How you can make study abroad work for even the most difficult major

How you can earn money while studying abroad

Even if you have the most challenging major, you can still make your period of study abroad work well to your advantage. Here’s how!

Always plan ahead to make the most of your study abroad opportunities. Speak to your overseas education consultants to discuss all options available to you, and understand which are the programs of study that will work. You can map out the courses that you must take, keeping in mind the fact that different programs offer different coursework and topics. Quite often, if one particular program does not offer the units you need to complete your certification, another might.

Choose your time period of study to suit your convenience. Overseas study programs are usually flexible enough to cater to a variety of program lengths, as they must suit the needs of a diverse student population. Your program may be very intensive during the semesters, but you can always squeeze in some extra courses during breaks! Summer programs are available for students who cannot take time off during the semester itself. For students who are interested in studying in Australia, summer programs vary in duration from one week to a couple of months long.

Many high school seniors these days opt to take a gap year before starting a challenging major. During this year, they prefer to gain valuable life experiences and this can include a short period of study overseas. They can gain a slice of culture spent in a foreign land, learn to become more responsible and maybe learn a foreign language while they are at it. They will learn to consolidate experiences and can explore options before zeroing in on the courses they wish to study in future.

Increasingly these days, leading corporate employers are looking for employees who have the kind of broad outlook and life experience and skills provided by a period of study abroad. Interviewers ask about their experiences abroad and how it has changed their perspective on life. They look for those who dare to be different and are more informed and knowledgeable than their peers, and this can be easily achieved through a period of overseas study. International research is also a good way to work on a topic that aligns with your major in a unique and very relevant manner. The research can be funded by writing grants. Some students also choose to sign up for a specific course with a professor abroad, and this is an option that offers great flexibility and affords one-on-one interaction with the professor.

Study programs abroad can be found for every type of major. Engineering students can participate in regional community projects abroad, while medical students can try to volunteer on medical missions and study global healthcare systems. You can also use study abroad to complete your language requirements while you work on a challenging major, in an immersive atmosphere that is conducive to learning to read, write and speak the language you are learning. If you were wondering how to combine a period of study abroad with a challenging major, then we hope these tips would have got you started!