The advantages of studying abroad

Many education professionals claim that there are obvious advantages to studying abroad. The two most obvious aspects are the improvement in the level of languages and the competitive advantage that this experience implies in the curriculum .

In the first place, training experiences have an impact on personal development once you return home and on new skills that can be accredited in the curriculum. Secondly, the daily life of living in another country (eating, moving, attending to certain responsibilities, having fun …) with a different language, allows information to be processed and assimilated in that language, facilitating learning.

The study carried out within the framework of the European MOB GAE project confirms that studying abroad has a number of advantages:

• On a personal level , the respondents consider that the experience has had an impact on their autonomy, their self-esteem, and the learning of general skills. In personal interviews, they declared that the experience helped them “manage stress and work with new people”, “be more decisive” or “be more open and not be afraid to express feelings and ideas”.
• On a professional level , respondents state that their experience has allowed them to improve their skills in a foreign language. In addition, it favors the development of an international profile, self-awareness, self-confidence and the development of skills, both transversal and professional.
• Studying abroad also has advantages on a cognitive level. A recent study by the INSEAD business school has found that working abroad also promotes superior performance in creative thinking and problem solving.

William Maddux, associate professor of organizational behavior and author of the INSEAD study, told Time magazine that alongside problem solving and the ability to think outside the box, “we found that those with international experience are more capable of create new companies and products and get promotions at work. “

What criteria should be taken into account to choose the right studies?

When planning to study abroad, the importance of guidance should be emphasized when choosing the most appropriate training. When a person considers studying abroad, it is important that they have as much information as possible, in order to make the decision taking into account what they can achieve and expect from the experience. To accompany the person in this process, Educaweb and DEP Instituto have prepared the Practical Guide to Study Abroad, a book that includes complete and exhaustive information on everything you need to know to study abroad and plan your future job.

This advertisement is a useful resource for all those who are considering a mobility experience, facilitating the decision-making process and offering updated information. The Guide contains information on 129 internationally renowned universities, the 786 most outstanding university studies grouped by 23 professional sectors and the university cities of 26 countries.

Our recommendation is to guide you to make a decision, Cristina Caldas, Educaweb counselor, offers a series of tips to start the election process:

1.-Self-knowledge: explore your own interests well, it is important to start choosing those studies that fit the profile (skills, abilities, personality, values ​​and interests). This point will also serve to be aware of the decision, assessing the pros and cons.

2.-Planning: Schedule the march with enough time, in this way you can better detect the possibilities and offers that exist to be able to choose well. It should not be a hasty decision.

3.- Assess the level of languages: Do you have a sufficient level of languages ​​to function or are you looking for an immersion activity to consolidate in a language?

4.- Collection of information: Consult the training offer that exists in the market. Know the type of studies that we can take abroad. Choose those that give a value to the academic and professional profile and choose the most appropriate course in relation to the objectives, motivation and interests.

5.- Identify the procedures: Be well informed about all the procedures to be carried out before leaving, medical insurance, residence permit, necessary documentation, visa, application for admission, specific access tests, etc …