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More and more students are choosing to study abroad - Why?

Study Abroad Essay

More and More Students Are Choosing to Study Abroad - Why?


IELTS Writing Task 2
Nowadays, more and more students are deciding to move to a different country for higher education studies

In your opinion, are there more benefits or drawbacks to this trend?


More and more students are choosing to study abroad - Why?

Model Answer

The growing trend of many students choosing to study abroad and pursue higher education in a foreign country is not surprising given the current trend of globalisation. As with most aspects of a globalised world, this generally offers greater advantages than any adverse impact.

Not surprisingly, many students opt to pursue their undergraduate or postgraduate degree programs in a foreign country for various reasons, be it for cultural diversity, availability of specialist knowledge or prestige of the school offering the international education program. Clearly, this impacts the domestic education market, as fewer students attend university in their own countries. However, many universities are now transitioning to providing greater course content online and offering distance learning opportunities. Therefore, the impact of many students moving abroad to pursue their chosen course of study could be minimal and far outweighed by the benefits they gain.

The obvious advantage to studying abroad for a student is the experience it brings; dealing with a foreign culture and engaging with other international students from around the world and different backgrounds. Students studying abroad may also access opportunities to develop foreign language skills and learn new ways of doing things. All these things could be considered benefits to the students. This wider educational and life experience obtained while living abroad is a valuable asset for domestic companies if the student eventually returns home to seek employment.

It is undeniable that studying abroad helps make the student an all-around better individual. Moreover, depending on their field of study, the experience gained may endow them with knowledge unavailable in their home country, especially in the case of some developing countries. Overall, as markets and cultures become ever more globalised, it would seem that more students choosing to study abroad will be a natural consequence and one that is necessary to satisfy the demands of the current global employment market.

How would you answer this essay question about why more and more students are choosing to study abroad?




Advantages and Disadvantages of Studying Abroad IELTS Writing Task 2

What are the advantages of studying abroad?

  • Studying abroad has the potential to give you insights into foreign cultures and perspectives, and broaden students' horizons.
  • Studying abroad can help develop essential future life skills such as intellectual curiosity, faith in yourself, and discipline to prepare yourself for life's challenges and opportunities.
  • There are many benefits of studying abroad, especially for first-time language learners. Language immersion: being surrounded by native speakers will improve your foreign language skills and teach you how to listen/speak/read quickly.
  • Studying abroad allows you to experience a foreign culture firsthand.
  • 2+ years of college credit by studying abroad, typically transferable back home.
  • Study overseas also allows students to gain personal experience immersed in world cultures and languages. This aids with understanding global perspectives and having international job opportunities with future employers.
  • Studying abroad can help develop relationships in other countries before you graduate. These relationships could provide "inside" resources like scholarships or internships for overseas students that would be hard to find without such personal connections.



What are the disadvantages of studying abroad?

Potential disadvantages could be:

  • Not all study abroad programs or courses may transfer study credits back to the original college or university.
  • Tuition fees can be high for some in-demand courses and study abroad destinations.
  • Cultural norms and expectations may differ considerably from your home country.
  • If you're just looking for a fun experience, there are many amazing countries with secluded beaches, resorts, and lovely villages. A study abroad program could be like a full-time vacation! But, if you don't know how to speak the native language (or at least understand it), this can make navigating difficult.

Other difficulties when studying overseas might arise if cultural differences start interfering with what seems normal to you in your own country. For example, people in France stay at work until 7 pm during workdays while many other countries finish work earlier.

Here are a few more disadvantages.

  • When you travel and study abroad, it might be challenging to communicate with family and friends back home. Skype or Facetime is the best way to catch up on what's going on at home. But if there is a significant time difference between countries - it might mean you don't get to chat as often as normal.
  • Many overseas students find it hard work picking things up when everything is new. Always ask for help from fellow students and professors if they're available.
  • It can be challenging to set and meet academic goals and keep on top of time management, so your academic performance doesn't go downhill while living in a foreign country. This is a common concern for many students studying overseas

What's your opinion about studying abroad in a foreign country? Do the advantages of studying abroad outweigh any disadvantages?


How is IELTS Writing Scored?

Both tests are evaluated based on whether or not the ideas make sense, how broad your vocabulary is, and if you have any spelling errors.
Your answer should be organized logically into paragraphs with your ideas clearly connected.

Is IELTS Writing Task 2 more important than Task 1?

Task 1 is worth one-third of the total score.
The minimum word count for Task 1 is 150 words, and should not take more than 20 minutes to complete.
Task 2 is worth two-thirds of the total marks, and should not take more than 40 minutes.


IELTS Academic Writing TestOpen

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