The Benefits of Studying Abroad Outweigh the Cost (Research Paper Sample)

THE BENEFITS OF STUDYING ABROAD OUTWEIGH THE COST
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Introduction
Studying abroad is one of the growing trends in modern society. More and more students are opting to leave their home countries to study in foreign countries. Why then is studying abroad so attractive? Research has shown that there are a number of advantages associated with studying in foreign countries. However, there are also drawbacks that are associated with studying abroad. When choosing to r not to study in a foreign country, there are some factors that should be put into consideration. Top among the issues should be the financial implication of the process and the main motivator behind individual preference. According to Dwyer (2004), there are people who feel that you can never really put a price tag on the learning experience that comes as a result of studying in a foreign country. However, it is possible to put a price tag on a foreign learning experience. First, there are initial costs that exclude maintenance fee in a foreign country. When the maintenance fee is incorporated into the budget, the full financial implications of studying abroad come into view. Despite this negative effect on the cost of education, there are two ways of looking at the situation. The following paper seeks to establish that the benefits of studying abroad outweigh the cost.
Arguments against Studying Abroad
As stated by Dwyer & Peters, (2004) Studying abroad often leads to higher cost implications. In most cases, the tuition fees, cost of living and other miscellaneous expenses can weigh heavily on a student particularly if such a study was not well planned. This situation is replicated even in situations where a student has a scholarship. In addition to the cost related to the study, travel expenses can cause a huge impact on individual financial power. Depending on the distance between the home country and the country of destination, foreign students find themselves spending a lot of money on air tickets and travel expenses. This situation can be worse in cases where foreign students have to travel back to their home country during holidays.
Each country has its own set of education standards that vary from country to country. In view of this, there are some countries whose education system is considered as inferior compared to the host country. Foreign students risk their academic credentials being disqualified based on the basis that the acquired learning experience is inadequate to satisfy the set standards of the home country. This poses an even greater challenge when the same students try to seek employment in their home country. Under such circumstances, such students may find it a challenge accessing employment opportunities based on their level of qualification in the home country.
Students who study abroad are not really sure about what to expect in foreign countries. One of the greatest concerns when seeking foreign education is racial discrimination. Despite the fact that the whole experience can be exciting, an individual should conduct extensive research and planning on the host country before making a decision to study abroad. Some countries have a specific way of life. Individuals from a different culture might find it a challenge to assimilate the new way of life making them targets for racial and ethnic discrimination. In other cases, foreign students fall prey of scams where a lot of money maybe lost in the process. This mainly happens when the student does not carry out an extensive research on the host country and the institution of choice for the foreign learning experience.
Arguments for Studying Abroad
Studying abroad has a lot of considerable benefits on a student’s life considering the type of experience that one has as a result of studying abroad. "Social interaction is a very important process in one’s life" (Byram & Feng, 2006). Studying abroad offers the students an unforgettable experience in terms of social interaction, a different learning experience and a better learning experience. Students who study abroad have various reasons why they opt to study abroad instead of their birth countries. Some factors influencing the decision to study abroad are education standards and facilities. Bright students are offered scholarship opportunities in foreign countries depending on whether the student’s area of specialization is offered in the country of birth. Studying abroad therefore offers foreign students an opportunity to pursue their career choices in institutions that are adequately equipped in terms of infrastructure and facilities. This offers foreign students a more conducive learning environment which has a positive impact on individual academic performance.
Due to globalization, it is important for people to understand how other people from different parts of the world live. According to a survey by….institutions that offer international courses offer the best learning experience for students. Such institutions have students from across the world. Such students have different culture, religion and political affiliations. Living in such a multi-cultural environment has a positive impact on the learning experience. In addition, interacting with different students from across the world may be beneficial to a student future years. It is the opinion of Kitsantas that social and cultural interaction may contribute to potential future success based on the premise of how individual life will turn out to be (2004).
Studying abroad offers foreign students an opportunity to expand their current and future opportunities. In the current world setting, The US for example has experienced an ...