In the contemporary world, pursuing higher education in western or developed countries’ universities is becoming a popular choice among young students. Meanwhile, there are advantangesadvantages and disadvantages to such action.
On one hand, studying overseas opens up the opportunities for cultural exposure and a global perspective. Once students get out ofleave their home countries, they will get the chance to meet people from different parts of the world and learn new things from them. As a result, they possess the ability to look at things from a global perspective. In addition, students can also improve their language skills. Once liveWhen living outside of their motherland, all forms of communication have to be done in a foreign language, making students gain linguistic advantages. For instance, according to a BBC survey, in 2020, 80% of a total of 8000 foreign university students believed that their English had improved compared to prior to coming to the UK.
Despite the pros, studying abroad also contains the disadvantages, one of which is the financial burden. Not just paying for tuition fees, which isare generally expensive, foreign students also have to be responsible for accommodationsaccommodation and food, which keep increasing from time to time. Furthermore, students can also experience homesickness. This usually takes place during the transitional period when students are in the process of assimilating to the new ways of living. According to the German Times, in 2019, 74.4% of foreign students in German universities mentioned that they experienced homesickhomesickness in their first year living in Germany.
To sum up, doing a degree in overseas universities offers advantages of language improvement and intercultural exposure. However, financial costs and homesickness appear as the drawbacks.