The Indian student community is in the forefront in reaping the benefits of this possibility. It is estimated that there are nearly five lakh Indian students studying abroad. Approximately 1,50,000 students go abroad annually for higher studies. However, many of our aspirants are not sure of the opportunities and patterns of higher education abroad and the mechanisms that would help them to realise their dreams of getting foreign education.

You should keep in mind that a very important decision in life is involved. You would be exposed to different customs and cultures. Apart from your academic or professional attainments, you would gain a rewarding experience that is not available in our country. The monetary expenses would be heavy in most cases. Identifying the right country, university, programme and scholarship or other support requires patient planning and execution.

You should have a definite goal in view as to what kind of programme you need: general, vocational, technical, management or other. You should not just follow a herd; remember that each individual is unique. You should gather as much information as possible from diverse sources--friends, relatives, books, brochures, career exhibitions and web sites. Be careful when you go to consultancy organisations; their promises should be weighed with caution and fine judgement.

A point that needs emphasis is that study abroad per se does not ensure quality or excellence. We have in India several educational institutions that can stand up to those anywhere else in the world. If we can undergo quality education here, there is no need of going abroad. But there are centres of learning or universities abroad that enjoy unmatched international reputation. Research facilities in certain disciplines require heavy investment that our universities or institutes can hardly afford. In such cases, going abroad is certainly advisable.

An advantage that is not usually appreciated is that international experience will expose you to people from different parts of the globe, people with diverse perceptions and viewpoints. This will dispel your unsupported notions of superiority of what you possess and make you more open-minded and receptive. You will come across people not like a casual tourist; you will experience life with them.
Approach

The pattern of education, the type of delivery and even the academic terminology in foreign countries would be different from those with which we are familiar. There would be flexibility in course selection, unlike in Indian universities that follow straight jacket patterns--a science student is kept away from humanities and vice versa. Foreign universities may offer opportunities for changing your track in life by undergoing studies in a stream that is totally different from your area of specialisation. Promotion to a higher class or certification in many foreign universities may not be based on a single annual examination. Grading of students is usually on the basis of continuous assessment through periodic tests, surprise quizzes, assignments, presentations, project work and so on stretching throughout the year.

The teachers may not `tell' everything through classroom lectures, only to be noted down by the pupils, memorised and written in an annual examination. The pupils would be given guidance to gather information and skills from different sources and apply them appropriately. There has to be substantial effort from the pupils in the diverse processes of learning. If you intend to go abroad for studies, you should be prepared to meet such situations with pleasure and confidence.

Yet another point that has to be kept in mind is the cultural shock to which you may be exposed in the new environment. In the early days, you may experience some difficulty in distinguishing between what is appropriate and what is not. You may not relish the food or be at ease with the language. You may feel homesick. Remember that it is only a passing phase which most people tide over in a short time. You will have to change your life style to fall in line with the prevailing norms. Every country has a life style and every educational institution a learning pattern. A visitor like you cannot change either. Adapting yourself happily to a different style involving a global or multicultural dimension is the key factor.

The popular destinations for our students are the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. There are of course students who go to countries like Germany, France, Russia and China. The bulk of our students, however, prefer the U.S. as their destination.

A `course' in India usually means a programme of study or a period of study at a college or university that leads to an examination or a qualification. But in most foreign universities the word `programme' is used to signify this. A `course' would mean a number of lectures or other activities dealing with a subject. A series of such courses constitutes a programme. When you join a programme, you may be asked to specify the courses you opt for. There would be flexibility in the choice of courses that lead to the same degree.

Those who undergo the first degree programmes such as BA, B.Sc. or B.Tech. are known as graduate students in India and those in the MA, M.Sc. or M .Tech. classes are called postgraduate students. In foreign universities, those who prepare for the first degree are the `undergraduate' students. `Graduate' students pursue higher education beyond the Bachelor's degree.