Is it difficult for a middle class female to study abroad? Now, this is the question asked by one of my connections. The student is meritorious but belongs to a humble background. But this doesn't stop anyone from dreaming big. And why should that happen? I would say if you are motivated and inspired, everything is possible. By middle class, if you are referring to financial status, then here is my answer to the above query. Hello all. I'm Kapil Gupta, founder of Study Abroad Academy. I'm on a mission to coach and mentor 100,000 high school students and help them realize their dream of studying in the best universities of the world and build happy careers for themselves. Now, first, let's talk about the challenges a girl might face to convince parents for studying abroad. And these points are actually my personal opinion as an Indian. First thing is girls' college. Many parents would want that their girls should study only in a girls-only institution. Secondly, according to them, marriage expenditure is more important than education. Thirdly, and of course that is very, very appropriate, safety of the child. And fourth is the culture. So let's take these queries or these questions one by one. The first thing is girls' college. So for that, I can say that we have girls' colleges in different parts of the world. For example, Australia, UK, USA, UAE, Japan, South Korea, etc. So this should not be a hindrance anymore. Secondly, the marriage expenditure. Now, let's talk about one of my students. Because I think personal stories say a lot more than general yes or no as an answer. Now that student of mine was a middle class person, raised in a small town, sent to an English medium school, and was brushed well to become an IIT engineer. But her math skills gave her away. So I think by now you guys can imagine the scenario. So, like almost every other friend or cousin or neighbor of yours who would want to pursue his or her highest education after bachelor's in a faraway land, she also wanted to leave for master's and start a new life too. Now she told her grand folks about her plan. Now being a grandchild means the family needs to think about dowry and wedding costs. So her grandfather did not want her to go abroad and he said he can't afford her education. He was worried what would happen to her future if he spends all his money on just her education and has nothing left for the probable dowry and wedding costs. She protested and they did not even talk for a week. But she got lucky as her mother and grandmother supported her and convinced him that he was being silly. He gave in and finally accepted. So she chose Germany as that was the only country she thought she could opt financially. Now, fast forward a couple of months with the support of her grandfather, she moved to Germany to do her master's and now is currently leading a good life. My point is if you think getting a master's from abroad is the only way for you to shape your future, like she thought, take advantage of the free education in Germany and set a path for your career. Do not shy away from learning a new language too. Work part-time, secure your monthly finances, at least a part of them, while doing your master's. Live below the radar for those two and a half years. And I personally know how hard it is for a regular middle class person to come out of India. But hey, if she can do it, you can definitely do it. The bottom line is it's very much possible to study abroad, but it's important to do your research carefully. Now coming to the third part, that is safety. And it's a very, very appropriate concern. But the answer can be a yes and no. Why I say this? Because it depends on the person too. The dormitories or the campus hostels are supposed to be the safest, but one should avoid going out late at nights. And that we do even in our own country. One can broaden her horizon by researching the internet and know about the area or the crime statistics around her selected school or university. Now one can discuss with the international student counselor at the university too. And a special request can be made along with the application, but obviously they'll entertain it once it is selected. And you can ask them to talk to a female counselor regarding these concerns. A good university will definitely honor a concern. But if it doesn't, don't choose that university. Now the last point that is point number four, that is about culture. This is more of a culture shock. It's always advisable to learn as much as possible before leaving for that country. And if you have some host in the foreign country or some local friends that you would eventually make with the passage of time, look at their culture through their eyes. It's always better to learn the local language, even if you go for an English taught program. So I would say that this will actually reduce your cultural shocks or apprehensions too. So I hope you find this podcast useful. If yes, please subscribe to the 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 5-star review. And if you are part of my community, please share your learnings below. And if you wish to reach out to me, I'm Kapil Gupta, your study abroad expert. Join my career advisor hub on Facebook. And this is a VIP group for all those interested students who would like to get benefit from our experience. An Instagram channel really needs and get a lot more useful experience. And until the next episode, cheers luckless feeling.