NEW VISTAS
THE INDIAN STUDENT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY ADVENTUROUS IN HIS CHOICE OF STUDY DESTINATIONS. A SNAPSHOT OF A FEW EMERGING DESTINATIONS THAT ARE GAINING FAVOUR WITH UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
SINGAPORE
The strength of Singapore’s education system lies in its curriculum, where technical excellence, innovation and entrepreneurship command a premium. The academic choices cover an exhaustive range of programmes at the undergraduate level, ranging from art, design and fashion, to biotechnology, engineering, and nanotechnology.
The three local universities are National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and Singapore Management University (SMU).
COSTS AND FUNDING
The approximate tuition fee for most courses is S$10,000 per annum, while the estimated expenses for accommodation and food vary from S$750 to S$2500 per month or up to S$15,000 per academic year.
Students of all nationalities are eligible to receive a tuition grant of 50% to 75% of the total tuition fee, and are bound, under its terms, to work for a Singapore-registered company for three years upon completion of their degrees.
Merit-based scholarships are made available by some educational institutions, the Singapore government, and other local and international sources, especially for ASEAN citizens. These are based entirely on academic excellence, leadership, and co-curricular track records, and are very competitive.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications begin a year ahead of the start of your course. Admission is based on one’s academic performance in the last four years. TOEFL or IELTS is mandatory, and some undergraduate programmes require SAT. Complete the online application form and send it to the university with attested class X and XII board examination mark sheets, two reference letters from teachers, and your statement of purpose (SOP).
POST-STUDY OPTIONS
Qualifications from universities in Singapore are recognised around the world for their quality and content. Students can go on to pursue Masters’ or research programmes at top universities in any part of the world. Students may also apply for jobs in Singapore and South Asia, and other countries, provided the employer is willing to sponsor their work permit.
CANADA
Canada is a popular option with Indian students on account of its welcoming immigration policies, high-quality education, growing economy, low crime rates and high standards of living. Canadian institutes have high academic standards, excellent professional faculty and superior infrastructure.
MACRO-VIEW
A Canadian degree, diploma or certificate is well regarded in business, government and academic circles around the globe. Universities range from large urban campuses like the University of Toronto, York, Guelph, McGill and Waterloo to smaller campuses such as Alberta, Queens and Victoria.
OPTIONS, OPTIONS
Vocational colleges offer applied programmes with a strong emphasis on skillbased learning. They offer diverse programmes — commercial art, graphic design, and animation, illustration, interior design, fashion design, retail management, music technology, theatrical production, Montessori teachers’ training, tourism, hospitality, culinary sciences, nutrition and media management with specialisation in advertising, broadcasting, filmmaking and television arts. These courses offer good job prospects as most employers feel college graduates have more ‘usable’ skills.
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL?
The Co-op programme: Work-Study integrated curriculum.
Many academic programmes offer opportunities to gain valuable work experience as an integrated part of the programme, earning credits towards the degree. The Co-op programme allows students to work every alternate semester after completing the first two years of study. Students are often paid a stipend for this.
Moreover, the Ontario Education Department has tied up with some institutes in Maharashtra and Goa to offer student and faculty exchange programmes, affording a piece of Canadian education at extremely low costs.
COST
The average annual cost in Canada for tuition and room and board is around CAD$ 35,000 (at Rs 42 = CAD$ 1). Some tuition fees are as low as $5000 per year but the institute may be located in an isolated area with few employment options. Many merit-based scholarships are available and some universities offer funding for international students too.
HOW TO APPLY?
Applications have to be made a year in advance. Application forms can be filled online or downloaded from college websites. You need to appear for the TOEFL or IELTS. Attested transcripts and marksheets from your school, college and university along with two recommendation letters from teachers are essential. A well-written Statement of Purpose and other financial documents complete the formalities.
NET KNOWLEDGE
GERMANY
Germany has long been synonymous with superb quality and great skill in the field of engineering. It is becoming popular with aspiring engineers, as there are no study fees and many programmes are now taught in English. However, fluency in German is mandatory in order to complete the degree and to apply for jobs and internships. Living expenses can amount to about DM 1300 per month. In addition to the living expenses, there can be some other miscellaneous expenses to the extent of DM 1000 per semester. Many industries sponsor the education of a bright student, provided he signs a bond to work with them after completing the degree.
Students may pursue a Bachelor’s degree at premier universities with at least two terms (six months) working as interns within their chosen industry. Practical work, with exposure to worldclass industries is the most attractive feature for Indian students.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Admission to programmes in Germany is granted on the basis of superior academic performance. For some postgraduate management courses, a GMAT is required, and some engineering programmes require a GRE score. You will need to check the requirements of the university you are applying to. The TOEFL is a standard test required for programmes that have English as a medium of instruction.
Application forms can be requested from the international offices of universities, filled and sent back to the university, along with authenticated copies of academic records and certificates. You may also have to include authenticated copies of certificates confirming your knowledge of German.
Students applying to an undergraduate course in Germany, have to undertake a one-year bridge programme. This is to compensate for 13 years of school education in Germany, compared to 12 years in India. To be eligible for this bridging course, Indian students are required to have an excellent academic record up to the senior secondary level (10 + 2), and must have knowledge of the German language (Max Mueller Bhavan’s G III Level).
After completion of the bridge programme, Indian students must pass an assessment test in order to acquire admission to a German institution for the equivalent of the bachelor’s degree. Students who have who have successfully completed two years of undergraduate studies in India or cleared the IIT Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) are exempt from the assessment test. However, they have to prove their proficiency in the German language.
Sunil Sharma
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