Abroad Studies are the first preference for people looking to get a quality education and those who can actually bear all the costs to get an overseas qualification. It has been a trend among students as well as for their families to get a foreign degree so that they can maintain a good image in society. But, since the covid 19 breakthroughs, it has become difficult for people to opt for abroad studies.
Many lives have been affected during the post COVID-19 situation which has impacted hugely in terms of Studying Abroad. Australia, Europe, UK, Canada, and Malaysia have always been the favorite destinations for most students. But, lately, due to COVID-19 most people are now concerned about the hassle one needs to go through if they want to study abroad.
Complete medical health checkups and medical history of the individuals are some of the things to name. Thereby most people prefer not to dive into such circumstances. The effect of COVID-19 on international students has been discussed below:
The Effect of COVID-19 on International Students!
Global higher education is currently facing unprecedented drawbacks due to the crisis, which has led students to change their study plans, at every level of studies.
On average, the pandemic has affected more than 50% of study-abroad aspirants and there is no doubt that the movement of students has been tremendously affected. Many universities have decided to suspend all mass lectures for the next academic year, restrict the number of students for classroom learning, and carry out online classes. Moreover, Universities including Oxford and Cambridge have informed students that they can start the academic year after going through quarantine and by following the public health norms.
Plan On Studying Overseas Post COVID-19
Below are some of the tips for study abroad aspirants to address the COVID-19 challenges:
Stick to the plan: No one can predict the end of this pandemic or when everything will fall back into place. However, it certainly is wise for students to continue with the application process and stick to their current plan. It is known that many foreign universities have extended their application deadline for international students, giving them enough time to decide whether studying abroad now is the most viable option for them or not. This way, students will not have a gap year and attend classes online in the initial stage and later be permitted to take classes on campus.
Explore universities with great COVID-19 response: Almost all universities have adopted preventive measures to adapt to these unusual conditions. The measures may vary from country to country and there might be a slight difference in the conducting approach. Many universities overseas have even reduced their tuition fees in response to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
Focus on Preparation: With students restricted to their homes, it is a convenient time to prepare for entrance tests accepted by various foreign universities. All exam conducting bodies such as the College Board, Graduate Management Admission Council, and so on. have introduced a remote proctoring solution to permit students to take tests like the GMAT, SAT, and ACT from the comfort of their homes.
Defer admissions by a year: Students can choose to drop a year and attend when the time is as usual again. It will not have any negative impact on their studies. Studying online might help deal with the financial crisis but it might also take away the opportunity of experiencing a completely different way of life on an international campus. So, deferring admission could be a rather wise decision.
Things prospective international students shall be looking for while applying to foreign universities are as follows:
- Changes to the application process Changes to application deadlinesAvaila ability of seats in the preferred course at a university
- Changes to the dates of any entrance exams
- Changes to the course structure
- Restrictions for universities to prepare unconditional offers Measur es the university has implemented to reduce the spread of the coronavirus on campus
- Changes to English language test requirements
- How to defer application (if required)
Foreign Universities Responses to the COVID-19 P pandemic
Apart from moving to virtual/online classes and abiding by government guidelines on COVID-19, universities all around the world have adopted various measures to draw the attention of more international students and meet their needs:
Under the new admission criteria, many universities and colleges are permitting students without GRE or GMAT scores.
- There is a reduction in fee structure at various universities, permitting more international students to opt for higher education abroad despite COVID-19. Australia is offering fee waivers and financial aid to aspirants looking for admission to institutions in the country.
- Along with counseling, scholarships, and special discounts for international students, various universities in the United Kingdom are accepting online copies of degree certificates as producing the original copies could be a difficult task now.
Universities in the UK are restructuring their course curricula and exploring ways to offer courses in a blended format and ensure smooth conduct of education.
Alternatives to traditional teaching such as prerecorded lectures, video calls, online assignments, and online and open-book exams are being put into practice.
- Keeping in mind the travel restrictions due to the pandemic, universities have initiated offering virtual tours to students and their parents. They are given a complete draft of university facilities, admission needs, various academic programs, and methods to initiate the application process during or after the COVID-19 crisis.
If an individual is interested to study abroad post the covid -19 situation, ITEC is a trusted agency that caters to study abroad support for Bangladeshi students. It offers to help students from the very beginning until the end for their complete successful process.
ITEC has set a benchmark in the student counseling sector. So, if an individual is interested to study abroad, they should wait no longer to get associated with ITEC for a thorough stepwise study abroad application process and start their journey for a better future, ABROAD!
