5 things no one tells you straight but you wished someone did (#5)

By (CC) Magnus from Flickr

5. Higher education abroad is about working abroad

When you start college or a new job, you’re bound to hear about this one guy/girl who really wants to pursue some advanced study at some foreign university. This person wants to learn more about a subject like oncology therapeutics at Duke or accounting codes at Oxford.

And hearing this person, you may think – “Wow, that guy/girl is really keen on oncology therapeutics / accounting codes.” Well, no!

That guy/girl is more interested in becoming a cancer specialist in the US to make a lot of money or become a tax consultant in the UK, also to make a lot of money. In short, they’re talking about moving to these countries and higher education is the flight to get them there.

You don’t hear anyone wanting to study water conservation at the University of Botswana in Gaborone, despite the fact that its probably one of the best places to do ecology research!

So if you take inspiration from that guy/girl, make sure you are rightly inspired. Don’t pick a college in a country where you won’t be able to work after graduation. Australian universities do a lot of marketing to bring international students in, only to send them out once the final semester’s fees are paid.

Know what you’re getting in to before sending out that application.