Choosing a program or course that prepares you for your dream career isn’t always easy. This is especially true when you’re planning to study abroad.
To select the programs you want to apply to, first think about the factors that are most important to you. Program cost, curriculum, campus location, research options, graduate employability, and work experience opportunities may all factor into your program decision.
Below, we’ve shared some good questions to ask yourself when choosing your study program, which can help you narrow down your choices. Remember, you can always apply to multiple programs!
1. Consider Your Goals
When deciding which study program to take, think about what your academic and career goals are. Write them down. It’s okay if they change later! But it’s good to understand where you want to go and what you care about, because that knowledge can help you get through challenges like midterms or tough projects.
To jumpstart your thinking process, answer these questions:
- Which fields of study interest you?
- What do you want to learn about most?
- Are there questions in your field you want to answer, or specific things you want to understand?
- Why do you want to study abroad?
- What do you want your career to look like five years from now? Ten?
By answering these questions, you’ll start to define what you want to study—and what you’d rather not. It can also prompt you to think about what style of study matches your goals, from research-intensive to apprenticeship-based.
Your answers can also help you focus on what’s important to your desired international student experience, whether it’s applying to institutions with strong academics and athletics programs, or choosing smaller campuses because a tight-knit community is important to you.
And while the job market is changing quickly, think about how your studies might align with current or future careers. Understanding that progression will give you a goal to aim for, while also helping you answer questions in your statement of purpose or student visa application!
2. Consider Program Structure
All programs have pros and cons. For example, you’ll finish your studies faster and be workforce-ready in less time with an accelerated bachelor’s degree. But pursuing one can mean a busy class schedule and less time to work a part-time job or join campus sports or activities.
Meanwhile, a program which includes work experience like an internship or co-op program could take a year or two longer—but you’ll build your professional network and practical skills related to your career. You might also like the company where you did your internship and be able to fast-track working there after graduation.
It’s also good to consider how you learn. If you’re someone who learns by doing things, you’re probably a kinesthetic learner. Programs with hands-on elements like lab time or apprenticeships could be a good fit for your learning style. Meanwhile, an auditory learner learns by listening. So if that’s you, it’s likely you’ll thrive in a program with many lecture-style classes.
Add your program preferences to your list to narrow down your choices.
Check out our 101 on co-op programs, work placements, and internships to learn how these work experience opportunities can build your future.
3. Consider Campus Location and Culture
Where do you want to study? Are there countries or cities you’d prefer to study in? Would you like to practice a second language in a bilingual city like Montreal or Berlin?
You might prefer big cities with lots of things to do and an expat community with familiar foods, traditions, and cultural or religious services. Or, you might like student towns, smaller but vibrant communities where post-secondary students make up a big part of the population. Equally, do you plan to learn somewhere that matches your studies, like taking marine sciences in Queensland, Australia? That’s an option, too!
As you begin to create a list of programs you may want to take, keep these considerations in mind.
For a country-specific dive into this topic, check out our posts on how to choose where to study in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US.
4. Create Your Program List and Start Applying
Now that you have your list of academic goals, program interests, and an understanding of where you’d like to study, you’re ready to make a list of programs to apply to. Check individual program pages to make sure you understand each program’s prerequisites and application timelines.
If you’re still not quite sure what you’d like to study, consider a program with a more general first year. For example, some engineering programs begin with high-level classes. As you progress, you’ll choose a specification (like electrical, computer, or civil engineering) with classes tailored to that field. In some countries, like the United States, when you choose your undergrad major varies. In fact, some students don’t decide until the end of their second (sophomore) year! Because becoming an international student is a big investment of your time, energy, and money, it’s smart not to rush into your studies without a plan.
Becoming an international student is an exciting choice, and it’s a journey that looks different for everyone. As you start your search, ApplyBoard’s platform can help you find your study abroad match from over 140,000 programs in six top study destinations. It was built by a team with lots of international students, for international students, to make applying to programs faster and easier.
Learn how to apply for study programs via ApplyBoard with our step-by-step guide!