Planning to study abraod, but don't have a clue as to which university to choose from among the thousands available? Here are some tips to help ou narrow down the search.

Taking the decision to study abroad is perhaps the easiest part of the preparation involved in seeking foreign education. The toughest is to select an institution that fulfills your requirements and takes you closer to your future goals. This is the time to start planning since it takes around a year to prepare and obtain admission into an institution overseas. Most countries have their main intake in September-October.

Foreign education is a huge investment of time, money and effort for any aspirant. For some, it could involve spending the lifetime savings of their parents. Since, it is not just about the few years you would be spending at a foreign locale but also your entire career and life thereafter, finding the `right' institution is of utmost importance.

FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND

There are several criteria to choose an institution. For some it could be the country (many still chase the American dream), reputation of the university (the Ivy League or top ten in UK), study programs, size of the institution (some prefer to study in smaller universities), cost effectiveness (some institutions/ countries may be more affordable while others may offer more scholarships or financial aid), placement opportunities and so on.

According to Bangalore-based Harish V H, who will be soon leaving for his Master's program in business management at Euromed Marseille, France, "Though US and UK are the most sought-after destinations for Indians, I did not apply to any B-school at the two countries because I found them to be prohibitively expensive and secondly the number of scholarships available were few.''

For some, the presence of Indian students at a particular institution can be a comforting factor. Shankar Sharan Rajan aspired to study at an American university and eventually picked Virginia Commonwealth University on account of it being a home to a lot of Asians.

Thus the bottom-line is to choose an institution that best fits your requirements. "Understand your personal requirements - which program you want to pursue, the kind of institution you prefer, size of classroom, student teacher ratio, financial requirements, whether you would prefer a metropolitan or a smaller city/ town and so on - to decide about your course and college. What may be good for your friend may not be good for you,'' says Luna Das, educational advisor, North India, United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI).

Sources of information

Today there are several channels available for students to obtain information on educational opportunities available across the globe. The internet has made information easily available at the click of a mouse. Education divisions of the countries which include United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI), British Council...