Top Priority Questions to Ask Your Study Abroad Consultant

If you are planning for overseas education, you must have tons of questions plaguing your mind. From the process to execution, planning your overseas education can be a time-consuming and stressful task, not to forget the amount of money involved. Hence, in most cases, students prefer to take help from a Study Abroad Consultant.

To make your visit to your study abroad advisor fruitful for you we have prepared a list of ten most important questions you should ask your overseas consultant. These questions are designed to give you clarity about every aspect of your study abroad process and how you should go about it.

Questions for Study abroad advisors, divided into three buckets:

•  Questions relating to the course (planning stage)
•  Questions relating to documentation and the living conditions (application stage)
•  Questions relating to the finances (execution stage)

We have expanded on these three buckets in the section below the Priority Questions for Study Abroad Advisor: 

The Planning Stage: Course-Related Questions

1. What kind of course & country options apply to my profile?

Even though your research may be on point, depending on your career goals and existing profile, the study abroad advisor can give you a host of other courses and country options that you may not have thought about otherwise. 

Your counsellor will be in the best position to offer you a course option that will bring out the perfect blend of your existing skills and future professional aspirations.

2. When should I apply for a program?

This is an important question that you should ensure to receive clarity upon. Most students wait for the completion of their degrees or the end of the academic year before applying to a foreign university, thus losing an entire intake in the process. Unlike universities in India, universities abroad follow a fall-winter-spring intake calendar. Hence, whenever you meet your study abroad advisor, this question should make it to the list.

3. What are the requirements to enrol for the course in a specific country?

Every course, even if it is at the same level, has different requirements. Different countries have different requirements that they need a candidate to possess before giving them a student visa. Hence, you should speak to your study abroad advisor about which country you should choose for study and the requirements thereof. 

An answer to this question at the planning stage will help you prepare your documentation and statement of purpose more thoroughly, thus ensuring that you secure admission immediately at the university you prefer the most.

Gaining clarity on this point will also help you sort out any visa-related qualifications or work experience that you need to get sorted out before completing your admission process.

4.   What are the job opportunities for the course that you are opting for? 

It can’t be emphasized more ask this question from your Study Abroad Consultant. Ask them clearly about the job opportunities in India and abroad after the completion of your course. You should know about the return on investment to make the right decision.

The Application Stage: Living Conditions & Documentation Related Questions

 5.  What documents are required & the importance of the SOP?

Application to universities abroad requires several documents, from transcripts to letters of recommendation to a statement of purpose. The guidelines for the documentation might even differ from department to department in the same university. This is why you should ask the overseas education counsellor for the type of documents required. 

Documents like the letters of recommendation and transcripts often take time to process – hence, they should be dealt with carefully since any error can cost you your intake.

6.  What test should I take to study abroad?

For taking admission to a foreign university you have to take either IELTS or TOEFL. Some universities even ask for the GRE exam to apply to their universities. You should confirm the exam that you need to take before applying to your desired university.

If you are a candidate looking for the best IELTS online coaching, check out Leap Scholar’s IELTS Plus Programme. They have mentored 1,000+ students and you can avail all the benefits at just Rs. 499/-

7.  What are the living & accommodation conditions there?

Every country and university has different criteria when it comes to student accommodations. Some have mandatory hostel living, whereas other universities allow students to live off-campus. Most abroad education consultants also help their candidates in getting good accommodation of their choice from their base country itself. Hence, this should be one of the important questions that you should speak to your study abroad advisor about.

 8.  How long will I be allowed to live or work in the country after or during the course?

In an event that you are self-financing your education, or intend to work part-time while your university degree is in process, this becomes an important question to get clarity upon. Here again, every country has a different protocol with regards to working and living rules during and post the course completion, thus, it is best if you clarify them in advance.

9.  How safe is that country, especially for students?

You should consider all aspects of moving abroad and knowing about a country’s tolerance for foreigners is a must. Therefore, before you plan to move abroad know how safe is the country, especially for students.

 10.  Can you put me in touch with a few students that you have advised before?

Information on past placements helps you do a background check about the study abroad counsellor as well as do some initial networking in the destination country. Reference checks help you understand the feedback and quality of service of the study abroad advisor.

The Execution Stage: Finance-Related Questions

 11. What are the modes of finance or scholarships I can opt for?

There are several ways in which you can finance your studies abroad. One of the most common is a student loan. The process to apply for a student loan and the most suitable company to approach is best known to your education counsellor. Hence, you must ask them this question before signing any dotted line.

 12.  How much should I approximately save to study at a university of my choice?

Studying abroad is a costly affair. Therefore, before you make any decision, you must have a clear understanding of the total cost involved vis-à-vis fees and any additional resources you might require for living and visa purposes.

13. What are my living expenses going to be?

Living expenses vary according to the standard of living and the country that you opt for. However, out of the experience, foreign education consultants will be able to give you a fair ballpark figure of the cost that you will incur for basic survival in the destination country.

How can a Leap Scholar Advisor help you? 

We, at Leap Scholar, understand that studying abroad induces a bout of anxiety amongst aspirants. Hence, our expert team of counsellors follow a unique approach to ensure you get into your dream university. From working closely with students to helping you prepare the perfect statement of purpose – the counsellors at Leap Scholar will handhold you through the entire process to ensure admissions happen in a seamless manner. Leap Scholar guarantees admission for every applicant that signs with them, thus, aiming to create a bright network of Indian students looking to study abroad. 

If you are looking for a trusted Study Abroad Consultant for free, then Leap Scholar is the way to go. Book a free call with your counsellor. 

Conclusion

While the questions for Study Abroad Consultants mentioned above are fairly exclusive, it is natural to have some more. When leaving your comfort zone to go to another country to study, you will often face unfathomable situations. Thus, it would help if you speak to your study abroad advisor with a more holistic view about the general do’s and don’ts, challenges, and any other queries that you need to keep in mind.