UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, Norway are the countries for higher studies in Engineering / Business / IT / Hospitality etc. In addition to these, European countries, China, Russia and Philippines offer quality and cost effective courses especially in medicine studies etc.

As compared to studying in your home country, studying abroad may be expensive. However, there are countries that provide education (specific courses) which are at par with Indian cost. However, the trend has been catching up lately due to easy availability of education loans and scholarships which help to finance your studies abroad.

The different methods to support your studies abroad are: 1. Education loans. 2. Sponsorship by individuals / organization. 3. Scholarships.

Availing bank loans to support overseas studies is a common trend in the recent times. It can be availed subject to fulfilling the terms and conditions of the bank. The requirements vary from bank to bank and also depending on the level of program chosen by you and the amount you apply for. For more detailed information, we would advise you to contact your nearest bank or our counselors at Santamonica.

Most countries provide scholarships to international students wishing to pursue studies there. The requirements may vary from institutions. The scholarships are highly competitive and based on the academic profile of the students. The details regarding the scholarships are provided on the University websites. We at Santa Monica can also assist you in availing scholarships in various institutions based on your eligibility and requirements.

Most countries allow international students to work part-time during their studies, however, in countries like Singapore, US, China, Bulgaria, etc. there are restrictions for students to legally work part time.

Most of the countries offer post study stay-back options for students to explore job opportunities post the successful completion of their studies. The Co-ops and internships during the study help the students to network and search for employment opportunities after the completion of the course.

Students pursuing their studies abroad have opportunities to explore Permanent Residency (PR) prospects on successful completion of their course. Countries such as Canada, Sweden, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, etc. encourage students to stay back and explore job and PR opportunities after their study.

You can take you family to accompany you while travelling to countries such as UK, New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, etc. However, the work rights for your dependents are subject to the laws of that country which may change from time to time. You may update it by referring the concerned official websites or approaching our counselors at Santamonica.

Santamonica provides candid counseling in choosing the right study options as well as assists you in applying to the institutions of your choice, getting offers, availing bank loans and scholarships, payment of tuition fees, visa documentation guidance and support and post landing services to help ensure you have a smooth transition.

Documents required for getting an offer letter may vary from institution to institution. The documents normally required by the institutions are certified copies of:-

• Passport
• All Academics documents from 10th onwards
• All Work Experience certificates
• Language Award Certificates – IELTS / TOEFL iBT / PTE-A
• Statement of Purpose(SOP) expressing your interest, motive and plans to study

If an institution rejects your application, you can re-attempt to apply for a suitable program matching your profile in the same institutions itself with more supporting documents or choose an alternative option in other institutions where your profile would be eligible. The Team at Santamonica will help you identify such programs which would match your academic profile and applying to institutions where your profile would be accepted.

Documents required for applying for visa in a normal case are:-

• Offer letter
• Offer letter
• Proof of English proficiency test like PTE, IELTS, TOEFL.
• Academic documents from 10th onwards
• Financial Documents
• Updated CV
• Statement of Purpose/ Explanation
• Medical clearance
• Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) from Passport Seva Kendra
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Yes, various countries offer studies in Medicine for international students. However, the cost and requirements vary from country to country. You can also pursue MBBS studies in European countries like Bulgaria etc. at a reasonable cost as compared to studying in the UK, USA, Australia, etc, or even studying in India. There are good universities in the Philippines and China that offer MBBS studies at a minimum cost when compared to the total cost of studying in Indian institutions.

Your total cost of the study would involve the tuition fees as well as the cost of living and other miscellaneous expenses such as air tickets and visa fees. Normally, this may vary between 10 lakhs to 30 lakhs depending on the country, the institution, and the program that you chose to study.

The living expense for international students varies from country to country. The average living expenses for various countries are given below:

• UK – 9180 GBP (Inner London – 9 months) 7380 GBP (Outer London – 9 months)
• NZ - 15000 NZD
• Canada – 10000 CAD
• Germany - 670 Euros per month

In the event your visa is rejected, most institutions do refund your tuition fees after a nominal deduction of administrative charges which is usually mentioned in the offer letter or the concerned institution’s website. However, your visa fees may not be refunded in the event your visa is rejected.

In the event of visa rejection, you can either resubmit your application by providing explanations and documentation to alleviate the concerns raised by the High commission/ embassy. Alternatively, the team at Santamonica would also direct you to study options in other countries and also assist you with the refund of the tuition fees that you have paid to the institutions.

Santamonica coordinates with the institutions abroad/ overseas coordinators to provide pick-up and accommodation assistance as you reach the destination country. Our dedicated travel desk would be equipped to assist you with all possible support that you would require post your landing including pick up, accommodation, finding jobs, and other legal matters, taking up further studies in the host country after successful completion of your current study program, etc.

You can join our Facebook page “Happy Monicans” to be in touch with our Team. You can also contact the travel desk at Santamonica any time through phone, e-mails, or other available social networks.

Most countries allow students to visit their home country during vacations. If you have a multiple entry visa you would be allowed to visit your home during your study period easily.

Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) and Graduate Management Admission Tests (GMAT) are the most common and popular entry tests while IELTS/TOEFL/PTE are the most popular English language proficiency tests demanded by the institutions. You may refer to the websites of the institutions for the details regarding the requirements or alternatively can seek the advice of the counselors at Santamonica.

IELTS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is one of the most popular English language tests opted by international students seeking to study abroad. It is jointly managed by Cambridge English Language Assessment, the British Council and IDP Education Pvt Ltd.
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standardized English test usually undertaken by international students seeking to study in US. It is also accepted in many institutions across various English speaking countries.
PTE: Pearson Test of English (PTE) managed by the Pearson PLC group is also one of the English language tests opted by students seeking to study in Countries such as UK, Australia, and New Zealand. English Language tests are usually of 2 types – Academic and General. Students seeking to study abroad have to undergo the Academic tests while applicants seeking to migrate should undergo the General Tests. The English Language tests usually are a measure to ensure that the students belonging to non-native English speaking countries can understand the language and cope up with their studies in English speaking countries.

Most institutions in the English speaking countries do insist on English language proficiency to ensure that the students can cope up with their studies abroad. Hence English language proficiency test scores such as IELTS/PTE/TOEFL mostly figure in the entry requirements of the institutions. However, there a few institutions in some countries who assess the 12th grade English language score with a minimum score of 65% or alternatively administer English language test/interviews to assess the English proficiency before admitting a student. However, English language proficiency is an important requirement to assess your visa application and hence we would recommend having English language proficiency scores to seek admission while studying abroad.

The average English proficiency scores/academic scores requirement may vary from institution to institution, from course to course and the level of courses that you may opt for. However, our experiences show that having a score of below 50% may not be advisable to seek admission to institutions abroad as most institutions feel that an academically poor student would find it difficult to cope with studies and hence do not accept students with low academic/English proficiency scores.

Almost all professional programs have high job prospects while you study abroad as most of the programs are tailor-made in tandem with the requirements of the global job market. However, the most in-demand professions that have a higher job prospect are:
Engineers: Indian engineers can pursue specialization courses and can also seek registration abroad as Engineers figure among the Skills shortage list in most countries.
Medicine: Plus 2 students have the option to pursue medicine programs in Europe and China at a reasonable cost as compared to studying in the US, UK, Australia, etc, or even when compared to studying medicine in India.
There are also ample job opportunities for students specializing in Applied Sciences, Tourism, and Hospitality industries. However, you must choose the right programs matching your academic profile and passion to ensure job prospects post your study. Our counselors at Santamonica assist you in identifying such job-oriented programs with and without internships that would be suitable for your academic, passion, and financial backgrounds.