Overseas Education
Studying abroad can boost your career prospects and broaden your horizons. Explore your options, from full degrees to exchange programmes, and find out how overseas education may be more affordable than you think.
Overseas Education
1. Why study abroad
You will stand out from your peers
Experience of living internationally goes down well with employers, showing you have experience dealing with people from different cultures, plus a higher level of adaptability.
In fact, according to the biggest-ever survey on the subject, the QS Global Employer Survey Report, 6 out of 10 employers around the world give extra credit for an international student experience, and more than 80% said they actively sought graduates who had studied abroad.
You will also have more degree options not available locally. By pursuing such degrees overseas, you make yourself extremely attractive to employers who are looking for individuals with these specialised skills and expertise.
By living in non-English speaking countries like China, Japan, Europe etc, you will learn and hone a new language. Being effectively tri-lingual is definitely a plus point on your CV. This is also why scholarships for non-English speaking countries have a shorter bond. Scholarships providers prefer students who are able to put themselves out of their comfort zone.
You will also make new connections and work in internships that your peers in local universities will not have the chance to. Your valuable network will definitely increase your employability.
You will become a global citizen, rooted in Singapore
You get to immerse in a whole new culture and experience new food, sights and adventures. Your world-view will broaden.
The world is now your oyster. You may come back to Singapore to work or you may stay in the country of your university and work. You becomes an employee highly favored by global companies.
At the same time, you will get to appreciate home and friends more, rooting yourself in Singapore even more.
You will grow into an adult, independent and self-reliant
You will be living on your own. You will have to clean your own room, wash your clothes and settle your food options. By the time you return home, your mother will be amazed at how mature and self-sufficient you have become.
Surprisingly, it may not be prohibitively expensive
The misconception that overseas education is very expensive is due to the large numbers of Singaporean students going to US and UK destinations (which IS expensive). In fact, education costs in some countries can be comparable to Singapore, or even lower.
While we are NOT advocating overseas studies in particular countries, here are some links for you to start exploring
More Resources:
2. Overseas exposure options
Programmes with overseas exposure
Bachelor's Degree | Master's degree | Student exchange programmes |
You get the full experience of studying overseas | You get full experience of living overseas but while your peers have gone on to work, you will still be studying | Much shorter time frame but your "education" is viewed more as an experience |
Career opportunities widen because you stand out from the rest | Career opportunities widen because you stand out from the rest | Employability may increase depending on what you have done |
Most students will need a scholarship to study overseas. And these scholarships mostly come with a 5-6 year bond. | Can be expensive as you have to pay for both your local degree and master's degree. Most students will need a scholarship and these scholarships come with a 3-year bond. Alternatively, consider concurrent degree programmes offered by local unis | Nowadays, it should be relatively easy to get funding from your local university. Other experiences to consider are overseas internships and overseas mission trips |