This trend is believed to continue to rise as more and more parents and students have now acknowledged the various benefits overseas university education may bring. In this essay, I will discuss the advantages of studying abroad, therefore validate my advocacy of this choice of education.

Firstly, I am profoundly convinced that studying abroad provide students with distinctive academic benefits. As for many students, studying aboard is a chance of receiving an education of greater quality comparing to that available in their home country in terms of learning resources, methodology, facilities, and practical experience. A typical example is that many international students want to study in the US where global top-ranked universities are. For others, they go abroad to immerse themselves in a native environment, where their language skills can drastically enhance. With constant practice at school and everyday life, they can build up a much more in-depth and diverse vocabulary in their major and colloquial language in much shorter space of time.

Secondly, venturing abroad to study is believed to benefit students when they apply for a job. Through the process of adaption in a new country, students are equipped with unique communication skills, an enriched cultural knowledge, and a global viewpoint. These strengths are highly valued, especially when it comes to working in a diverse corporate environment since they help students co-operate effectively with different people and view problems from an expansive perspective. Such special features will certainly add to the attractiveness of students’ CVs, improving their opportunities for employment. In addition, in the case of students aiming for a job in another country, going to study in that country will help them familiarize with the job market and seek for job opportunities while they are still attending universities.

Thirdly, studying abroad also brings several personal benefits. First and foremost, by studying abroad, students can gain independence and maturity. Since they study far away from home, they are now out of their comfort zone with meticulous care by parents and are entirely responsible for their life. As a result, they have to learn how to do basic household chores, use their time efficiently, make their own decisions and develop mental strength to fight against emotional issues, all of which are key factors to independence. Furthermore, studying abroad can also be a great chance for them to fulfill students’ adventurous souls, craving for boisterous winds of change in their lives. Studying abroad can also mean students can travel to another country to explore the places they are not familiar with, getting to know people they might never meet in their home country and make life-long friends from different backgrounds.

All in all, it is undeniable that studying abroad open many doors to many academic, career and personal development opportunities. Therefore, I strongly believe that going abroad is a more advantageous choice for high school graduates.

Works Cited

1. Knight, J., & De Wit, H. (Eds.). (2021). The Future of Internationalization of Higher Education: Global Perspectives on Research, Practice, and Policy. Routledge.
2. Byram, M. (2018). Intercultural competence in foreign language education: Questions of theory, practice and research. Multilingual Matters.
3. Dwyer, M. M. (Ed.). (2018). The Routledge Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication. Routledge.
4. Vande Berg, M., Paige, R. M., & Lou, K. H. (Eds.). (2012). Student Learning Abroad: What Our Students Are Learning, What They’re Not, and What We Can Do About It. Stylus Publishing.
5. Lewin, R., & Carley-Baxter, L. R. (2018). Internationalization in Higher Education: Opportunities and Challenges for Teaching and Learning. Springer.
6. Altbach, P. G., Reisberg, L., & Rumbley, L. E. (2019). Trends in Global Higher Education: Tracking an Academic Revolution. Brill Sense.
7. Fong, L. (2018). Studying Abroad: A Handbook for Asian Students. Springer.
8. Wilkins, S., & Huisman, J. (Eds.). (2019). Student Mobility and the Internationalization of Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan.
9. Sawir, E., Marginson, S., Deumert, A., Nyland, C., & Ramia, G. (Eds.). (2019). The Globalization of Internationalization: Emerging Voices and Perspectives. Routledge.
10. Deardorff, D. K. (Ed.). (2020). The Sage Handbook of Intercultural Competence. Sage Publications.