Top 8 Reasons to Study Abroad

Top 8 Reasons to Study Abroad

While academic advancement and better career prospects are the key benefits of studying abroad, the experience brings with it many other life changing encounters, opportunities and skills. Studying in a foreign country can be your chance to experiencing new cultures, making new friends and personal growth in ways you never thought were possible! Still wondering why you should consider studying abroad? Read on!

1. Exposure to the world, new cultures and friends

Studying abroad is an excellent opportunity to globalize yourself. Every year, international universities welcome students from all over the world who bring in their culture, languages, stories and a lot more to learn from! This is a chance to indulge in a new lifestyle, expose yourself to the world and figure out where you fit in. It is also an opportunity to make lifelong friends and build a professional global network. You will be breathing in the norms, traditions and distinct cultural perspectives of another nation. Such a fascinating experience to take in!

2. Challenge yourself

Challenges make a hefty part of the whole experience of studying abroad. Being out of one’s comfort zone may bring along a number of forces to reckon with. There will be times when you will be hit and torn by the menacing homesickness, living in a new unfamiliar setting and budgeting. However, in time, you will triumph over these hurdles and then life will have a hard time managing to bother you with anything else because you will have ‘been there, done that’! You will come out as a wiser, stronger person who will be ready to squeeze and shake all the good and hard lemons life throws at you.

3. Learn new languages

Developing and learning new languages is also another plus of studying abroad. As an international student, you will have the perfect opportunity to hone your language skills either by studying or by picking up while communicating with locals. Additional language skills are always an asset.

4. Become independent and broaden your horizon

Studying abroad means being on your own completely. You will need to cope with all the challenges and take care of yourself. This will not only make you independent but will also help you grow on a personal level. The experiences of living abroad will open your mind to new perspectives and give you an opportunity to analyze and look at certain issues from a broader viewpoint. You will start thinking objectively from a worldwide perspective. You will learn how you can introduce the world to your culture and how it fits in the world from the eyes of another society. Most importantly, you will learn the art of blending in wherever you go.

5. A step closer towards your dream career

It is no secret that studying abroad is guaranteed to give you better career prospects. The experience will serve as a learning ground to prepare for their future careers. You will be gaining knowledge and expertise in an international environment and be better equipped to handle situations in a global professional setting. Studying abroad is an impressive mark on the CV and will also give you something to talk about during job interviews. It proves that you are a strong independent individual who has initiative, can take a challenge and work in different environments. You might find a great career opportunity in the host country or return to your own country with a broader vision and an impressive foreign degree that will give you an edge over other job seeking candidates.

6. Travel

Travelling is a huge reason to consider studying abroad. It is an opportunity to discover new places, customs and people within your host country. Also, you need not limit yourself to one country. Quite often, there are excellent student discounts that can be availed to travel around and explore neighboring countries.

7. Enroll into advance study programs and study further

An international degree is very highly looked upon by graduate schools and can significantly increase your chances of pursuing your education at other world class institutions. Graduate schools prefer students who have a history of studying abroad because such students carry a promise of commitment, display diversity and also ensure that they are not afraid of challenges.

8. Once in a lifetime experience

For most students, studying abroad is their first ever experience of travelling abroad. It is a once in a life time experience that will stay with you forever in more ways than you can imagine.

Studying abroad will be an experience to cherish forever. Take the opportunity to learn without barriers and constructively shape your life.

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Anum Fatima

Anum has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Human Resource Management. She studied Business Communication at Harvard Summer School and won the Dean’s Grand Prize. She is an experienced Human Resources Professional with 10+ years of experience. Her expertise includes foreign relations, project management, business communications, and team building, which she acquired both domestically and abroad. Recruitment and Selection, Employee Engagement, Performance Appraisal, and Leaning and Development are among the specific functions she has been working in. Anum supports the Dubai operations at StEPS for student and professional development.

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Nir Mathur

Nir, a medical student at King’s College London, brings over three years of experience guiding students through the medical school admissions process, exam preparation, and interview/MMI preparation. Having successfully secured offers from medical schools in Ireland, Australia, the UK, and Singapore, He is well-versed in the requirements and intricacies of these regions’ application processes. His structured, relatable, and engaging teaching style makes complex concepts accessible and interesting. Managing medical school admissions and exam preparation at StEPS, Nir leverages this firsthand experience and teaching approach to provide tailored guidance and support to aspiring medical students worldwide.

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Amna Khawar

Amna is a bilingual Montessori trained Learning Specialist with over 10 years of experience at Dubai International Academy.

A Parent Ambassador for the prestigious Loughborough University, Amna will be supporting StEPS students and parents with their education planning.

Working in the Special Needs Department she has contributed to the positive development and wellbeing of students with learning difficulties and lower level abilities in group and 1-1 settings inside and outside the classroom through multiple evidence based interventions.

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Nor Fadilah

Senior Consultant

Nor is an MBA graduate from Malaysia, with a specialization in digital marketing. She has ten years of experience in education and student services management in South and Southeast Asia, including a focus on mental health and well-being. She manages postgraduate applications for StEPS and leads business development and partnership initiatives to drive strategic growth and build valuable connections.

Shayan Fareed

Shayan Fareed

Undergraduate Ambassador

Shayan Fareed is an Undergraduate Ambassador for StEPS who recently graduated from Warwick Business School with a BSC in Management. Prior to that, he completed his A Levels at the prestigious Aitchison College. During his time at the University of Warwick, Shayan cherished the vibrant campus life and considered it his home for the past three years, leaving behind fond memories as he moves on to new endeavors.

Faiza Omar

Faiza Omer

Communication Coordinator
Faiza Omer has a Masters in Finance from Punjab University and extensive experience in working across a variety of functional roles. Having been part of the StEPS team for the last three years, Faiza manages the company’s HR for Pakistan and the UAE and also supports with operations. She is skilled in managing internal and external stakeholder engagement and has received several certificates and awards, demonstrating her proficiency in teamwork, customer service, and administrative expertise. Prior to joining StEPS, Faiza worked at DNATA Emirates Group in Dubai providing passenger services and coordinating flight operations.

Misbah Fehmi​

Misbah has long been guiding parents and students on higher education application processes, entry requirements, subject selection, and extra curricular activites for university admissions.

We are delighted to have her support Team StEPS to share her expertise for North American university applications.

In addition for her passion for guiding students and parents, she brings valuable cross sectoral experience in writing for impact, human resource, talent acquisition, recruitment consultancy, advertising and marketing.

Wasim Hashmi Syed

Wasim Hashmi Syed

Senior Advisor

Mr Wasim Hashmi Syed has over twenty years of visionary experience in initiating and leading educational.

Mr Wasim Hashmi Syed, Senior Advisor, Professional Development and Transnational Education.Mr Wasim Hashmi Syed has over twenty years of visionary experience in initiating and leading educational initiatives with tangible outcomes, creating international linkages, and providing development opportunities for Pakistani youth under the country’s vision 2025. He has been involved in various government and foreign-funded projects, including monitoring research and development projects in IT and engineering.

As an Advisor and Consultant at the Higher Education Commission (HEC), he managed programs aimed at increasing the number of PhD faculty, providing scholarships for students, and fostering collaboration with foreign universities. Additionally, he oversaw the monitoring of research and development projects and played a key role in policy development for higher education institutions. He established collaboration with  more than 30 international foreign universities and organizations. He played a significant role in launching and overseeing scholarship programs and initiatives related to information and communication technology.

He also served as an Advisor International Linkages at Pak-Austria Fachhochschule Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology Haripur, he had engaged in obtaining charter for Institute from HEC and PEC.

In his role as General Manager Monitoring/Projects at the National ICT R&D Funds (IGNITE), he monitored numerous technical projects funded by academia and local industry.

Mr. Hashmi obtained his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from University of Engineering Technology Lahore. He also holds MS in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, from the University of Louisville Kentucky USA, and a Ph.D. (in progress) in Transport Engineering University of Hasselt Belgium.

Tazkia Abbas

Tazkia is an enterprising management professional with diverse transferable skills developed over 17 years of working in the UK and Pakistan in diplomatic and trade missions, education sector, non-profit and community organisations, service and retail industries.

She is part-ACA qualified, holds an MSc in International Accounting & Finance (Bayes Business School, UK), and a BSc (Hons) in Management (City St. George’s, University of London).

Tazkia has been through the British educational system from primary all the way until higher education so is well placed to offer advice with regards to studying, living and working in the UK.

She enjoys working with children and young adults with the aim of assisting them to be the best version of themselves. In her spare time she runs a book club for adults and organises activity classes for children. She is KHDA (UAE) and TQUK (UK) qualified.

Saima is a TESOL qualified Warwick Alumna, with over 25 years of experience in student counseling, mentoring, teaching, teacher training, and English language assessment.

She has been representing her alma mater for international student admissions since 1998, and has successfully supported thousands of students with their academic development, university admissions and scholarship applications globally through educational guidance counseling, professional mentoring and career coaching.

As a certified DiSC and ‘How Women Rise’ coach, she also supports the learning and development of professionals to bring about workplace improvements through transferable skills development, behavioral change, and individual profile building for successful career growth.

Saima is a British Council trained and certified IELTS professional for British Council Dubai, Senior Consultant with Global Management Consultants UAE, Education Coordinator for BNI Konnectors in Dubai, and a member of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital in Pakistan.

Her previous experiences include teaching students and training professionals for prestigious institutions and organizations like The University of Warwick, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Kinnaird College for Women, Virtual University of Pakistan, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), Ali Institute of Education, Punjab Judicial Academy and The Ameliorate Group.

With extensive experience in education management and administration, Saima has been the Founding Director for the Directorate of Faculty Development & Internationalisation (DFDI) at LCWU, and successfully launched a Faculty Development Centre as well as Pakistan’s first university-level mandatory Citizenship programme in collaboration with the British Council. She was thus responsible for supporting the enhancement of teaching and research capability of Asia’s largest women’s university, creating linkages with local and international partners, enabling students in social entrepreneurship projects, and raising the university profile on an international academic platform.