WHY STUDY IN ASIA
Asia is one of the world’s largest continents, it is filled with so much wonder, and wrapped in mystique and beauty. When you think about studying abroad, the usual popular destinations that come to mind are the United States, the UK and Europe. However, Asia is a treasure trove of amazing experiences just waiting for you to explore. Below are other interesting reasons why you should make Asia your choice.
AFFORDABILITY
Let’s face it, when it comes to studying abroad, one of the first things that you’ll think about is money. In Asia, expenses are a whole lot cheaper, which means that you can get more bang for your buck. When compared to study costs in the US or UK, you would probably be able to study for a full degree course in Asia for the price of a year in the US or UK and still have some leftover for accommodation! This means that you’ll have more money to spend for entertainment purposes. For those of you who have a smaller budget to work with for your study abroad trip, then studying in Asia is a great option. You get the full international student experience without breaking the bank.
LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE
What better place to pick up a language than from where it originated? Always wanted to learn Mandarin? Head over to China and get a world-class education while you’re at it! Asia is up-and-coming, with many universities scoring well in the international rankings in areas of research, science and technology, engineering, medicine, arts, social sciences, you name it. China’s Tsinghua University comes in 24th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2016, too.
GREAT WAY TO LAUNCH YOUR CAREER
Being a graduate who pursued your degree abroad will already give you an edge over your competitors. However, having mastered a foreign language and shown you can adapt to a completely different environment, sets you apart from other graduates who opted to study in Europe, where English is spoken in most countries. Furthermore, with so many companies setting up branches in Asia, there’s plenty of opportunities for you to gain industry experience! Many companies such as Facebook, Apple, Adidas, Coca Cola, Glaxo Smith Kline, Bayer, Roche and countless others from all over the world. You can work in virtually any company with your Asian study abroad experience.
FRIENDS
Lifelong friends and a strong network of contacts are vital things that you take away from a study abroad education. You never know when a particular contact can turn into a great opportunity for you to start your career. These friends that you’ve made during your studies are ones that you’ll keep in contact long after you’ve graduated. It makes for easy travel should you wish to visit the country that you studied again, this time as a tourist. You can stay at your friend’s house and similarly, when your friend wants to visit your country, they can bunk in with you.
CULTURE
Asian culture is unique, and very different from their Western counterparts. The Asian people value punctuality, courtesy, respect, and place a strong emphasis on a good education. Furthermore, in places such as Singapore and Malaysia, where there is a very multicultural society, everyone co-exists in harmony and there is a mutual respect of each other’s unique beliefs, traditions, and customs.
TOP-TIER INSTITUTIONS
The literacy rate in Asia has gone up exponentially in the last decade and in global exams, Asian students are consistently scoring a lot better than those in the West. The reason behind this is the robust education system in places like Japan, Korea, China, Singapore and Malaysia. These countries are also home to top performing universities and their degrees are recognized almost everywhere around the world. Lecturers are constantly revising their curriculum and keeping abreast of the latest developments within the industry. Seoul National University comes in 46th in the world reputation rankings by Times Higher Education this year, scoring well in research and teaching methods. Meanwhile, the National University of Singapore is rated the 11th most innovative university in Asia by Reuters. The University of Tokyo in Japan is ranked 34th in the world by the QS university rankings, and has been rated as the 7th best student city by QS.
FANTASTIC GRUB
Of course, we can’t forget about the food! Studying in Asia will grant you unrestricted access to glorious gastronomic delights that are guaranteed to leave you wanting more. Asia’s climate differs from those in the other continents, which means food is made out of different ingredients and mixed in combinations unheard of in the western world. Try out real sushi in Japan, huemul tang (seafood hotpot) in Korea, char siew chicken in China, and if you really want to sample all of these in just one country? Hop over to Singapore or Malaysia, you’ll find gourmet fusion food created by locals and you won’t ever run out of new food to delight your taste buds!
GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Heading to a country where English is not the common language forces you to grow as a person. You can find out how truly independent you are, stepping out of your comfort zone and in turn gaining an understanding of your preferences and who you really are. You’ll probably discover a whole new side to your personality.
EXPLORE THE REST OF THE WORLD
Being in Asia allows you to easily explore the rest of the countries on the continent, as each country is either a flight or bus/train ride away. You’ll also get to see architecture found only in this particular part of the world, visit ancient temples in Japan, grand palaces in Korea, check out the Great Wall of China and even go kayaking in the crystal blue seas of Thailand. As most Asian countries have undergone a period of colonization, you can see trace influences of those who once ruled over these nations in their architecture, cultures and even foods.
MILD WEATHER
Finally, Asia’s climate is very mild, there aren’t any drastic changes in temperature between the day and night. Southeast Asian countries have a tropical climate while East Asian countries such as Japan, Korea and China have the four seasons. Even with the four seasons, the winters aren’t as harsh when compared to parts of Europe.
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