In the modern society, the number of international students has been increasing worldwide. While some people argue that studying abroad, and therefore bringing new perspectives into new cultures, is good, while others maintain that it would be better for individuals pursuing education in an unfamiliar country to enjoy the benefits of being a domestic student in their home countries and make way for locals.
One compelling argument in favor of international education is that studying abroad facilitates the development of the sense of independence in those who attend institutions in a country different from their own. Due to the fact that new students are yet to find local acquittances who can help them to settle in the new community, they must adopt to their new lifestyle themselves. Besides that, the knowledge, skills, and experience international students have accumulated in their homes can be extremely useful for countries that accept them to their institutions. Nondomestic scholars’ perspectives help broaden the horizons of knowledge of the community they moved to.
Among the drawbacks, international students are prone to various psychological and chronic disorders that arise due to heightened stress-levels they get after leaving their families for education. Consequently, this mental and physical state may result in a wide range of illnesses, including depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. However, constant online contact with their loved ones serves as a protective factor against these illnesses. One could argue that international students take institutions’ places that belong to domestic scholars, leading to a smaller number of space available for locals. Nevertheless, contemporary universities, colleges, and schools offer enough seats for both international and domestic students.
Moving abroad to pursue an education has become a common practice in today’s world. Although there are downsides to this trend, I believe that they are outweighed by the advantages to both international individuals and society.
