Studying At An International University Research Assignment (Essay Sample)

STUDYING AT AN INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
by (Student’s Name)
Course
Professor’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
STUDYING AT AN INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
The world was made for every human being regardless of their color, ethnicity, religion, and race. Therefore, when the individual gets the opportunity to travel to a new place, to learn and explore the horizons, it is always a wonderful and exciting experience. While knowledge can be gained in various ways, studying at an International University is one of the few opportunities that enable the students to increase their knowledge and skills while exploring the world. Studying at an international university, therefore, gives the students the ability to acquire knowledge and skills from a foreign university rather than their own country. While to a greater extent getting higher education in an international university is beneficial to the students, it has several disadvantages.
Advantages of Studying at an International University
Learning New Language
It goes without saying that when the students are studying in a country where the native language is not their own, they get the opportunity to develop diverse language skills. For example, the individuals who are fairly good at English, but it is not their native language, benefit enormously from studying in an international university because they can converse in English both in the academic and the social environment. Similarly, according to Pinar (2016: 84), the students are exposed to new idioms and colloquialisms that they had not been taught prior. In so doing they improve their pronunciation as well as the vocabulary because they have an opportunity to practice and talk to the native speakers.
Handling Your Responsibility
Besides the development of a new language, studying at an international university brings about self-development. As the students learn new languages, they also learn how to live independently and take decisions without the families support (Dewald, Jimenez, and Self 2016: 444). As a result, the experience develops their maturity, and they can handle new situations. Also, it boosts their confidence when they realize that they can cope and thrive in different circumstances.
Learning New Culture and Visiting New Places
Additionally, as the student experiences the realities of everyday life in the new country that they choose to study in, they have an opportunity to tour the country during their time off. As opposed to holidays, when an individual only visits a country for only a week or a month, studying in an international university enables the student to immerse themselves in the culture of the host country. Further, as argued by Petersdotter, Niehoff, and Freund (2017: 176) during that period, the students can mix with people who have diverse cultural beliefs and viewpoints. The encounter teaches them how things are viewed and done elsewhere in the world.
Making New Friends with Different Backgrounds
Besides the exposure to a new culture, the majority of the international universities accommodate students from the host country and around the globe. The students, therefore, can take advantage of the opportunity and establish long-lasting friendships with students with different backgrounds. They can make new contacts and build invaluable relationships. According to Petersdotter, Niehoff, and Freund (2017: 178) making new friends when studying in an international university is essential because the students can make lifelong friends that become useful later in life when they are traveling, and they need friends to accommodate them.
Better career opportunity
Moreover, the international experience makes the students open to new knowledge and expertise thus preparing them for the future careers. According to Kırkgöz (2016: 607) when studying abroad, the students obtain knowledge that is applicable and adaptable to career opportunities that require international interaction. The exposure, therefore, makes the students more competitive in the era of globalization that we are living in today. Even more, the students can find potential employers in the foreign country.
Disadvantages of Studying at an International University
Expensive
On the contrary, studying in an international university has various disadvantages. Reason being, one has to factor in expenses such as flights, accommodation, and the living cost. Even more, Dewald, Jimenez, and Self (2016: 445) affirm that although the student may have planned for the studies for a long time, the living costs in a foreign country tend to be higher.
Difficulty in communicating with people
Another prevalent disadvantage is a language barrier. Immediately the students are enrolled in a new environment, they are unable to communicate with other students, and it creates hindrance to their learning. Overcoming language barrier, as argued by Pinar (2016: 83) becomes a struggle when the student is required to learn the language from scratch even when they are unable to understand the local accent.
Cultural Barriers
Besides communication, as a foreigner, the student is not familiar with the local culture and the unwritten rules of the new institution and the host country. As a result, they end up making many mistakes and putting a lot of pressure on themselves. Although they try to avoid cultural misunderstandings by observing and asking others, Pinar (2016: 84) confirms that they are usually very intimidated.
Long Distance Friendships
Additionally, studying in an international university is challenging because the student&rsqu...