WHY STUDY ABROAD?

Studying abroad is the next best option for students who fail to make it to the top business schools in India. Not all business aspirants can get into the prestigious or most sought after institutions like the IIMs. So the next best option is to pursue a management degree from a foreign country like US, UK or Australia. The CAT which is the selection criteria for the top management colleges in India is highly competitive in nature. Compared to this, getting into a management school abroad is much simpler. The entrance exams like the GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS are much easier to crack than the CAT.   

Advantages of studying abroad
Indian students have a fascination for studying abroad, but not all students go abroad for the same reasons and nor do they return with the same benefits. What students achieve from an experience abroad is largely dependent upon their mind-set, their motivation, and most notably, their aspiration. There are various advantages of a study abroad programme.

Global experience
Employers today are looking for individuals who have experience and knowledge above and beyond their area of study. And companies, which are expanding their markets abroad, need employees with international experience, foreign language skills, and the capacity to function successfully in cross-cultural settings. Students who study abroad have the chance to broaden their knowledge and mind. And last but not the least their study abroad experience will add an entirely new dimension to their résumé, and help in obtaining admission to higher degree programmes or in acquiring employment in almost every field imaginable. It gives them a new perspective from which to view the world, a characteristic that will help them set apart from the competition.

More Marketable
That's because they tend to be risk takers, willing to put themselves in unusual situations and able to overcome the fear of the unknown. They get used to solving problems under tough circumstances and by the time they get home, little fazes them. When the chips are down, they can deal with it. Students go through a constant cycle of being dumfounded by their new surroundings and then adjusting to them. One day they're frustrated trying to accomplish a simple banking transaction. By the end of their stay, they're comfortably chatting with the teller about exchange rates. Students have to confront the fact that all of a sudden they're in an environment where many of their assumptions about life and their operating principals as to how people relate are out the window. They have to adjust to a new way of thinking and being. 

Working across Borders 
Employers are increasingly seeking to hire candidates with international experience. Equally important to business is a comfort level in being able to work with people from other cultures. A firm might be located in Mumbai, but chances are, employees will regularly deal with people from around the globe. A shrewd recruiter picks up the person whose resume says, “I studied in ...” It means that the person has dealt with other cultures on an everyday basis. Employers know that this is the kind of employee who can be sent abroad to work with team members from other international offices and who won't call the home office in a panic because he or she couldn't stand the food or cope without a car. As the world gets smaller and decision-making gets faster, many study-abroad students will be first in line to become leaders. They will already have the self-confidence and ability to deal with unpredictable situations, plus a personal acquaintance with foreign cultures.

Disadvantages of studying abroad

It gets lonely
Studying at a foreign location away from the confines of your home amidst strangers who don’t speak your language can get very lonely. It calls for a lot of adjustments including requires making new friends.

Expensive
Education abroad is more expensive than staying in India. The total cost of studying abroad will vary from school to school and is not simply examined by comparing tuition costs. Though loans and scholarships are available to deserving students it doesn’t cover the indirect costs like housing, utilities, food, personal expenses, transportation, and other living expenses.

Adverse Climatic Conditions
This is one of the often-neglected criterions while considering a study abroad option. Extreme climatic conditions like biting cold, scorching heat or half a feet snow can be quite daunting for a student who has arrived on a foreign land to study.

Food 
Most students brought up on traditional Indian fare like daal, rice and vegetables find it extremely difficult to switch over to pizza, burger and sandwiches. Indian food is hard to find. The other alternative is to cook for yourself, which is both time consuming and tedious. The situation is even difficult for pure vegetarians.

Culture shock
Though most study-abroad programs do offer extensive pre-departure orientation and instruction, arrival in another country can be traumatic and full of the unexpected. You have to confront the fact that all of a sudden, you're in an environment where many of your assumptions about life and operating principles as to how people relate are out the window. It's a sense of unease when you can't predict what's going to happen in a social situation, when you extend your hand and the person doesn't respond in the way you expect. Unfortunately, there's only so much that can be done to alleviate it. Students have to experience it for themselves and learn to get over it.

Study Abroad Programmes

USA

Canada 

Australia

New Zealand

UK