​Recently a large increase can be seen in the number of students going abroad to study. This is partly because people are better off and partly due to the diverse range of different grants and scholarships which are available for overseas students. Although foreign study may not be advisable for some because of personal or financial reasons, the majority of students benefit a great deal from overseas study.

Studying in a foreign country has a number of benefits. For example, it could give students access to knowledge and facilities such as libraries and science labs which are not found in the student’s country of origin. Furthermore, students may have access to a wider range of courses in foreign countries than they do at home which could help them to find one that fits more closely with their individual interests and requirements. On the other hand, studying abroad can have some drawbacks. These can be categorized into personal and professional.

Firstly, studying abroad obviously requires the student to leave his family and friends for a long period, which may make the student lonely if he is unused to spending time away from his support network. Secondly, studying in a foreign country is almost always more expensive than studying in the student’s home country. Moreover, studying in a foreign country means the student will probably be studying in a foreign language, which may limit his performance and make studying and exams more stressful.

In my opinion, however, the drawbacks of studying abroad are usually only temporary since the student will return home after a year or two of foreign study. Students who study abroad usually become proficient in the language quickly and they have lots of experiences and meet lots of people that they would not encounter at home. What is more, the benefits of the international network of friends and increased knowledge will last the student all his life and is likely to make him more successful in finding a job.