Ways To Overcome Common Challenges When Studying Abroad

Studying abroad is a good initiative to carve a bright future. Your decision will yield good results in fostering personal growth, self-confidence, adapting to a new culture, meeting people from around the world, etc. It may sound exciting but there are challenges to overcome. 

There are common challenges students have to face. Whether you choose to study in the UK from India or any other global destination, these problems need to be addressed for a hassle-free global academic journey. So today we will be listing those challenges and solutions to overcome them.

Some tips to overcome challenges when studying abroad

 

If you have decided to study abroad, you should also prepare yourself with responsibilities and commitments for having a new global experience. There will be lots of excitement on one side, but there are challenges too. One such challenge is adjusting yourself to a new foreign environment. Hence, it’s better to make yourself aware of the difficulties and overcome them by following necessary steps.

Gripped with loneliness

During your academic journey abroad, missing your loved ones is natural. This may trigger feelings of loneliness. One needs to find ways to deal with it.

What to do:

• The solution to overcoming this mental state is to stay connected with your loved ones via letters or through social media. 
• Don’t get clingy; keep yourself active in exploring places in your host country, friendship with locals, tasting delicacies,  etc.

Adapting oneself to new teaching style

When visiting abroad for higher studies, the pattern of academic studies will not be the same. The style of teaching and learning varies from country to country. One example is the academic sessions of U.S. universities, where students get a final grade from different assignments. But if you are a student at a UK university, there are mainly lecture-based classes. In this country, your complete grade is by the final examination.

What to do:

• When taking admission into a foreign university, a student must know the academic structure. 
• Seek help from the dedicated staff who are there to guide you and resolve your queries. 
• You may be uncomfortable in the beginning with a new schedule, but once you become used to it, this won’t be a problem further.  
• Knowing the academic culture is an essential part of your academic journey.

Communication barrier

When heading abroad for your academic goals, one obvious challenge students can face is the language barrier. If you are not fluent in it, then it can be a problem when communicating with the fellow students and locals of the particular foreign country. Hence, it is a must to learn a foreign language so that it does become a problem for you. 

What to do:

• To experience better communication, you should also gain proficiency in a foreign language.
• There are language tools and applications that are great sources for language learning. 
• There are translation apps also to help you understand the meaning of the sentence and words. It will surely bring you ease, especially when you find a problem while interacting.
• Practice makes a man perfect. Follow this phrase and keep working on your language skills until you become perfect in it. 
• When you achieve it, you will find it comfortable to communicate with native speakers of that country.

 

Aware of different cultural norms

 

Every nation has its specific cultural norms, be it the use of slang words, taking snaps, and many other things. When you visit a non-native country, then it becomes important to follow the culture of it. The things that you do in your country cannot be done in another country. Hence, it is better to know the culture of that country and abide by it till the time you are resident there. You may feel like an outsider.

 

What to do:

• Whenever it comes to travel abroad, what is more important is to become familiar with the culture of that country. 
• If you are facing any problems, then better approach a program advisor who will guide you on behavior and other things when living in a foreign land.
• Don’t hesitate to take help from locals. Communicate with them and they will make you understand the cultural norms.

Differences in currencies

One major thing that is part of your academic journey in a distant country is the currency. When using new currency for making payments, then it does take time. A person has to decide whether he/she wants to use cash or go for credit. One should know everything about the local currency and how it compares with foreign currencies like USD.

What to do:

• Do know the currency system and exchange rate when going abroad for your higher studies. 
• Getting familiar with the foreign currency helps you know the general use of it and convert prices to know about the expenditure. 
• Take help from locals about the tipping norms and actual price of things. 
• To your knowledge, high conversion rates are applied at hotels, airport kiosks, and tourist centers.
• Check for international transaction fees when making card payments (debit or credit) before traveling. 
• Note that these transaction fees may not be available on some cards and accounts. Hence, it is better to seek help from a financial institution.

Becoming familiar with culture of the foreign country

Adjusting to a new foreign lifestyle is one of the challenges international students can face. It varies from clothing styles, talking styles, body language, and many other aspects. This transformation will give you a new experience that you never had before. But it will only help you in some way in gaining knowledge and developing your persona. Adjusting to a new environment does take time, but the more you get used to it the easier it is to face challenges.

What to do:

• Living in a new foreign atmosphere will be different from your country. Hence, you need to adopt ways to make yourself at ease. 
• As an outsider, you have to follow the rules and regulations in the host country. In the beginning you will find it hard to accept, but slowly you will learn to adapt. 
• Living in a foreign land does not mean forgetting the culture of your home country. You may like to celebrate rituals but it is better to mix up with locals of the host country and partake in their traditions. 
• Involving yourself in such activities will help you in knowing the local culture of the host country and becoming familiar with the social norms.

Managing expenses

Studying abroad poses many challenges for international students. One such is financial stress, which is possible when it comes to dealing with daily expenses and payment of fees for academics, house rent, and other things. 

What to do:

• Besides studying, you can do some extra earnings via a part-time job that will help you manage your expenses for living.
• You also learn to strike a balance between work and studies. Besides that, it lets you gain confidence in how to utilize time in the best way.

Conclusion

Last on the list is finding accommodations on campus that are filled very soon. Students need to be very quick in booking their far-away home. This ends our blog on the common challenges that should be overcome when studying abroad. One major benefit Indian students can get is through the study abroad intakes every year when taking admission into any of the global universities.