Ryan Tracy, a motivational speaker, once said, All successful people are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect. And then they work every day towards their distant vision, that goal or purpose. Similarly, an overseas education opportunity is also one such dream for many. It opens doors to multiple opportunities in life, whether it's better quality of life or finding professional success. And I can definitely say that an international education sets the foundation for such a dream. However, it's not a joy ride. So don't be mistaken. It's an expensive process and requires meticulous planning. So today I'm going to tell nine steps that will help you create a template for realizing your dream of studying abroad. So please bring in your pen and paper and note down all the steps. Until then, I shall wait for you. I am on a mission to coach and mentor 100,000 high school students and help them realize the dream of studying in the best universities of the world and build happy careers for themselves. Today I am going to introduce you to a nine-steps template. I believe all of you are ready to note down the steps. So let's get started. Now, if you need to pause the podcast to note down, please do that. As step one, every person who wishes to go abroad must ask this question from himself. Why does he want to go? And of course, the reasons can be many. It's likely to be a combination of like gaining a high-quality education. It can be experiencing immersion in a new culture or gaining a global mindset. And most importantly, it might be like expanding future employment prospects. Because everybody would agree that study abroad degree. It gives a broader understanding of the way the world works. Because you get to see different culture, right? And of course, your quality of experience will depend on your destination you pick. So choose a destination which is based on your own personal interests and academic reputation of the country. Now coming to step two, because now we should decide that where in the world should I study? And of course, this decision is not an easy one. And a number of things like tuition costs, living costs, career prospects, and of course, as parents would say, your overall safety and welfare should be looked into. So one should always try to match his lifestyle based on his interests and his study destination so that you really give yourself the best chance of loving your international experience. And if you need help making your mind, take a look at some of the most popular destinations. Australia, Canada, Germany, UK, even US. Now and use internet to know university rankings. Full range of country guides are available on Google. Go and check them. And I believe you'll get a good understanding with that. Now step three. So how do I get started? Now that is the main question because once you have made up your mind about where you want to study, you should definitely start thinking about choosing a program in a university. And of course, step two and step three can be swapped because somebody might say that I want to choose the program first and then the country. So that's perfectly alright. But definitely check the university rankings and the course rankings to shortlist the best course for you and take the help of the Google, right? And once you've firmly decided on your program and institution, then you should start thinking about the application because the processes are different from university to university, country to country. So the best bet would be check the official website of the university, go to the international student section and check for yourself. And if the need arises, write an email to them and get the perfect full information from them. Now coming to step four that is what is the duration of a study program. Now the length will be decided based on the type of degree you want. Like an undergrad program, it can be three to four years, a master's program, one or two years, and a PhD program that might take from three to four. Now that depends on country to country. Additionally, one must also know that across the world, many universities provide even programs for shorter duration, and they might be from just a few weeks to up to in a year. But you can get that information from the website of those respective universities. So now we have completed four steps out of nine, and it's great that you have been listening till now. So now let me give you a quick recap. So step one was about deciding why one must go abroad. Then step two was where in the world should I study? And step three, that how to get started. And finally, we discussed step four, that is, what should be the duration of the study program. So now let's move on to step five. That is, when can I start applying for a study abroad program? Now considering your application as early as possible is the best way to go. For example, if you're planning for an undergrad program, 18 months is the ideal period you require to prepare. And of course, application deadlines will be depending on your school, that is your university. So be careful, right, about that. Then coming to step six, that what are the entry requirements for study abroad program? And that will be you know varying between universities and countries, of course. So, as I have already said, that the official website of the university as is the best resource to find out precise and correct information. So, speaking generally, so if you're applying for an undergrad degree, you'll be asked to show that you have completed your secondary education, and of course, that qualification should be recognized by the university, and then some universities might require you to you know uh go for a language proficiency test. So now coming to step number seven that is what documentation might be required, and of course, those requirements vary depending on country to country, and but international students are generally asked about like the passport, SOP, their resume, or LOAs, that is letter of recommendation, then of course, certificates and transcripts of their education, and as I've already said, that they might also ask for uh language proficiency. So, and of course, the test results depending on the type of degree you are aspiring for. So, now coming to step number eight: that do I have to speak a second language? Now that depends on the country you wish to study in and the language your course will be taught in. For example, if you are going to UK from India and Indians are not native English speakers, so they might ask for an English proficiency test, or you might be you know heading to Germany and you might be studying an English taught program there, but of course, knowing the native language always helps. So it will be definitely a good idea if you are well versed in the local language. Then coming to step number nine, that is, after gaining a letter of acceptance, what do I need next? So, congratulations, you are in. So now all that's left to do is to prepare you for your studies, pack your life into the bag, the big suitcase, get your travel documents, apply for a student visa, and of course, research your accommodation options also and look for funding. Don't panic, it will all be worth it. And as Brian Tracy said, a clear vision backed by definite plans gives a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power. So go ahead, use the template, plan with confidence. So I hope you find this podcast useful. If yes, please subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcast to get notified. All my podcasts are around 10 to 15 minutes, so they are short and crazy. If you find it useful, please share a five-star review. And if you're part of my community, please share your learnings below. Until the next episode, cheers, God bless, keep inspiring. Bye.