It's that time in your child's life. Your child wants to study abroad, and you as a parent, face the challenge of making your child's dream a reality. The first step is to ask the right questions and get the right answers in order to identify exactly what your child hopes to gain out of this experience. After all, it is a decision that will affect your whole family emotionally as well as financially.
Discussion Starters
There are courses and programs to suit every individual. The first thing you and your child must do is decide what the expectations, needs and desires are when it comes to studying abroad. You may want to compile a list of questions for your child to answer, such as:
- Where do I want to study abroad?
- When do I want to study abroad?
- What do I want to gain from studying abroad?
- Do I want to live in a dormitory, an apartment or with a host family?
- How long do I want to study abroad?
- How much will my studies abroad cost?
- What are my plans after I complete my course?
You can also pose follow-up questions, such as:
- Do I want to study in a country that doesn't speak English?
- Do I want to be in a city or in the country?
- How much is the cost-of-living (Australia, Canada, USA, vs. England, for example)
- Do I want to work or intern while abroad?
- How will this affect my course and my career goals?
- How will this affect my credits?
- Can I or am I willing to help re-pay student loans?
Don't expect your child to have all the answers. The objective is for you and your child to sit down together and talk. It is more for you to get an idea of your child's level of commitment and level of preparedness.
Some more factors to consider in order to make the best decision are:
- Deciding Where to Study
First, you and your child must to choose the desired study abroad location. In addition to choosing a country, your child should decide whether he or she would like to study in a city or in a smaller town. Both options have their own advantages. Big cities are likely to be the center of much of the entertainment and cultural institutions, while the smaller towns and villages will give your child a real taste of what it is like to live everyday life in the chosen country and become truly immersed in the culture. In addition to this, consider the cost of living as well as the reputation and facilities of the university itself.
- Deciding When to Study
Your child must also decide when he or she would like to study abroad. Programs run during the regular semester, and some during the summer. Part of this decision can be based on what the weather is like in the country during those given times. Other things to consider are whether any work experience in India would be of added value to the University. This would delay the actual date of leaving but could supplement the education experience.
- The Curriculum
You and your child must decide what program provides the type of curriculum he or she would like to study. Some programs are foreign language-based, while others give choices of different majors. While most students tend to choose a program that is in alignment with the rest of their college studies, your child may want to take electives or classes that can provide new learning experiences. Study the curriculum carefully to make sure you are getting everything your child needs. Also discuss the grading system followed by that particular University. Can your child deal with project submissions or elaborate thesis writing schedules?
- Overcoming the Language Barrier
Language skills are another element to take into consideration. If your child is already fluent in the language of the country in which he or she will study, then they will have no problem learning in classes that are taught in that language. Remember that even though the course may be taught in English, the local accent of the place might be hard to follow. Will your child be able to cope with this? However you must also keep in mind that it is most likely that your child will eventually accustom himself or herself to these vernacular changes.
- Where to live
An important factor to think about is housing. Some programs include housing, while others do not. For the ones that do, a number of housing options exist. Some students may choose an exchange program in which they live with a host family in their destination country. These host families often incorporate the student into daily life in the household and expect the students to contribute. Other students will choose to live in a dormitory to be with other students. Still others may decide to live on their own. Figure out what your child would prefer the most, and also consider what your preference would be. Would you, for instance, feel comfortable with them living on their own, or would you prefer them to be with peers in a controlled environment?
