Studying Abroad: Guidelines,Fees and Help thread

[qambar]

Anywhere who can help me out by telling my abt good A levels schools in uk london as i might be shifting thr so i need to apply online now soo somebody please tell me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ashhad]

^^ I dont know much about A level schools in U.K...mostly know about universities ....But dont worry someone will help you out here

 

[usmanalifarooq]

Spoiler: show

It's a long post!

I'll be leaving for the US in July for my MS in Electrical Engineering. I applied to a lot of universities abroad, and I got admits in BTU Cottbus, RWTH Achen, Narvik University College, KTH, Michigan Tech, LSU, NJIT & UNO. The process began last year in August when the GRE format changed. I've written this from my own perspective. I don't have any real work experience except for 4 internships in some good companies. You know how it is these days as far as jobs go. Anyway, the process was long and testing, but hindsight has taught me a few things & I'd like to share with you guys:


For the USA:


So, you wanna got to the US of A for a Masters eh? Well strap on soldier, cuz here's the pre-requisite:


THE GRE. And TOEFL. Requirement for getting into any decent grad school in the US and even in Oxford. The better your score, the higher your chances of getting in. You're entire app matters, so research the schools( and the states they are in) offering subjects you're interested in and write your essays accordingly. You want to present yourself as someone who can be an asset to the school, not just another foreigner who wants a US degree. Figure out for yourself on how you wanna go about it. The essay is key to this and the USEFP offers guidance in this regard. My own essay was critiqued by one of their people. Letters of recommendation are also vital. Apply 6-7 months in advance of the semester you wanna enroll in. Wait times vary from 2 weeks to 4-5 months before you get a decision.


Also, look, it's awesome to be in one of the top schools, but I wanna say in Urdu 'Apni aukaat mai reh kar grad school chunno'. You apply to a top school, lets say you get accepted there, MAYBE it might be more challenging than you think. I know a couple of brilliant guys in the US who switched majors after a year to Management cuz they couldn't cut it in Engineering. Your choice, but make it wisely and ask someone who knows or has an idea(like folks who study there).


1. Never, ever, go for a grad school primarily for its ranking. It's important, but other factors count. In the US, there are institutes such as the National Science Foundation, NASA, Dept. of Energy etc which fund universities for their research. Grants vary by region and discipline. Try to go for a place where instructors of your subject have a good research profile & have ample funding. Universities typically ask for your degree, your transcript, your letters of recommendation, your admission form, & proof of adequate financial resources(like a bank statement or a sworn statement by the person who is funding you) to be sent to them via mail.


2. Other factors include climate(try to avoid the north, no sense freezing your butt off for 2-3 years), the general demographic of the population of the area(e.g. lots of Jews in Florida, crime in New Jersey & New York, KKK people as you go more into the Mid Western side etc), the type of industries they have( you want to be someplace close to a relevant industry if you're interested in working as well, cuz commuting to and from work 2 hours every day ain't my idea of the American Dream), basically the overall economic situation of an area.


3. If you have relatives(and are on good terms with them), try to be near them unless it's impossible. Homesickness afflicts even the hardiest and most studious of scholars; you need to lean on somebody sometimes(not everyone's Dr. House), so better a family member than a stranger ( knowwudumsayin'? ).


4. Funding for your stay. Make sure it's more than enough. If you're lucky enough to be on a scholarship, good for you. Otherwise the instant your funding drops, you can't pay for your studies and then you're in trouble with US Customs and Immigration. Once you get admitted, the school sends you an I-20 form, which you use to apply for a visa. Visit the USCIS website for that detailed info.


5. The visa interview. Genuine students have no issues. Higher the ranking, easier it is to get in. Remain calm and alert during the interview. Dress smartly, but not too over. Keep a dignified and educated air about you. The interviewers are behind bulletproof glass, and they talk via a mic and speakers. They'll just ask you about why you wanna got to this school etc. Google that stuff, it's all there. They're major concern is that they wanna make sure you come back and that you'll have enough funding for your stay. The guards over there are locals but co-operate with them regardless.


5. Know the law. You can't work for the first year of your grad studies and will be sent back home if you violate that law. On admission you get an orientation pdf or an email detailing stuff you need to know about. They all have a common point about work indicating that you should not depend on it to finance your studies. After the first year you can get on or off campus jobs but it's different for some places. Check with your school authorities about this.


6. Make lots of friends. Americans are actually a nice bunch of people, but their media has made them scared of foreigners. Most of the time folks are busy in their lives and they won't give you a second thought, but should the need arise YOU need to remain calm around them. DO NOT ENGAGE IN RELIGIOUS DEBATE or ANY CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS, even in jest. Engage them, all of them, students, professors, other staff, in a professional, respectful and friendly way and you might find yourself landing a job one day with their help. REMEMBER, there are smart people (people we call thetas) over there who wait tables in restaurants & sell stuff in shops so they can pay their way through grad school, and they go about it with dignity. Count your blessings if you have a scholarship or have adequate funding.




For Europe:


1. Research your grad schools same as before. If you're interested in Germany, visit DAAD.de. Huge selection of universities to choose from. For other places, Google them & see what's what. Norway & Sweden are good too. Education is free mostly, only cost is that of living expenses, for that you'll have to show financial resources. Although KTH in Sweden now takes fees.


2. They just need TOEFL or IELTS. Go with whatever catches your fancy. Other that that, your degree & transcript need to be attested by the HEC or a public notary to be considered legal. They can make do with attested copies but will ask for the originals once you get there.


3. Visa interview etc. Sorry can't help there cuz I didn't apply but you can visit the countries' embassy websites to get that info.


3. Work and settlement. You can find jobs if you're good but it's not easy living in these Northern places as the sun only exists for 6-7 hours there. Lack of sunshine makes you gloomy and these places have some of the highest suicide rates in all the world. Also, the language issue exists & that can be a hurdle. e.g. doctors aren't allowed to practise unless they know fluent German and have passed a language course which takes a long time to complete. Same with neighbouring countries. I'm not trying to scare you but go at your own risk. We live in a tropical country and we are used to the heat & humidity. Their climate is definitely different from ours & one can't tolerate it indefinitely. The only reason people get visa over there relatively easilly is because their govts. know all this & try to make sure that maximum qualified people stay.


That's it I guess. Hope it was helpful. Anybody wanna know more or point out anything wrong or wanna add something just PM me.

 

[ubaid]

Spoiler: show

It's a long post!

I'll be leaving for the US in July for my MS in Electrical Engineering.

Which university in US are you going for EE? I am also BS in EE and I have strong plans to pursue further studies in US but as the case with all, the finances come to haunt me. So how much are you keeping with you to make sure you will have smooth stay over there. Any advice for anyone who is short on finances?

 

[fawad]

nyone explain aboput the work permit in USA, mid east and in europe?

 

[usmanalifarooq]

@ubaid: Yes that's a good question my friend. Like I said b4, you can't work for the first year of your studies no matter what your financial situation. You could try taking up your case on compassionate grounds if God forbid you run out of finances. But that's a hard road to take. You really don't wanna go there. So you have two options. One, you take up a job in your second year of post grad study. Or you attach yourself to a professor and become his/her RA and ask for funding to finance your stay while you work on their project. That's one way. And I'm going to LSU btw.

The second way is for you to contact USEFP and talk to them about the whole GRE/scholarship thing. Those guys will guide you and are really helpful in this matter. I couldn't apply for the Fullbright Scholarship in time, but I'm lucky that I can afford to go on my own. You need to apply a year in advance to get funding for the next year for Fullbright. It however, isn't the only scholarship available and you can join several mailing lists from sites that inform you of scholarships like Welcome scholarshippositions.com - BlueHost.com. You can choose US grad schools using College Information - Peterson's - The Real Guide to Colleges and Universities. Keep in mind that you need around 50 lac to study in peace. What with the price of dollars hitting the roof in this damn govt.'s tenure and whatnot, it's good to have more, just in case. If it's too much financially speaking, go for Germany or Canada. Good education, only tradeoff is the extreme cold weather.

@fawad: You can get a work permit relatively easily in EU but IDK about the US & Mid East. I think you can apply for a work permit once you're done with your education and are on OPT in the US.

 

[ubaid]

@ubaid: Yes that's a good question my friend. Like I said b4, you can't work for the first year of your studies no matter what your financial situation. You could try taking up your case on compassionate grounds if God forbid you run out of finances. But that's a hard road to take. You really don't wanna go there. So you have two options. One, you take up a job in your second year of post grad study. Or you attach yourself to a professor and become his/her RA and ask for funding to finance your stay while you work on their project. That's one way. And I'm going to LSU btw.

The second way is for you to contact USEFP and talk to them about the whole GRE/scholarship thing. Those guys will guide you and are really helpful in this matter. I couldn't apply for the Fullbright Scholarship in time, but I'm lucky that I can afford to go on my own. You need to apply a year in advance to get funding for the next year for Fullbright. It however, isn't the only scholarship available and you can join several mailing lists from sites that inform you of scholarships like Welcome scholarshippositions.com - BlueHost.com. You can choose US grad schools using College Information - Peterson's - The Real Guide to Colleges and Universities. Keep in mind that you need around 50 lac to study in peace. What with the price of dollars hitting the roof in this damn govt.'s tenure and whatnot, it's good to have more, just in case. If it's too much financially speaking, go for Germany or Canada. Good education, only tradeoff is the extreme cold weather.

@fawad: You can get a work permit relatively easily in EU but IDK about the US & Mid East. I think you can apply for a work permit once you're done with your education and are on OPT in the US.

Thanks for your info. The biggest problem with USEFP is that they gonna make you sign a bond for at least 2 years in case of masters. In my opinion, if you stay here in Pak while fulfilling the bond, it makes you virtually useless to go back to US to find any job or anything. So at the moment, I have to rely on my own. But 5 million is a huge amount. Probably the first semester can be afforded but will have to find some RA/TA in the second semester.

 

[fawad]

[MENTION=6111]usmanalifarooq[/MENTION]: any idea what's the procedure? I'm in final year Pharm-D and it's about time I start looking for jobs so any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[splitfiredaewoo]

I'm interested in doing my MBA from Canada. I have no work experience, so can someone guide me on which universities I should apply to? Or should I go for Queen's University, Belfast Northern Ireland.

Thanks.

 

[LiV3 WiR3]

anyone studying in canada?.... please share your experiences

 

[usmanalifarooq]

[MENTION=1154]fawad[/MENTION]: I think the best way to go bout this is to contact the embassies themselves. Usually their websites have details on these things. Or you could look up someone on the net who works there already. Pharmacists in the US earn a heck of a lot around 60-100k a year. But you'll have a better chance if you work here first form some time I think, cuz it'll only strengthen your case.

[MENTION=4608]splitfiredaewoo[/MENTION]: Look up HRconsultants they'll hook you up somewhere.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.pakgamers.com/forums/f63/xbox-360-elite-120gb-mega-133800/

 

[fawad]

[MENTION=6111]usmanalifarooq[/MENTION]: 60-100k? is it enough? what are the expenses, the bills and rent for a good apartment and all other stuff?

 

[Blastwave]

60-100k? is it enough? what are the expenses, the bills and rent for a good apartment and all other stuff?

Which country are you asking about?

 

[Yasir]

anyone studying in canada?.... please share your experiences

I've got a few friends studying at University of Waterloo and University of Ottawa, I'll be going there myself next year.
As from what they've told me:

Waterloo has a lot of Desi people(mostly conservative) so it does feel like home. There are no(or little) instances of racism since it's a very culturally diverse place. Many Sikhs and Asian people can be found roaming about too. There's a lot to do just inside the university and going out into the city feels like a world if its own. The place is clean and green as can be and very welcoming. Halaal food isn't always convenient from the university as you have to go into the city to find it.

For Ottawa, a relatively slow place where people tend to lead very simple lives since the place contains a high proportion of old people and old homes. The place is absolutely gorgeous and it's the cleanest city in Canada and the third cleanest city in the world. Greenery and beauty is everywhere. The people here, once again, are very diverse. It gets REALLY cold in the winter though, below even -10 degrees.
Peers and teachers in both areas are very cooperative and teaching methods are top-notch.

Will bring you more indepth details when I go visit Manitoba myself.

 

[fawad]

I'm asking for USA, 60-100k per year is enough to live lavishly?

 

[Ashhad]

Lavishly ? I would say so but I would say above average though....Fawad check the first post ....check the living/other expenses in the "Applying to USA" Spoiler

 

[usmanalifarooq]

[MENTION=1154]fawad[/MENTION]: one should aim at living comfortably rather than lavishly. There's large taxation in the US & EU as well but they're effectively used for services & infrastructure provision, not like here that we pay all the taxes and more & STILL suffer from gas, water & power shortages.

[MENTION=12718]ubaid[/MENTION]: don't mention it. not only does the bond make one useless, but also the companies back home grind you to the bone. A friend of mine went on a scholarship to KTH but had to work at NUST for 2 years like a horse and he got out as soon as his bond expired. But like I said, other options for study are always there, and I personally was inclined to go to KTH as well but due to some family decisions I now have to go to LSU. But it'll be worth it though.

 

[ubaid]

I'm asking for USA, 60-100k per year is enough to live lavishly?

It is more than enough for you and for a small family if you have that. Keep in mind engineers in US start from 60k-70k and then move upwards. In this money, you can afford good apartment, car and all essential commodities. But do not expect luxurious life over there as they gonna grind you in taxes and will decimate your six-figure salary.:mushy: This is the reason that many people, I know from US, are moving to Middle East to have some savings.

 

[fawad]

[MENTION=6111]usmanalifarooq[/MENTION]i: I am living comfortably (ALHAMDULILLAH) . I want to save money and live the way I want to and not to worry about running short in the end of month. that means all the stuff like a house, car. fancy stuff etc. so is it possible that with that much salary, and a family, can I survive?
[MENTION=12718]ubaid[/MENTION]: do you have any information about the pharmaceutical setup in mid east like sharjah, dubai etc?

 

[Mr Magnificent]

Hello Guys.
Wanted to ask some questions about studying in canada ...
Now i have done 2nd year.
And i am planning to do Electrical Engineering.
And also will be giving my ielts examination in next month.

Now can any one tell me which university should be prefered i have gone to HR Consultants and they have given me options of two universities
University of Simon Fraser and University of Manitoba.
Some Navitas Group.
and told me that fees should be 12500 $ per year.


And also work permit to work while i am studying ?

If the above mentioned universities are not good then please suggest me some good universities please.
And an idea about the total cost of the electrical engineering program.

Help me out guys.