Spending some time as a student in a foreign country is a dream for many people. What’s unique about this experience is the fact that you can get the opportunity to combine useful experiences with fun and engagement. In other words, studying abroad can open many career opportunities. However, spending some time in a different place outside of your usual routine can be exciting, and life-changing. 

Studying abroad might indeed seem like a fairy tale, but is it the right thing to do for you? Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of spending some time in a different country for study purposes.

Source: EU Business School

The Cons 

Studying abroad means that you are going to need to spend some time away from home. For some people, it is not easy to part from their family, friends, or significant others. If you are dreaming of going to a foreign country to study for a semester, a year, or more, be prepared to turn your day-to-day relationships into long-distance ones. This is only temporary, but it can still be emotionally hard for some people, and it is something that is worth considering. 

Being homesick and missing the people in your life is one of the most obvious cons of studying abroad. However, another thing to consider is that getting used to a different setting can be challenging, at least initially. 

English should be enough to get by in most situations, and it will get you through any international school of your choice. However, getting by locally without understanding the native language can be tough in some areas, and it might lead you to feel a bit left out. There is also the possibility of a culture clash: it can be quite a learning curve to get adjusted to a new place, with different cultural and social dynamics.

The Pros

Out with the bad, in with the good! Studying abroad is an amazing way to increase your career perspective by a significant margin. Higher education in a foreign country always looks good on any curriculum. Say, for example, that you are planning on attending a Geneva business school, offering some of the best industry education and expertise available. This can be a valuable experience that will increase your chances of better job opportunities back home and elsewhere. 

As we mentioned earlier, studying in a different country is not just about getting a degree or a certification that looks good on your resume. It is also about life experiences! Spending time abroad is fun, and you can make friends and connections to treasure for a lifetime. Spending a limited amount of time in a different place can also be a fantastic way to broaden your horizons. You could learn more about the world around you and perhaps, even a bit more about who you are and where you are from. Many people who spent some time living in other countries often seem to come back home with a different, clearer perspective of their home, and this could happen to you as well.

Now that you have heard a bit more about the pros and cons of studying in a different country, it is entirely up to you to determine whether this would be a good fit for you. Have you studied abroad yourself and have encountered pros and cons that are not featured in this article? We’d love to hear about it, so feel free to drop us a line and let us know.