I always dreamt of studying abroad. The influence came from my relatives, who had successfully studied abroad. A chance to study overseas presented itself and I had many options in mind. The only problem that I had was how to go about it. Getting information on everything needed was becoming a problem both for my family and me. Student visa information is only one part that I found quite confusing.
I didn’t know where to turn to; someone suggested that I use a study abroad agency, specialists who work with international students. It is the best decision I ever made. Here is why I chose a study abroad agency:
Convenience
Study abroad consultancies go out of their way to provide you with all the information you need about any country where you want to undertake your studies. The agencies answer questions, provide you with estimates on how much you will need when studying abroad – and know all about the study visa requirements. That way, you have an idea of what to expect. Such information is not always available online, and unless you know someone who has been to the same country, it will be hard for you to predict things like how much rent costs.
Study abroad agents take care of everything.
The agencies book your flight, accommodation and even arrange transport for you from the airport to your new university. Preparing everything is all done at a fee, but it’s very convenient considering the work needed to book everything yourself. They make the job easier for you, so you have to struggle once you land in the new country. All you do is relax while someone does the hard work for you.
A range of universities to choose from
Study abroad agencies have a list of universities you could apply to with a long list of programs. They will advise you on what university to attend based on your needs and financial capabilities. When you are unsure of what course to undertake, the agencies have career advisors who can advise you when deciding what studies to undertake in university.
It’s a cheaper option.
Looking up information on the documentation needed, including learning the visa process, can be very costly when doing it on your own. Document verification becomes expensive when you have to go to different offices to get the documents like birth certificates checked. Study abroad agencies mostly have their people who do document verification, including their lawyers, at a much lower price. Also, an experienced consultancy knows a lot more about scholarships than I could find online – which saved me a lot of money.
Career advice
When you are young and unsure what course to study at university, career advisors at the education agencies step in to help you. These are well-informed people who will take you through the available courses and the requirements needed. They will advise you based on your strengths so you can make an informed decision. Other than just dealing with the visa application process and university admission procedures – I got real career advice and career counselling. The staff at the overseas education consultancy understood my professional goals in life. With their help, it was easy for me to pick my preferred course in my preferred study destination and they gave me visa assistance too.
