So You Want To Study Abroad

It all starts with a dream

It is possible to study abroad, or to go work overseas – as long as you believe you can and put in the work to make your dreams come true. Dalaine Krige has been working in South Korea for the past year, teaching English at a private institution. In her third year, she also completed a semester abroad at a university in Paris, France. She shares tips on studying and working abroad.

Pursuing your passion overseas

When I was 16, I fell in love. Not with a person, but with a city. It was while visiting Paris with my family, sitting on a bench in a park, wishing I could chain myself to it so that I would never have to leave.

I decided on the spot that one day I would return and study there. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know if we would be able to afford it. I just knew that I was making a promise to myself, and that one day I would return to that beautiful city as a student. New lessons in strange cities Many people share this dream of studying abroad. Your dream city might be somewhere in the USA, or perhaps you’ve set your sights on a university in Japan. Wherever you decide to study, there are some practical factors to take into consideration, of which the most

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Pursuing your dreams overseas A semester abroad can give you a taste of a different world Applying to do your undergraduate degree abroad New lessons in strange cities Summer and winter schools Postgraduate studies abroad Seven tips to help set your CV apart Don’t give up on your dreams

When I was 16, I fell in love. Not with a person, but with a city

important is your chosen degree. An education abroad is still an education, and you need to choose your degree and the school you attend wisely. Some countries have better programmes for certain fields than others, and some universities may not offer your specific study field to international students.

Applying to do your undergraduate degree abroad It can be difficult to get accepted into an overseas university with only a South African matric. Each country and degree will have its own unique set of requirements, so it is important to research your options beforehand. If you want to apply for an undergraduate degree abroad from the get-go, you might want to consider attending a school that offers Cambridge International Examinations (CIEs). These are internationally recognised exams and will enable you to apply both in South Africa and abroad. You will need to complete both the AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and A (Advanced) levels. You usually start to prepare for these exams in Grade 11 and complete them after two years. This may often mean completing an extra year of schooling after matric.

If this is not an option for you, you can consider taking the US Scholastic Aptitude Tests, or SATs. These tests are written in the final year of high school and are used as an entrance exam by most colleges and universities. At an American university, this test will likely be one of your entry requirements. Like the CIEs, these results are internationally recognised and will help you gain access to a variety of universities.

There are many online resources to assist with the requirements and steps needed to register and take your SAT in South Africa:

• Online GED – tinyurl.com/OGEDSA • Aspire Atlantic – tinyurl.com/AspireSAT • South Africa Education – tinyurl.com/SAEdSAT • Foot Prints – tinyurl.com/HoSchSAT. A good place to start your research is by having a look at the South African Department of Higher Education and Training website. Here you can find information about programmes and funding available to South African students. Scan me:

A semester abroad can give you a taste of a different world If you, however, cannot complete your entire undergraduate degree overseas you might consider a semester abroad. This gives you the opportunity to study abroad at one of the universities that have partnered with the South African university you are enrolled at. Partner universities offer the opportunity for you to study for a semester in a different country as a foreign exchange student. You can find out what the requirements for this type of programme are by chatting to someone at your university’s international office.

In my case, I had to complete at least three semesters (half of my undergraduate degree) before I had enough credits to apply to Sciences Po, a university in Paris. Another requirement was that I could not complete my final semester abroad, meaning that I had to choose either the last semester of my second year or the first semester of my third year to study there. I chose the latter.

My decision to study in France was not the cheapest option available but, having French as one of my majors, it was the logical choice. If I had chosen a university

11TIPS TO HELP SET YOUR CV APART:

01 Check your wording – Ensure that you are familiar with local terminologies when customising your CV for a specific country. This could refer to daily terminologies such as metro vs tube vs underground, or elevator vs lift robot vs traffic light, etc. 02 Size and relevance matter – Do not submit a long CV. One page is more than sufficient for a university student. Stick to a maximum of two pages as an average. Some countries are comfortable with long, eight-page CVs, whereas others prefer a one-pager. Read the requirements provided by the university and adhere to them. They might request a clear head-and-shoulders photo. Having said this, do research to ensure what the unique CV expectations and format would be for the specific country. The UK and USA do not prefer photographs, whereas some Far East countries expect a head-and-shoulders photo to be included. 03 Highlight your different strengths – Showcase who you are when not studying. What else will you bring to the table? Identify your transferable skills. 04 Show off your volunteering or activism – This is something that will show that you will be a good ambassador for the university and that you are more than just your grades. 05 Don’t lie; be honest – It might be tempting to embellish details of your academic and personal experiences, but this will count against you when you’re caught out. 06 Personal information – It is critical to research the local expectation and laws regarding sharing some and the protection of certain personal information. 07 Proofread your CV – Always ask someone else to double-check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. The last thing you want is to hand in a CV that is full of mistakes. Do not use slang – it might be viewed as unprofessional. Be aware of software country settings relating to different spelling tools, such as colour and color. 08 Write in reverse chronological order – Start with your most recent work, experiences and achievements, and work your way back from there. 09 Include your grades – Give context for your current grades and courses, and how these support your future study plans. Again, do your research. Some countries expect supporting documents of your grades, whereas others may not expect grades to be included at all. It is also to clarify the uniform standard of certain qualifications or the differences between them, based on the country. 10 Add some references – Having at least two references who will vouch for your good character will help you secure the spot. Ensure that you gained permission from these references. 11 Include your visa status – Many institutions and companies will require a valid work visa. Partner universities offer the opportunity for you to study for a semester in a different country as a foreign exchange student

in Germany instead, I would have been given accommodation. In Paris, I had to secure and pay for my own housing. Fortunately,

I was provided with a travel bursary, which helped fund my move. I was also lucky enough to have made contact with someone who had been through this whole process before, and they were able to give me tips and pointers that made my life a lot easier. While very little of my exchange went the way I planned, it was a memorable experience and one I will always cherish.

Summer and winter schools If a semester abroad is too daunting, a summer or winter school may be the right fit for you. These offer unique opportunities to attend a special programme or short course at an overseas institution, and are often funded. Not all summer and winter schools will, however, cater for your degree or field of studies. It is important to do your research and use the resources offered by your university’s international office to stay fully informed. By doing this, you will also know when a funding opportunity becomes available.

Winter and summer schools are a great way to combine travel and education. Local winter and summer programmes are also available. Examples include programmes offered by Stellenbosch University (tinyurl.com/ SUIWS) or the University of Cape Town (tinyurl.com/UCTWinter).

Winter and summer schools may provide courses not on offer at your university, and may help you prepare

you for the upcoming semester. These kinds of extracurricular activities and experience also look great on your CV. Students who studied overseas have a higher sense of maturity, responsibility and self-awareness. Often this is all that is required to set you apart. Global content and the exposure to international cultures establish an increased level of empathy, yet independence. American and European universities will pay you a decent living stipend and provide you with work at their institution while you complete your PhD. The stipend varies from country to country and university to university. Typically, the stipends will allow you to survive but you may need to work for the university to make extra money. Since a PhD takes between three and five years to complete, this option will provide you with the most exposure to the country and culture you have chosen to immerse yourself in. It is also worth noting that there are several postgraduate courses available that are directly linked to research groups.

Pursuing this kind of postgraduate degree can be very competitive, so you will have to make sure you have the grades and the CV to impress the admissions panel and make sure you outshine other applicants.

Having a CV that sets you apart is a crucial step in your journey to study abroad. While your grades are the most important factor for any university, they also want to see that you will be a good ambassador for the institution once abroad. This brings us back to the alignment between their professional institutional brand and your personal brand. Having a CV that showcases your good character will help you secure the nomination to study abroad from your university’s international office. The CV you compile for a foreign exchange programme is not the same as the one you submit when applying for a job, so make sure you spend some extra time getting it right.

Don’t give up on your dreams I kept my promise to myself and went back to Paris in 2016 as an exchange student. I spent five beautiful months exploring the city, the country and even some of the neighbouring countries with an incredible group of new friends.

While my French didn’t improve as much as I had hoped, those five months in Paris helped me become a more independent and spontaneous person.

Four years later, I packed up my life and moved to South Korea to teach English. I finished my master’s degree while earning money I could not have made had I stayed in South Africa. On top of this, I got to discover another country, another culture and meet amazing new people while doing it. International student experience increased my networking pool, which in return enables an increased number of career opportunities.

Here are a few additional resources available online:

• Summer Schools in Europe – www.summerschoolsineurope.eu • Southern African Nordic Centre – tinyurl.com/SANord • Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical

University – tinyurl.com/StPEU • Keystone Academic Courses – tinyurl.com/KeyAcCo • University of Amsterdam – tinyurl.com/UVASumS • Scholarships 365 and

Student Exchange Programs – scholarships365.info/

SummerSchools

Postgraduate studies abroad Funding for undergraduate studies abroad can be hard to come by, especially for South Africans. This changes, however, when you’ve completed your degree. Studying abroad becomes much more accessible once you pursue your master’s and PhD degrees. Many

I made myself a promise that I would return as a student