Stage 1 of 8 · 7 lessons · ~2 weeks
Decide whether, why and what
Before any shortlist or test booking, decide why you want to study abroad, which degree fits that reason and what it will really cost. This stage turns "everyone is going" into a decision you can explain to yourself, your family and an admissions committee.
Start: Your real reason for goingLessons· one lesson for each topic, in this order
Do this
- Write your reason for going in one or two sentences, and what you would do instead if you did not go.
- Decide between taught masters, research masters, PhD or working first, and write down why.
- Build a full cost budget for the whole programme from official university and immigration pages.
- Convert the budget into your home currency and add a margin for exchange rate changes.
- Look up post-study work rules on the official immigration site of your destination.
- Talk to two people who graduated from programmes like yours in the last three years.
- Have the money conversation with your family, with numbers and a backup plan.
Start with· follow one of these
- GuideFreeEduCanada
Government of Canada
Canada's official study portal: programmes, costs and scholarships for international students
- GuideFreeStudy Australia
Australian Government (Austrade)
Australia's official portal for courses, living costs and scholarships
Keep handy
Also worth your time
- Sefism 1:1 MentorshipGo deeper
Talk your decision through with someone who has made it, before money is committed
Before moving on: A one-page decision note: your reason in one sentence, the degree type you will apply for, your destination, the full cost of the programme in your home currency, how it will be paid, and your backup plan.
Most bad decisions I see start with the destination and work backwards. Start with what you want to do in five years, then pick the degree, then the country. And write the full cost down before anyone in your family commits money; the proof of funds rule alone surprises many people.