Guide to Studying in Graduate Schools Abroad

The Pros Often Outweigh the Cons

Article and photos by Ryan Allen

Yonsei University offers excellent international graduate school programs in Seoul, South Korea.

For those fortunate enough to have such an opportunity, the experience of going abroad is often the most transformational period of their lives. Expat living can offer lessons and values that a person will internalize for the rest of their life. There comes a point, however, when you eventually ask yourself (or perhaps should ask), what am I doing to secure my future career aspirations?

The answer to this question is often difficult to swallow — heading home seems one possible solution. However, there are ways to circumvent packing up and ending your excursion while gaining crucial skills for a future career. One of these solutions is obtaining a Master’s degree in your foreign host country.

Having an M.A. can boost your potential earning power significantly. In addition, as more people have Bachelor's degrees, a Master’s will further separate you from other candidates. However, what about doing an M.A. program from a foreign institution? Before taking this route, these four issues should be considered: Credentials, Language, Finances, and Worthiness.

1) Credentials

The most important information to obtain is whether the foreign institution is recognized in your home country. Otherwise, you could waste money and, more importantly, time on a degree that does not have any value back home.

With an increase in the global exchange of scholars, people coming from foreign universities are becoming ever more common worldwide. Because of this, even if your potential university is not “recognized,” there are services that can give you equivalency credentials. Note that these credentialing services can be expensive—a few hundred dollars for the initial check and then extra fees for sending it to potential employers.

One of the best ways to ensure that your potential degree will translate back home is to check its ranking on various higher education ranking systems. Despite criticism, these rankings can be helpful when evaluating an institution's perceived reputation abroad. You should try, if possible, to go to one of the top-ranked universities in your host country. This will help if you intend to stay in that country and will be even more beneficial once you decide to leave, as it should be more recognizable.

For even more assurance, check to see if the program, school, or department is affiliated with universities in your home country. Likewise, see if the potential institution offers study abroad or dual-degree programs within your country of origin. This is certainly a sign of its relevance back home.            

Multinational corporations with offices and employees across the globe will value someone with a degree from abroad. However, even with proper credentials, some smaller organizations and companies might be cautious of your degree because of unfamiliarity with this practice. There will be some degree of spin and branding required of you in marketing yourself, and this is why you need to do your due diligence when selecting a program.

Key points to look for in programs that will help translate your experience back home:

• High international ranking;
• Top ranking in your school’s country;
• Visible web presence;
• Connections with other schools back home.

2) Language

Not fluent enough in the local language yet, especially for academic study? Do not fret. Many nations around the world are attempting to boost their foreign student numbers. One strategy for this is creating programs, or even entire departments, taught exclusively in English.

While these programs will be “a part” of the university, you will often be “apart” from the happenings of the main campus. There are two reasons for this: first, your program is in a completely different language and most likely has a larger international population. You are apart because you are different. Unfortunately, this is the reality. The second reason is relatively more straightforward to accept. Graduate students are older and typically do not have a significant presence on campus, especially compared with undergraduate life. This is not because you are a foreigner or speak another language but because you are a graduate student. Such perceptions are only natural as you are likely older, more mature, and more serious about your studies.   

One downside to the rise of an all-English curriculum is that it provides a crutch and can stunt your language growth. For those returning home without language skills, be prepared to explain why you cannot speak the host country's language where you have just spent a few years (or more) of your life. This means that, besides being very useful, learning the language can offer legitimacy to this educational route, even if your skill level is not very advanced. 

3) Finances

Many people in the United States take huge loans to cover their educational expenses which offen anchors and follows them for years as an extra financial burden. In other Western countries, these programs might be cheap enough to eliminate the need to take out a loan. In non-Western countries, these programs can be even more affordable. The cost factor will likely be significant in your decision to attend a foreign graduate school.

As mentioned, governments are actively looking to boost their foreign student enrollments. This is not always connected to more revenue streams for their institutions. The push is more connected with soft power or international prestige. As a result, ample scholarships should be available for students to do their M.A. abroad. It would be best if you did some digging, especially on governmental websites (which can sometimes be challenging to navigate). Keep looking, as such scholarships exist.

Does this mean you should look elsewhere if you cannot get a scholarship? Not necessarily. If the program is high quality, the demand to get in might be more significant than you realize, and the scholarship funds would be lower. This is especially true for the top-rated universities mentioned above. You may be trading less financial incentive for a higher reputation. It is a tradeoff that you should consider hard before taking the leap.   

4) Is It Worth It?

This is something that you really need to ask yourself. Even if you want to stay in your host country, an M.A. may not broaden your career spectrum. If you are unsure of your career aspirations and do not know which direction to take, perhaps attending an intensive immersion language school would be even more beneficial than an M.A.

Really honing in on the language of the locals will always boost your career and life as an expat. You become much more valuable to any organization, as you can then fill two roles — the task for foreign employees and the task of any employee. Plus, this will give you time to think about your chosen life path. An M.A. in a field you do not want to enter can set you back a few years, but language skills are always valuable.

Studying for an M.A. and language training simultaneously provides an exciting solution. Many M.A. programs give you that option, but you may find the intensity of your coursework challenging, and adding language learning (which can be a full-time study by itself) is an insurmountable challenge. Add a part-time job, and it becomes almost impossible to do all three well, so you must be practical and realistic.   

An M.A. program becomes an even more attractive opportunity for those already fluent and still looking for a career boost. The combination of the degree, your experiences, and language skills would be ideal for your return. But remember, language is an additional skill, not a credential like an MA.

5) The Final Decision

Doing an M.A. abroad is practical for some and not others on a case-by-case basis. But for those considering this route, these few thoughts should help guide you in making this critical decision. An education abroad can give relevance to your experience that might not come merely by working. Such a realization is especially significant for many ESL veterans who eventually return home and attempt to work in fields not related to education.

The institutions you are targeting should come into consideration. Receiving a degree from an Ivy League-level school trumps most universities abroad in terms of reputation and opening doors. But, the average applicant's odds of getting into these programs are much lower. In addition, if you still wish to remain abroad, this is not a practical avenue to pursue.

If you do have long-term Ph.D. aspirations, however, an M.A. abroad at well-regarded institutions — such as the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and other great world universities — will boost your application, making acceptance by universities such as Columbia or Yale a real possibility. 

Suppose you went through the four categories above and are still trying to decide which track to take. In that case, one final question can help tip the scale for your decision: are you willing to stay and work in your host country after the M.A.? You may need to rethink your decision if the answer is no. The country where the institution is located is going to provide maximization of the degree’s value. Yet, the four categories I have explored can ensure that if you indeed do an M.A. abroad but decide not to stay in your host country, you can still have value in your investment.

The decision to do an M.A. abroad should not be taken lightly. It can add to your years abroad and significantly enrich your experience in your chosen country. However, obviously, you will have to make a more significant investment (time and money) than simply working or traveling. If you follow these four thoughts on the potential institution or program- credentials, Language, Finances, and worthies — you can protect yourself from lots of wasted time and money.

Ultimately, the answer is up to you. Think hard about this decision. It will and can change your life, whichever path you decide.

Graduate School Abroad — Pros/ Cons

Ryan Allen is a Berkeley College adjunct professor of history and politics. He received his MA in International Cooperation from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. He then worked at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is currently workin as an Assistant Professor of Comparative and International Education and Leadership Soka University of America, in Orange Country, California.