Top country to study abroad: a brief comparison

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Planning to study abroad? Or want to pursue higher education in the developed countries?

In that case, you are in the right tab.

No doubt, earlier, it was a dream for many to study abroad. But now, you can quickly pursue higher education in countries like the USA, the UK, Germany, China, Japan, France, Switzerland, and others.

Picture yourself – you are in the library filled with thousands of books. Or, you are attending your lecture in a relaxed environment with your mates. And attending regular tests, and getting improved scores!

At present, this is not a dream anymore. You just need to know where you have to go to make your dream come true.

I can bet at least eight of the ten students lack the guideline. They do not know where to apply and how to apply. Also, they are unaware of the quality of education in the countries.

Moreover, they are unaware of the costs associated with education in those countries. Besides, they lack the right know-how to apply for scholarships. Finally, they lose hope.

But with a proper guideline, and knowing the comparisons you can overcome such barriers.

In this post, I will discuss the overall education system in the USA, the UK, Germany, and China. Besides, you will get a relative comparison of the countries. Hope, the post will inject necessary information to your brain.

Let’s start the journey towards higher education.

 

Education in the USA

United States of America (USA) is the first choice for most of the students. The country is wide; the economy is expanding. And the option of education is commendable as well.

 

The first thing is that as an international student, you will have flexibility. You will have a number of options to select your course and subject. There are over 4,000 higher educational institutions in the USA.

So, it would not be a tough call to select the right one following your needs and background.

 

 

Levels of higher education in the USA

In the USA, higher education is separated into three basic categories.

  • Undergraduate 
  • Graduate
  • Post-graduate

Undergraduate

In this level, you have to study in a college or university. This degree is also known as Bachelor’s degree.

The duration of the Bachelor’s in the USA is usually four years.

In the first half of your academic career, you will learn the common issues. And the second half of the career will stress on the core issues.

Graduate

As you complete the undergraduate degree, you need to have a graduate degree. In the USA, it is also termed as the Master’s degree (or only MA).

The duration of the MA is one or two years. But in some cases, it may take more than two years. It depends on your course and university.

Post-graduate

To pursue a PhD or postdoctoral degree, you have to attend the post-graduate courses. The duration of the post-graduate degree is around three to five years at a stretch.

Cost of education in the USA

The cost of education in the USA is smart. And to some extent, it is a bit expensive. If you study at any public institution, you need to spend around over $16,000 annually (on average).

Or, if you are a student of any private institution, you are to spend for over $40,000 annually (on average).

Scholarships in the USA

Interestingly, a good number of scholarships are available in the USA. Under the scholarships, you will get coverage for your living, tuition fees, travel costs, the cost for academic materials and more.

But you need to apply correctly and following the deadline. To know more about the scholarships in the USA, click here.

 

Higher education in the UK

You will be glad to know that there are several types of the higher education system in the UK.

If you are a foreigner in the UK, you will have options to apply in over 100 universities. And of course, there are a good number of courses and programs available. Based on your merit, academic background and other criteria, you can get the desired admission.

Higher education

There are several sections of higher education in the UK. They are:

  • Bachelor’s
  • Graduate 
  • Doctoral program

Bachelor’s

Usually, a bachelor’s degree in the UK is for three years. But in some cases, the course length might be for four years. In that case, you need to spend the extended one year to earn practical know-how.

The courses have a specific design to make the subjects clearer to the students. Also, the degree is a full-time course for the students. There are two such degrees – ordinary degree and honors degree.

It takes three years to complete the ordinary one, and it takes four years for the honors.

Graduate

You are to get admission in a post-graduate program once you complete the Bachelor’s. There are two types of post-graduate degrees available in the UK: full-time and part-time.

The full-time course length is 12 months. And the length of the part-time course is 24 months.

Doctoral programs

Besides, after the completion of your post-graduate degree, you can attend the doctoral program. But in this case, you are to demonstrate a brilliant academic success and skills.

The typical duration of doctoral programs is three years.

Academic calendar

Usually, an academic year begins in the UK from September. Sometimes, it may begin from October as well.

However, you may also experience more flexibility in some private course.

Do you know English?

If you want to study in the UK, you must know English. In brief, you must be an expert communicator through English.

And you must attach the certification of your English language proficiency (especially IELTS). It depends on the educational institutions that you must achieve a specific score in the test.

The university authority, the visa authority and relevant other bodies may take your proficiency test. Failure in the test means you are out of their league.

Cost of higher education in the UK

The cost of higher education in the UK is separated into two categories. The first one if for the students of EU countries. And the second one is for the students of Non-EU countries.

However, at present, the students of the EU countries (or from the UK) have to pay more than £9,000.

And the students out of the EU countries have to pay around £10,000 annually for higher studies.

Scholarships in the UK

If you are an international student, you need not worry. The qualified students can avail the scholarship. A good number of public and private scholarships are available in the country. Even, you can have the scholarship from your university as well.

Under the scholarships, you get coverage for your living cost, tuition fees, travel cost, the cost for your academic materials and more.

However, only a selected group of students can avail the scholarships. In fact, the process is highly competitive. And if you cannot satisfy the selection committee through your presentation, you cannot have the grant.

Higher education in Germany

 

You will be glad to know that higher education in Germany is available in three types of institutions.

The first one you will get from traditional universities. Such institutions are also known as Universitäten.

Next comes the universities of Applied Sciences. The alternative name of such institution is Fachhochschulen. You can study engineering discipline in those institutions. Also, they will offer you courses for business studies and other technical subjects.

And the third one is the university for Art/Music. The people in the country term the institutions as Kunst- und Musikhochschulen. If you want to build your career in this track, you need an admission here.

However, there are some private institutions also available. They are a bit special than usual educational institutions. You can study public administration and other relevant courses here.

Cost of study in Germany

It is good news that since 2014, the undergraduate students do not need to pay their tuition fees. And 16 state of the country has abolished the tuition fees. So, if you can get admission to any of those states, you can have quality education for free of charges.

But, you need to bear some administrative fees and relevant other semester costs. The cost is not more than €250 for a semester.

In the present days, some of the institutions ask students to pay tuition fees per semester. For private institutions, the cost is around €20,000 in a year. They need the payment as they operate their activities based on this tuition fees that they get from students.

However, when you pursue a PhD or other doctoral studies, there are no tuition fees.

Living cost

Though you may get rid of your tuition fees, you need to pay for your living. Remember, this is a highly developed country. So, the living cost is more than other countries. And the costs increase or decrease based on the city you are living in.

An average monthly living cost in Germany is around €900.

The breakdown of the cost includes – your house rent, foods, cloths, transport, mobile bill, the bill for your internet, study material cost and others.

Scholarships in Germany

Germany is one of the leading countries offering scholarships to domestic and international students. Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) is the most popular form of scholarship.

The scholarship covers a vast number of monthly costs of the students. But you need to study hard to be eligible for this scholarship. Without an excellent academic track, you cannot avail the scholarship.

You can also check above link for scholarship list for women in Germany.

 

Higher education in China

China is one of the leading countries on the Asian continent. Its rapid growth is the other reason to select it as a prime destination for higher studies.

It comes with a wide number of scopes for students to pursue higher studies. A good number of Chinese universities enrol domestic and international students per semester.

There are over 2,000 higher educational institutions in China. And the number of students is more than five million. Most of them are pursuing their Bachelor’s, masters and other doctoral or postdoctoral degrees.

Besides, there are some non-degree programs also available in the country. They provide higher education with the permission from the government.

 

Types of institutions

There are two types of higher educational institutions in China. They are:

  • State-owned
  • Private 

Cost of higher study in China

The cost of higher education in China is relatively lower than the other European countries. And mostly it depends on the type of institution you are studying.

An average expense of higher study in China is around 21,000 yuan in an academic year.

But the cost may increase if you study in engineering or medicine. The business discipline also has a similar costing.

The costs include – application fee, tuition fee and other administrative fees.

Living costs

At the same time, you are to spend on your living in the country. You are to pay the monthly rent for housing around 2,700 yuan. But you can cut the cost if you live with a family or accommodate yourself in a hostel.

The other costs include transportation cost, cost of your academic materials, internet, foods, entertainment, etc.

Scholarships in China

The students with hardships can apply for scholarships to pursue their higher studies. The Chinese government has the option of scholarships and grants.

Some of the scholarships cover the entire cost, while some others are partial.

Besides, there are numbers of organizations who provide financial backing to the students.

 

The comparison

Well, I think you have read the entire post. It might have provided you with comprehensive ideas about study in foreign countries. Now, it is about comparing the features of the countries mentioned above.

The USA

The USA is one of the top countries and you will have ample options for higher education there. It provides quality education to both domestic and international students.

You can avail three types of education in the USA.

But the cost of education is a bit higher (over $16,000 on average in a year). Moreover, you are to pay the other costs like living in the country, foods, transportations and others.

If you can manage a scholarship, you can get relief. But if you are unable to obtain a scholarship, you must bear all the costs.

The UK

The overall education system in the UK is almost similar to those of the USA. Domestic and international students can have the option of higher education. There is no compromise about the quality of education – no matter in what level you are in.

However, the cost of education is a bit higher too in the UK. An international student has to spend around £9,000 on average. Remember, this is the minimum amount. You may have to spend around £20,000 in an academic year.

But there are options for availing scholarships. And most of the cases, the students from the EU countries can have the scholarships.

In other cases, the students have to demonstrate an excellent academic track. Or, they would be unable to apply for the grants.

Once you have the scholarship, it will cover almost all of your costs in the country.

Germany

Higher education in Germany is a dream for many. The key reason is that there are ample educational institutions. And those are categorized based on their discipline.

In the first quarter of the education career, the students get the basic ideas. In the later stages, they get the practical experiences of their respective education track. So, this is one of the best places for pursuing higher education.

Some 16 states in the country require no tuition fees from the students. But the students need to pay a minimal fee of around €250 for admission and administrative purposes.

Another impressive aspect is that the postdoctoral students need not pay their tuition fees.

Further, the options for scholarships in Germany is quite attractive. If someone can avail DAAD scholarship, it becomes easier to pursue the degree. The scholarship covers almost all the expenses of the students.

China

It is one of the strongest economies in Asia. So, the demands of higher education in the country is also on the rise. There is no compromise about the quality of education. The institutions have skilled faculties and extensive curriculum.

By spending around 21,000 yuan (Chinese currency), you can meet the cost of an academic year. Also, the cost may increase or decrease based on the type of institution.

However, you can avail scholarships from the Chinese government. Some other institutions also provide funding to the international students in the country.

The final destination

Did you check the comparison? Which one seems better to you? Let me say – the USA or the UK? Or any of the remaining two?

But, considering all the aspects, it appears to me that Germany is the most suitable option here among the four countries. If you can get admission in any of the 16 states, you may get rid of the financial load of paying your tuition fees.

At the same time, you will receive a top-quality education from the best universities in the world.

However, many of my readers can differ from my personal opinion. That’s natural. The preference may vary. Also, you may not think as I am thinking.

Please use the comment box to share your thoughts and ideas. We will have a series of comment box discussion of this matter.

 

Application process 

The application process in all the countries, even in Russia, is almost identical. As an international student, you need to find out the right type of institutions.

After the selection of the university or college, you have to check the date of admission. Or, you can check the beginning of a semester. Accordingly, you need to apply to the institution following all the necessary procedures.

The institution authority will confirm you about your application. And they will instruct you for further proceedings.

Necessary documents

To apply for higher education abroad, you must have the following documents.

  • Valid passport
  • Recent photographs
  • All academic records
  • Properly filled-in application form
  • Language certification
  • Financial solvency certificate

 

So, this is all for today. The information provided here is sourced from different institutions. However, the costs may vary to some extent for multifarious reasons. But the students will always enjoy some discounts.

Hope to meet you with some other topic, shortly.

Stay tuned with degreeola.com. If you want to know more about a specific country like the USA, the UK, Germany, click here.

Cheers.

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