Not all of us are born with a silver spoon in our mouth. The decision of studying abroad turns out to be the best decision for most of the students; however, many worthy candidates drop the idea due to financial constraints. Let’s face it; it is one of the most important factors that determine our international sojourn. The aim of this article is to guide all those who aim to pursue their studies abroad. There is always an option of funding your international education and there are multiple ways of doing it.

The first road is the most impressive of all SCHOLARSHIPS. They are a highly coveted mode of funding and often there is a huge lineup for the candidates who wish to avail the facility. There are several colleges, universities, national and international organizations that offer scholarships to commendable students for undergraduate and postgraduate studies abroad. In a number of countries, it is not the university that awards any scholarship- so one way is to approach the government. It is widely known that, apart from many different factors, it is the academic excellence of a student, as well as his GRE/TOEFL/IELTS score that decides who makes the cut. There are Essays that also become deciding factors. There are different scholarships for a wide variety of disciplines, so it is imperative that a student checks all his options. There are:

· Merit based scholarships

· Need based scholarships also called “gift aid”.

· Specific scholarships , awarded to members of certain ethnic groups

· Sports scholarships

· Government scholarships

Scholarships also require you to submit additional documents much before the final date of admission. Hence keep an eye out for the key dates! Also, click on this link to go to british council’s website which contains details on individual scholarships-https://www.britishcouncil.org/study-work-create/practicalities/funding-studies

For those who couldn’t avail the facility of a scholarship due to some unfortunate reason, there is always an option of STUDENT LOAN. There are good bank loans with good interest rates and flexible repayment options. If you have taken out a student loan for tuition fees, you don’t have to repay the loan until after you finish your studies and you are earning over a certain level of income or until a few years after the graduation/post graduation. But this requirement differs from country to country. Also, don’t take a loan unless you are sure that you can’t get a scholarship.

Then there are options to WORK abroad. There are student permits which enable students to intern/work at a local place part-time to fund their own education. It is strenuous but worth the experience. Cultural assimilation that defines a student’s approach to life can well be attained in an international atmosphere. Interning abroad provide students valuable opportunities to work in specific career fields which help provide merit among prospective employers

Every penny saved is every penny earned!

One needs to often control the urge of splurging unnecessarily. Rationing personal expenses is the first way to start building an education fund early in life. Small investments over many years eventually amount to valuable resources.

Probably, a combination of some, or all, of these options will allow you to pursue your ambitions. There are many options available to international students for help with financing their study, but the key is to plan in advance!