How to start with the admission process for abroad education?

Step 1: Selection of a country and course
Your choice of country and course will be a very crucial decision you make as they will have a long-term impact on both your career and life. Along with the United States, other countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Germany have become increasingly popular among students seeking an abroad education. Each country differs in terms of which course it is best suited for, the opportunities it offers, the facilities it provides, and its economic situation. You should consider all these factors along with chances for PR to make a well-informed decision about the country. Similarly, your choice of major will affect the type of field you get into and how your career progresses. You should assess your abilities and experiences to scale down your interests. Select no more than two courses as your preferred choices so that you won't be confused afterward. Correlate your country and course selection to make a smart decision.

Step 2: Examination of universities and requirements
This would be the first stage in your university search. Every country offers a huge variety of universities for every course and since researching each one of them would be overwhelming, you should scan through a few of them and make note of the common requirements. Generally, those would include a relatable undergrad degree, GRE/GMAT, and TOEFL/ILETS scores. You should prepare thoroughly for these tests and put all your efforts to achieve the highest possible grades in both, as the results will enhance your profile.

Step 3: Preparing personal documents - SOP, LOR, Resume
The personal statement is a chance to tell your glorious journey, highest accomplishments, and convince why you would be a unique asset to the university. So, make sure your SOP is well-rounded with your academics, extracurriculars, and any personal experiences that would make you suitable for the course. Recommendation letters play a very vital role in your application, as they help the university assess your abilities on an academic or professional level. Make sure you take the LORs from credible sources like your professors or manager so that your strengths are reflected perfectly. List your education, research, technical and soft skills, positions held, and achievements in your resume. Keep your resume short and relevant.

Step 4: Shortlisting universities and scholarship search
There are many factors to be considered for shortlisting universities like ranking, location, part-time work options, employability prospects, research areas, financials required, and expected ROI. But the most important criteria would be to check the coursework and decide if it is well-balanced with your needs and interests. Your budget should include tuition fees, accommodation, monthly bills, and health insurance as well. You can even go through university pages or social media to enquire with alumni for better insights. Once you have completed your research on all factors, you must reduce your university choices from 5 to 8 categorized into ambitious, target, and safe. Merit-based or need-based scholarships could be provided by private institutions or universities or governments. You can explore them and apply for those you qualify.

Step 5: Applying and Finalizing
Once you have shortlisted universities you can apply for them. Make sure you apply to at least a couple of safe universities. Depending on the university you would have to wait for 4 to 6 weeks to hear about a decision. During the wait period, you can get your finances in order and prepare for visa interviews. If you receive multiple admits, make sure you compare the universities considering all the factors mentioned already. Remember there is no “best” college, it would be a personal choice you make. Before finalizing a university, consider all of your choices and factors.