Most Indian students are attracted to countries like Canada, UK, US, Australia, New Zealand in comparison to other European countries. As English is the dominant language of communication in of course in these countries. And Indian students actually find it easier to settle in here because at least communication is not a problem for them. But language should not be the only criteria. And many students depend on advertisements that are posted on social media and knit dreams for themselves. Though these advertisements or posts do help to a certain extent. But total dependency on them can go against you. And the best idea would be to do research yourself and be informed about all the prevalent procedures. Additionally, you can contact a consultant who can fulfill your requirements, do take suggestions, and then fine-tune your process. Today I am going to tell eight factors that Indian students should consider while choosing a country for higher education. And I believe this will help you a great deal in your decision-making process. So please bring in your pen and paper and note down all the steps. Until then, I shall wait for you. Hello all, I'm Kapil Gupta, founder of Study Abroad Academy. 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. And today I'm going to introduce you to eight factors that help you choose the right destination for studying abroad. And I believe all of you are ready to note them down. So let's get started. And if you need to pause the podcast to note down, please do that. Now coming to factor number one, and that is preferred course, that is choice of your course or degree that you wish to go for. Because the course that you choose should be as per your passion, and that should lead to your dream profession. And I've spoken about it in my earlier podcast. Do check it out and choose accordingly. Then factor number two that is university rankings. And top universities across the world always attract more student applications. Though now students even look beyond university rankings. But now times are changing. But it is still a significant consideration. Then coming to factor number three, that is language and culture. Many students opt for non-traditional choices to experience a new language and culture while also obtaining globally recognized degrees and quality education. The culture of the country you want to move to can have a very crucial impact on your personality development. So one must study the culture of the country they are heading to. Do some research on it. Some countries are very strict on their traditions or have a certain set of restrictions for the people. For example, some of the Islamic nations. But if you choose to go there, you must respect and follow the rules prevailing there. And some might have or might not have any such restrictions, like France. The point is that do research on such rules and laws and decide as per your fillingness. Then it will be easy for you to adapt to such changes or such culture. Then factor number four, and that's really very important, especially for middle class people, that is the cost of living, that what you choose will actually have a direct impact on your cost of education. So if you want to go abroad for an undergraduate degree, you will have to plan your expenses for like three to four years, which is the typical duration of undergrad programs. Similarly, for a graduate degree, the expenses will have to be two years, but of course, there are certain countries which allow you to do it in a single year also. So decide as per your will or as per your capability. But apart from tuition fees, students will have other living expenses too. And how much you spend on living will be determined by the country and subsequently the city you choose. For example, the cost of living in the US or Canada is higher than the cost of living in Germany or Spain. And just like India, we have public and private universities abroad too. So that does determine our cost of living, as some countries in Europe provide education with zero tuition fees, and middle class students or people who are not so much financially sound, that's a good option for them. We have completed four factors out of eight. It's great that you have been listening till now. So now let me give you a quick recap. Factor one was preferred course, that is choice of your course as per your passion. Then factor two, the university rankings. So everybody would like to actually go for the best ranked university. Then factor three, language and culture, and that's very, very important because that impacts your day-to-day life when you are staying abroad. And then finally, factor number four, that is cost of living. We must know how to manage our finances. So now let's move on to factor number five, and that is student facilities because see flexible accommodation options, higher standard of living, or a good healthcare system, travel allowances, scholarships. Now these are available for international students in many nations, and of course, you would definitely like to get most out of it. So see, check it out or research that which country is actually giving you the best in this. And of course, that can be your preferred choice. Then factor number six, that is economic opportunities. There are certain countries that allow you to work even while pursuing a bachelor's degree, though it's only part-time. For example, just 20 hours per week. But then that earning is enough for an individual to cover his day-to-day expenses. Of course, I'm not talking about a luxury lifestyle, but of course, a simple one, a decent one. And this flexibility helps a student, and especially belonging to a middle class background, to take care of his expenses on his own without depending on his family. So that person can actually feel independent. Then factor number seven, and that is once again very very important consideration for Indian students, and that is permanent migration formalities. Because a lot of students see overseas education as the easiest route to getting a permanent residency in a country. So once they move to a particular country, post their studies, most students prefer to make their living and career there itself. Hence, easier migration laws and student-friendly policies become a focal point of discussion. And of course, interest for the study abroad student community. So if you have such a thing in mind, of course, this can be a very, very important factor or consideration for you. Then coming to factor number eight, that is, industry connects and networking. Students tend to prefer countries that offer a lot of networking options. That is where they can build stronger peer networks that complement their future careers. And of course, not all students want to stay back there itself in the foreign country. There can be many who want to return to their families, to the home country, to their friends after studying and gaining work experience abroad are extremely valuable to future employers as they can get ahead of the intense talent competition. So I believe all these eight factors will be of great help to you. 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 crisp. Please share a five-star review. And if you're part of my community, please share your learnings below. If you wish to reach out to me, I'm Kapel Gupta, your study abroad expert, and join my career advisor hub on Facebook and Instagram channel, BrainAx EduTech, and get a lot more useful information. Until the next episode, cheers, God bless, keep inspiring. Bye.