'GETTING A FULL-RIDE SCHOLARSHIP SHOULD NOT BE ANYBODY'S DEFAULT PLAN'

Dreaming of studying abroad? Here are a few basics you must know before beginning the application process.

- Kimberley Wright Dixit

Every year, millions of students apply to study at a foreign university. From acquiring global skills to accessing exceptional professional opportunities, an international education opens many doors, making it an enriching experience.

However, before you make a decision or even begin to apply to international institutions, there are a few factors that you should consider.

Selecting a country

Many countries offer world-class education, but how do you determine which one best suits your goals? Two of the most popular countries are the United Kingdom and the United States. But they offer different education systems.

The UK system is characterised as being more rigid, whereas the US offers a lot of flexibility to the students. In the UK, a student's major course of study needs to be determined at the time of application and cannot change over the course of the degree programme.

However, US colleges allow students to change their major course of study over the four-year bachelor's programme.

Students can even apply with an undecided major.

So, for students who are not 100 percent sure about their major course of study, want to add electives or minors during their college experience or seek more flexibility in their degree requirements, the US is a better option. Also note that most bachelor's degree programmes in the US are four years, whereas most in the UK are three years.