College and University Guide for International Students

How to choose a college or university guide for international (foreign) students.

1. Quality of instruction

• Does the program offer the courses and programmes you want to study?
• Is the course of high quality with excellent teachers?
• Does it have the modern facilities such as computer labs and libraries to support the classes?
• Is it accredited by the countries Government?
• Does it offer help and or classes for English language for students who want to improve their English? And will it be available to you?

Look at the school/college/university catalogue and website for course and degree information. Check the reputation of the programme by talking to students who have attended the program if that is possible (ask for a list of former students from your country).

2. Location

• Where is the campus located?
• Does it offer cultural or sports activities?
• Will the transportation to the school be easy or will you have to buy a car or spend on using public transport?
• If the school is a language school, will you only be with other international students?
• Are there areas of interest where you would want to visit nearby?

Location is important, as it maybe a major factor in how much money you should prepare yourself to take with you. Travel, living cost including food, and where you will be able to work will all depend on where your college/university is. So make sure to carry out some research about the location of your chosen educational institution. Try to avoid putting yourself in a situation where your college is 10 miles away, and then when you find a job, your place of work is 10 miles the other direction from where you live.

3. Student Services

• Does it have facilities to help you find housing and other help you may need?
• Does it have social events in place to give you an opportunity to meet with other students other than international (students from the actual country)?
• Can you get involved in student activities?

All these things will give you a better opportunity to learn and get involved in learning the cultures too.

4. Meet Your Needs

• Does it meet your needs?
• Can you take extra language classes to improve your language?
• Are there are other courses you can take on at the same time to help you?
• Are the extra courses available in the same college/university or will you have to enrol in another?

You may change your mind about what you want to study so having a variety of programs and degrees is important. So choosing a college or university which can accommodate a bit of change will always work to your advantage. Sometimes it maybe an idea to have a second course in mind, just in case you first choice is not what you want when you start. It will be a bonus if you can change to another course in the same college/university, as this will save you time and money and from looking for alternative accommodation and jobs elsewhere.

5. Cost

• Is the cost reasonable for the program you will receive?
• How much will it cost for you to rent a place to live?
• How much will it cost for your meals? (City centres are always more expensive)
• How much will it cost for you to travel (sometimes it is better to find accommodation nearer the college and university and pay that little extra, than spend on travel).
• Will you be able to afford the required books for the course?

The last thing you want to do is get yourself enrolled into a course and then not be able to afford it. It is also not worth thinking you can support yourself by working hard and doing a few jobs to close the financial gap. It will only jeopardise your studies. As I have mentioned before, sometimes staying closer to your campus can be beneficial as it may save you a bit of money. If after calculating your travel cost from where you will be living works out cheaper, then try and relocate. However, if it is cheaper to travel in and live out of town then that is what you must do.

If you have decided to go abroad to study then looking at the above and dealing with it will without a doubt make your studies and stay far more comfortable. It is better to organise yourself before hand and will make life much easier. The last thing you want to do after enrolling into a difficult course is it battle to sort out other issues that could have been taken care of before your entry.

If there is something you are not sure about, investigate and don’t just leave it. You will defiantly find answers and someone will be able to help you.