University students are increasingly studying abroad as part of their studies. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Sample 1:

It is found that the number of tertiary students studying overseas is growing nowadays. Although they may have to pay more than in their own country, they get a chance to interact with students of different cultures. In my opinion, studying abroad is really advantageous for students even though they have to face some challenges.

The foremost benefit of that is it gives them exposure to different cultures of the world. Being in another country, students get to meet and study with people from various countries around the world, and every nation has its own distinct culture, which provides students an opportunity to learn about new cultures. To illustrate, I have a friend who has come from Nepal to study in India. We have known each other for about two years. Consequently, he has gotten a good understanding of Indian culture. He knows our traditions, festivals, and much more, as we have interacted for almost two years. Thus, students get a good grasp of various cultures during their overseas education.

The biggest problem that students face to study abroad is the high cost. The fee students are required to pay to study in a foreign country is much higher than their homeland. For instance, the fee for doing graduation in an Indian (my homeland) college is about 4000CAD per annum, whereas to study in a Canadian college, students have to pay around 15000CAD annually. In this way, students have to pay a lot more in foreign as compared to in their birthplace.

To conclude, the number of students going abroad for studies has been increasing. Though students get exposed to multiple cultures, they have to pay a high-priced fee. I deem challenges that students have to face are worth it, considering the advantages they get.

Sample 2:

Many university students routinely study in other institutes worldwide as part of their degrees. Although students will often struggle with cultural and linguistic challenges while abroad, they will also gain significant life experiences that will reward them later in their careers. In my opinion, students are better off having studied in a different country despite the challenges that they will inevitably face.

The great benefit of studying abroad is that students will have life experiences that will improve themselves as people which would have been otherwise impossible if they had only studied in their own countries. Being in another country requires people to push themselves beyond the norm into unusually difficult experiences. For example, when I studied in Indonesia and India as a twenty-year-old. I was continually pushed out of my comfort zone in psychological states that were unique and novel and that I had to adapt no matter what. These ultra-challenging experiences are paradoxically the main advantage of studying overseas because they make you grow as a person.

The main challenges that students will face while overseas will usually stem from cultural and linguistic differences. These differences can pose massive obstacles for people because they require one to move beyond the familiar and into the unknown which can often be awkward and quite scary. For instance, while studying in Indonesia I had to frequently make a fool of myself in order to communicate with the local people in their language. Oftentimes, I felt embarrassed, and I longed to speak English and be in the familiarity of my own culture.

Studying overseas has become incredibly common. While students will no doubt experience social and language barriers, it is in fact these barriers that lead to the main advantage of studying abroad which is personal growth. As a contradiction of sorts, it is the hardship that ultimately makes the experience of studying abroad more advantageous than disadvantageous.