Bachelor’s degrees are increasingly required for entry-level jobs, as countries around the world transition from industrial-based to knowledge-based economies. Bachelor’s degrees are available in just about every academic discipline imaginable, including many that did not exist until recently, such as information technology. Bachelor’s degrees are also just the starting point for students who are interested in professions that require a master’s degree, such as counseling, or for students interested in pursuing research professions. With thousands of colleges and universities to choose from around the globe, anyone should be able to find a school that is the perfect match for their undergraduate studies.
There are many different types of colleges, universities and other higher education institutions around the world. Although some institutions award all three traditional levels of higher education degrees (bachelor’s, master’s and PhD), some focus exclusively on bachelor’s programs. Students should choose the type of school that best fits their needs. Universities will generally provide a student with the widest range of study options, but colleges and other institutions may offer a specialized academic discipline or a smaller and more personalized study environment. Although details vary from country to country, the types of higher education institutions generally include:
- Research universities that award all levels of degrees in a wide range of academic disciplines
- Business schools that focus on business-related degrees, such as finance, accounting and marketing
- Technical institutes that focus on degrees in science, technology, engineering and math
- Art institutes that focus on art-related degrees and professions such as photography, painting and theater
- Education institutes or teacher schools that focus on education degrees for primary and secondary education levels
Students interested in earning a bachelor’s degree may also want to consider studying abroad, especially if they are interested in a very specialized academic discipline such as some sort of language or regional studies. Students are increasingly mobile for all levels of post-secondary education, with nearly four million students now studying abroad each year. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics (UIS), eight countries even have more students who study abroad than at home, including Bermuda, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. More than one-quarter of students studying abroad are from East Asian and Pacific countries and about 15 percent hail from North America and Europe. About 30 percent of international students are studying in either the US or the UK, followed by Australia (8 percent), France (7 percent) and Germany (6 percent).
Students may want to consider obtaining a bachelor’s degree abroad for a number of reasons, including:
- The ability to choose from a wide variety of programs in any academic discipline, so the student can find the best fit for their interests and style of learning.
- The ability to study a new language and earn a degree related to the country or countries that speak that language. For example, one of the best places to learn Chinese and about China would obviously be in China!
- Studying in a different culture. Students who are interested in pursuing careers in foreign service or international business will gain valuable experience from immersion in another culture. Students studying abroad will also make international friends and lifelong contacts.
- Increased language skills, if the destination country speaks a different language from the student’s native tongue.
Students planning to study for a bachelor’s degree may want to consider the following when deciding whether to study at an institution in their home country or abroad:
- Program cost, including living expenses. Free or inexpensive tuition may be offset by a high cost of living and travel expenses. However, many scholarship programs are available, usually in both the student’s home country and the country where the student will be studying. These scholarship programs often cover living and other expenses, in addition to tuition.
- Language skills required. The vast majority of bachelor’s level programs are taught in the native language of the country where the student will be studying. Students not already proficient in the language of instruction may need to spend an additional year or more gaining that proficiency. In the case of a commonly spoken language, such as English, Spanish or French, the student can likely study the language and gain proficiency in their home country, but less common languages, such as Serbian, will be best studied in the destination country. Even for a language that is widely spoken, many students will find that they best learn the language in a total immersion environment in the destination country.
- Types of studies offered, such as full-time or part-time. Most international students, especially undergraduates, are expected to study full-time as they pursue their education. However, some students who are already working in a country as foreign nationals may be able to pursue a bachelor’s degree on a part-time basis, since they are primarily in the country to work, not to study.
- Impact on family members, for students with families. Family members may need to obtain language skills and school attendance and career plans may be disrupted.
Take the time now to check out bachelor degree programs and universities from all over the world. If you know what you’re looking for, click directly on that country or on specific programs. If you’re still undecided, take some time to read about the different bachelor’s programs available worldwide.
