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Europe is one of the leading study abroad destinations in the world. With its top-notch quality of education, immense career opportunities, enriched history and enthralling way of life, Europe attracts more than a million students from across the globe every year. On 15th June, Leverage Live conducted a session on ‘Why Study in EU’ to provide a comprehensive overview of the European Union as a destination to pursue your higher education.
This Blog Includes:
About the Speaker – Dr Maina Chawla Singh
Dr Maina Chawla Singh keynoted the Leverage Live session on ‘Why Study in EU’ alongside Ms Smriti Gupta from Leverage Edu.
Dr Maina Chawla Singh is an academic researcher and consultant in higher education with several years of teaching experience at universities in the U.S., India and Israel. Her scholarly work lies at the intersections of Sociology, Gender, Migration Studies and World Politics. In addition, she has conducted fieldwork among numerous diaspora communities.
Since 2009, Dr Maina Chawla Singh has taught many multidisciplinary courses at the School of International Service, American University, Washington D.C. She has also lectured at Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, Cornell, and Washington D.C Library of Congress.
Over the years, she has resided in Russia, Ethiopia, Japan, France, and the U.S. and speaks multiple languages. Currently, Dr Maina Chawla Singh lives in New Delhi and is a consultant in higher education. She promotes collaborative projects between Indian and U.S. – based universities and offers expertise in tech-based innovations in pedagogy and curriculum design.
Why Study in EU?
Before diving into the EU as a study destination, Dr Singh emphasised that students must develop a global perspective before exploring study abroad destinations. You must aim to become global citizens and open doors to global opportunities that will help them thrive.
EU has the oldest, most prestigious universities. It is an interconnected destination that offers tremendous flexibility and mobility. One of the essential qualities that make the EU an attractive place for international students is its immense diversity and vast potential. The Law and order of the nations make it a safe environment for international students. EU also offers global work exposure and diverse work experience opportunities, which can be presented as proof of performance to future employers.
Flexibility and Mobility
The European Union is an amalgamation of 27 nations, post the recent exit of Britain from the Union. The member states are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands (Holland), Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. These nations have a plethora of shared agreements between them. Two key landmark agreements that make the EU an interconnected and flexible destination are the Bologna Process and Schengen Visa.
The Bologna Process
The European governments discuss higher education policy reforms and overcome obstacles to create a European Higher Education Area. The Bologna Process brings more coherence to higher education systems across Europe and facilitates student and staff mobility, making higher education more inclusive and accessible. One notable benefit is that under the Bologna Process, students can transfer credits from one university to another in another EU country.
Schengen Visa
The Schengen visa is the most popular visa for Europe. It enables people to enter, freely travel within, and leave the Schengen zone from any EU member countries. Moreover, there are no border controls within the Schengen Zone (26 European countries). In 2019, Over 15 million people used the Schengen visa to travel around Europe.
Easy Travel
Travelling in the European Union is like a cakewalk. One can travel between capital cities within a couple of hours by train sometimes. For an Indian student aspiring to pursue higher education abroad, the EU is closer to home. Moreover, it is only halfway around the world compared to the US and Canada, which translates to shorter flights!
Immense Diversity
The European Union is the epitome of diversity. From climate, history and culture to student life and educational courses, the EU offers various aspects. Students can experience the cold climate of Norway with ice-capped mountains, the captivating countryside of places like Austria and the coastal scenery of countries like Spain. In addition, students can enjoy life in beautiful cities like Ireland. Each country in the EU is unique and offers everything that a student dreams of!
The European Union is home to more than 2000 universities offering 8000 English-taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Potential
Most European states have a GDP per capita higher than the world’s average and highly developed. The EU as a whole is the second wealthiest and second-largest economy in the world. Hence, the EU offers ample career opportunities and a high level of employability to its students. For example, the Pharma Industry in Switzerland is well-established and a great place to seek employment in the pharma field.
Low Cost of Education
Most universities in the EU have an extremely low cost of education. Several reputed public universities provide affordable education to students. Although there are specific courses with high education fees in some universities, this is primarily because these courses are characterised by higher employability.
Excellent Student Support Model
The European Union offers state-of-the-art infrastructure in various locations and at the universities. International students gain access to top-notch healthcare facilities and highly connected public transportation. The EU governments also emphasise student social services like counselling and assistance offered in universities keeping in mind the ‘zone of tolerance’. They promote inclusivity and offer numerous scholarships and sources of financial aid to international students.
Top Countries to Study in Europe
Some of the most popular countries to study in Europe are:
Germany
| Type of Education | Public |
| Key highlights | High research quality Excellent faculty Growing Indian community A developed country STEM courses have expansive potential |
| Popular Courses | Computer Science Computer Analytics Data Science |
| Requirements | Online applications to be filled Standardized test scores like GRE and GMAT Academic transcripts (10th, 12th, Bachelors) Essays Knowledge of Germany is appreciated as Germany wants people to stay behind and get integrated into their country. |
| Long term prospects | Skilled Immigration ActEU card Residence permit of 18 months post-study to look for employment |
Ireland
| Type of Education | Public and Private |
| Key highlights | Hub of international companies High research quality Cheaper than US and UK Students allowed to work part-time and earn Post-study Work Visa options |
| Popular Courses | Biotech Computer Science Business Analytics IT System Management |
| Requirements | Online applications to be filled GRE /GMAT are not given too much weightage unless applying for professional degrees like MBA Past academic performance is given high weightage Essays |
| Long term prospects | Permanent Resident visa after five years Two years of Post-Study Work Visa |
Norway
| Type of Education | Public |
| Key highlights | Welcoming country Mostly free education Medium of instruction is mostly English Less populated country |
| Popular Courses | Business Analytics Strategy Branding Natural Resources Environment |
| Requirements | Online applications to be filled An undergraduate/Bachelor’s degree or equivalent of at least 3 years of study for Masters GRE/GMAT scores An English proficiency test Essays |
| Long term prospects | Abundant hydropower, world-leading industries Technology, innovation Oil & gas industry, fisheries and traditional industrial sectors World-class marine, maritime and subsea industries Post Study Work Visa until one year after graduating to look for work |
Estonia
| Type of Education | Public and Private |
| Key highlights | Top three countries for startup founders Ranks 2nd place for internet freedom in the world Ranked 1st in the world for air quality Employability in various sectors, including tech, data, pharma and health |
| Popular Courses | Computer Science Engineering Social Science Design Business |
| Requirements | Online applications to be filled GRE /GMATIELTS/TOEFL Past academic transcripts Essays depending on university and course |
| Long term prospects | International students can stay in Estonia for additional nine months after their graduation to look for a job Strong startup and entrepreneurial opportunities |
France
| Type of Education | Public and Private |
| Key highlights | International MBA offer programs for international students Learning French on the side can be an asset French culture is famous Service professionals from France are valued all over the world |
| Popular Courses | Hospitality Management Tourism Management Travel |
| Requirements | Online applications to be filled GRE /GMAT IELTS/TOEFL Past academic transcripts Essays |
| Long term prospects | Bachelor degree holders can stay on only if they have a work permit On completing the master’s course, a student can apply for and get a temporary residence permit – APS, for 24 months |
The Luxury, Fashion and Wine industries are thriving in France and offer great employment opportunities. Some popular schools for courses in these fields are the Luxury Hotel School, ESSEC, Institute Hall, AIM and ESCP.
FAQs
Dr Maina Chawla Singh answered the following frequently asked questions by study abroad aspirants:
This differs from university to university depending on the course, culture and geographical factors. For instance, Ireland focuses on the holistic growth of the applicants and does not give high weightage to academic scores for undergraduate programs. On the other hand, Germany provides high weightage for grades for STEM courses.
For international students, English-speaking countries are easier to live in, and language does make a difference. However, exploring a country with a different language offers more to learn. It provides enrichment and helps one develop as a global citizen. It also includes exposure to cultural and linguistic diversity. Future employers may look positively upon graduates living in countries with diverse languages as it shows curiosity.
Spring intake does not take place in the UK. The USA has Fall and Spring intakes. Additionally, the UK has later/lee-way deadlines for international students compared to the USA.
We hope this blog and the Leverage Live session have helped answer the question ‘Why Study in EU?’ and provided everything you know to study in the EU. Are you planning to study abroad in countries that are a part of the European Union? Then reach out to our Leverage Edu experts and get your application sorted!
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