Studying abroad is a wonderful experience that provides international students with a global experience that helps them move forward to their chosen careers and develop various life skills.
Usually, to finish a degree, study abroad programs take one to four years to finish. These types of programs are usually considered the traditional international education experience. However, traditional international education or long-term study abroad programs are not for everyone. One, it costs more and sometimes, needs a full-time commitment from students.
An alternative to this is short-term programs abroad, which may be in the form of a certificate or diploma and usually lasts less than a semester. Below, we will discuss the reasons why you should take short programs abroad.
Affordable
Short programs democratize international education due to its affordability due to the shorter amount of time needed to finish a program. Many short program fees include tuition fees, accommodation, and travel expenses one needs to pay during their whole stay abroad. Long-term programs, on the other hand, do not include the cost of living and sometimes, accommodation in the total fee students have to pay. This short-program setup makes it easier to budget and gauge how much students only need during the whole program.
In addition, most students have the option to take these courses on-campus or online. Taking them online is cheaper because there’s no need for students to pay for the cost of traveling, and adjust their expenses to another country’s cost of living.
Gain Relevant Skills in a Short Time
Short-term programs are also more focused, helping students achieve their goals easily, especially on the activities or coursework. This is due to the limited time allotted to finish it. Unlike university degrees which usually take at least three years to finish, short programs can be finished in a few weeks, months, to even just one year. Because of this setup, students can even take on multiple programs in a short time.
In addition, it offers huge advantages to those who are already working but want to quickly change careers or want to increase their knowledge for possible promotions or other endeavors.
Convenient
Several higher education institutions, like Harvard and Stanford, are now offering short courses online and on-campus. Aside from those, many online platforms such as Coursera, EdX, and even Google are offering them. Because of this, it makes international education more convenient, especially the ones being offered online. Programs being offered online are also flexible to take, and most of the time, students have the freedom to take them during their free time, in the comforts of their own homes.
For some students, already taking degrees in their home countries, a short program abroad is a good way to explore other areas of the world and gain knowledge, but without the consequence of falling behind their majors.
Enrich Your CV
Just like long-term programs abroad, short programs have a huge impact on one’s CV. Short courses do not diminish the global impact and competencies one develops during the entire program. For those already working or have plans of changing careers, short-term programs abroad are a great way to enhance their CV to give them a competitive edge against other people.
Learn more about study programs abroad, including how to choose the best one for you. To start, check out MSM Unify’s article on The Guide to Choosing a Grad School.
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