5 Tips for Students Planning to Study Abroad

October 13, 2022October 13, 2022aplicario

5 Tips for Students Planning to Study Abroad

Congratulations on making the biggest decision of your life! As honorable as it is to choose to continue one’s studies, it is braver still when one plans to do so in a foreign land. But then, no great achievement comes without its challenges. And we are here to see you through this one! Now that you have made the decision to traverse the oceans for your higher studies, it’s time to prepare for the journey. Here’s the lowdown on the expected (and some unexpected) obstacles that lie in your path. You know what they say——well begun is half done!

1) Plan in Advance

Remember the story about the early bird and how it would always get the worm? She’s your spirit animal now. Studying abroad requires months (even years) of planning to just be able to get in the race. It doesn’t get any easier when you consider that students all around the world are vying for the same course as yours and in the same institution as yours. Essentially, they’ve got their eyes set on your seat, and many of them will have home turf advantage.

The admission process is a detailed and prolonged one that requires all aspects to be perfectly worked out, starting with what you want to study and where. Take your time to choose the country and the city where you want to take up further studies. The best colleges in Canada and the rest of the world tend to have their pick of the lot and you must begin working on your profile accordingly. A little preparation will definitely go a long way. Study and research the student profiles that your choice of colleges tend to be drawn towards. Research the academic scores that they prefer so you can assure compliance. Do they prefer certain sports or co-curricular activities? How much community participation would they like to see and are you meeting the criteria?

2) Start Building Your Savings

Studying abroad will be an expensive affair. It literally pays to be an early bird here too. Even after you bag a grant or a scholarship, studying abroad will require you to bear other expenses such as boarding and lodging, meals, commute, personal care and recreation. Do your research well in advance and figure out your monthly expenses apart from your tuition fee. Develop the habit of saving that amount per month right from the moment that you have the research before you. This will help you take to your new life abroad seamlessly once you do move there.

It is likely that your visa restrictions will curtail your ability to earn in your free time. While it is essential to find good work opportunities for yourself, do put in some research into finding as many scholarship opportunities as you can. You do have the option of benefiting from multiple grants at one time and that would go a long way in assisting you in your study abroad.

3) Get Your Paperwork in Order

It’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. You’ve got a plan but the execution is awaited. This is where you must be absolutely perfect for one missed step or misstep can cost you your entire dream. Not only does your admission form and fee submission have to be done in an ordered fashion but your immigration documents and visa are of utmost importance. These processes can be complex and stretched out which is why you must be on top of things at all times. Compliance with all these requirements asks for quite a close watch. Take the help of a trusted platform such as Aplicar to sail through this process and eliminate the risk of any losses in this crucial stage.

4) Adopt the Local Language

Nothing is more important than the ability to communicate with the locals in your new home. The only way you can do that is if you would actually know the language that they converse in. Aim for fluency in the language and make it a part of your life.Start taking regular classes to learn and improve upon your grip of the new language. You can even join many language clubs to help you tide over any hesitation that you may have while conversing. Follow our expert tips to override any language barriers. By the time that you land in your country of study, you ought to be comfortable enough with its language to make it your default language. When in Rome, after all!

5) Be Aware of Local Customs and Culture

Culture shock is very real! Small things that are commonplace for your new host country may seem absolutely shocking to you and vice versa. Just the way of addressing each other changes dramatically from region to region. Talking to someone in their own language versus in the neutral English language will make a world of difference. Be sensitive to the local culture and find out about the social etiquette and manners expected of you once you are amid your new countrymen. International students carry the added burden of representing their home country and culture wherever they go. The best way of doing that is by being mindful and respectful of your host’s.

Good Tidings!

Now that you have evaluated your priorities, we’re certain that you have a To-Do list along with a path to your destination. Do rely on experts and your Admissions Counselor whenever you feel cornered and remember to have fun in this glorious new phase of your life. Here’s bidding you good tidings in your new sojourn!

Fulfil your dreams of studying in Canada and the US with Aplicar!

Aplicar connects students and recruitment partners to the best educational opportunities across Canada. It’s a one-stop solution to ease students’ journey towards studying in Canada.

The Aplicar Advantage

Save hours of research and apply to the most suitable programs and schools in Canada
Apply to the school of your dreams in just 5 minutes
Apply to multiple schools/colleges with a single profile
Excellent acceptance rate
Streamline and simplify search, application, admission, study visa, and post landing services through our flexible service model

Uneven Interest in STEM Subjects Across the World

October 4, 2022October 4, 2022aplicario

Uneven Interest in STEM Subjects Across the World

STEM is a stream that integrates teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It usually takes a hands-on approach with real-world learning experiences. It also pays very well, which makes it very desirable. Despite the ample opportunities that are available to STEM students, there is an uneven interest in STEM across the world.

Region-Specific Interest

North and Central Africa, the Middle East, and India have the highest interest in STEM subjects. Students from Asia, South-Central Europe, and South and Central America generally have more interest in non-STEM subjects. It is in the regions of North-East and North-West Africa, the Middle East and Nepal that has 53.6% interest in STEM. North and Central Africa, a pocket in northern South America and South Asia has a 47.2% interest in preference for STEM. North America, Oceania, Western and Central Europe, and South Africa have about an equal measure of moderate interest in STEM and non-STEM disciplines.

In Germany, 36% of students choose stem subjects in tertiary education, while only 19% of American students chose STEM subjects.

In 2016, China had 4.7 million recent STEM graduates, India had 2.6 million new STEM graduates and the U.S. had 568,000.

Subject-Specific Interest

Even within the ambit of STEM subjects, some subjects are preferred over others. Engineering, manufacturing, and construction are the most popular categories that are chosen in STEM in the selected countries (Italy, Australia, India, Germany, UK, USA, Spain, South Korea and France). The exception to this is the United Kingdom where Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics take the lead.

Factors Impacting STEM

It has been documented that governmental preoccupation with the level of STEM participation in Senior Secondary school and the level of achievement in STEM-related disciplines in both secondary and higher education is universal. Building high-end STEM skills that are linked to R&D and industry innovation is also given importance. Even then, the discussions are limited to curriculum, pedagogy, student motivation and teaching, and there is a lack of focus on universities as compared to schools. In China, the government exercises great interest in education to labour transition than governments in other countries. Even though the emphasis on STEM for its assumed contribution to productivity and innovation in the workplace is there, there is hardly any effort directed to establishing the extent of these expected benefits to the economy. In some countries, there are concerns about the decline in the number of students taking up STEM subjects, and also about shortages of STEM skills in the labour market. In East Asia and Singapore, there is universal recognition of the importance of education and STEM gets a superior position, especially in secondary and higher education. In China, mathematics is compulsory throughout the school. There is an emphasis on enhancing the position of universities globally, and there are comprehensive programs aimed to reform schooling systems and make them more student-centered, inquiry-based and problem-solving in approach. Despite the crippling shortage of STEM graduates globally, the number of STEM graduates is growing every year. As a matter of fact, there are enough STEM graduates to fill all positions; the problem lies with their education level and professional skills. Even where educational qualifications are apt, soft skills such as leadership and teamwork are lacking. The courses are insufficiently aligned with the industry and have led to a lack of qualified technicians. There are more students with higher degrees and complex level courses with lesser opportunities than for other mid-level STEM jobs. In India, ‘Brain Drain’ leads to a loss of talent that is important for economic, political and social progress. Countries such as South Korea, Vietnam, Israel and Singapore have managed to create a strong ecosystem to address the challenges in supply and demand in STEM. In doing so, they have achieved astonishingly rapid social and economic progress. It is the model that could be adopted by other countries in its entirety for equally encouraging results.

Scope of STEM

Australia: In 2015, the Australian Government formed the National STEM School Education Strategy 2016-2026 to focus on developing mathematical, scientific and digital literacy; and promoting problem-solving, critical analysis and creative thinking skills. The STEM Partnerships Forum was established in 2017 to bring together industrial and education leaders to facilitate a strategic approach to STEM Education.

United Kingdom: Among the various organizations that support STEM education, STEM learning delivers STEMCPD and a STEM ambassador program, and the British Science Association develops reports and resources for supporting STEM learning. Scotland, Wales and Ireland have their STEM education programs that address various areas of development.

United States of America: The STEM Education Strategic Plan sets out a federal strategy for the next five years to ensure access to high-quality STEM education and make the United States the leader in STEM literacy, innovation and employment globally.

New Zealand: The government has been promoting STEM education in schools to ease the STEM skill shortage. Efforts are underway to place high-performing STEM graduates and digitally confident teachers in the sphere of education.
India: India launched the ‘Skill India’ campaign in 2015 and it aims to train more than 400 million youngsters in different skills by 2022. One of these is STEM education.

The implication of the growing focus on developing infrastructure and curriculum to support STEM literacy is that there is going to be more manpower to take the ever-increasing number of jobs in STEM. Since 1990, employment in STEM has grown by 79%.

Factsheet

The top five countries where you should consider studying STEM are:

USA
UK
Canada
Australia
Germany

The most popular STEM courses are:

Some of the most popular universities offering STEM courses are:

Concordia University, Chicago
Louisiana State University
Western Michigan University
California State University
Fresno Campus
Auburn University
University of South Florida
Saint Louis University
University of New Hampshire
University of South Carolina
New Jersey Institute of Technology
University of Central Florida
Pace University
George Mason University

To know further about how STEM can be beneficial to your chosen career and the courses and universities that you should be applying to, visit: www.aplicar.io

Fulfil your dreams of studying in Canada and the US with Aplicar!

Aplicar connects students and recruitment partners to the best educational opportunities across Canada. It’s a one-stop solution to ease students’ journey towards studying in Canada.

The Aplicar Advantage

Save hours of research and apply to the most suitable programs and schools in Canada
Apply to the school of your dreams in just 5 minutes
Apply to multiple schools/colleges with a single profile
Excellent acceptance rate
Streamline and simplify search, application, admission, study visa, and post landing services through our flexible service model

Aplicar’s Exclusive Partnership with Portage at CIOT College Calgary

September 30, 2022September 30, 2022aplicario

Aplicar’s Exclusive Partnership with Portage at CIOT College Calgary

To offer the best advantage to students, Aplicar has an exclusive partnership with Portage continuing education programs @CIOT in Calgary. It gives a golden chance to students to build a future in Canada. Sign up for the course with Aplicar and have the $250 application fee waived. At the end of the program, students are awarded diplomas by Portage College and get all the benefits of studying at CIOT College, Calgary. Students will also be eligible for work experience after their education through PGWP (Post Graduate Work Permit).

Advantages

Portage College is a leading Public – Post-Secondary College in Alberta. It has been at the forefront of high-quality education in the region for over 50 years. Portage has 7 campuses across Northeast Alberta and this partnership with CIOT College has opened up the opportunity of getting an excellent education in the metro-Calgary area. Here are some of the benefits of undertaking a course through this partnership

Get a feel of studying, living and working in a cosmopolitan, international environment.

Portage College awards all the documents, transcripts and final diplomas.

Registration for students will be under a Portage DL Number.

Students get to access Portage College programs in Downtown Calgary.

A diverse study and living environment eases the transition for students.

You do not need Maths as a subject to apply.

The tuition fee is affordable, around $15,000 per year.

Admission Requirements

A student needs a minimum of 70% in Grade 12 or post-secondary, with a minimum of 50% in each subject. The IELTS requirement is 6.0 overall with one band 5.5. For TOEFL, the minimum required score is 80 and for PTE it is 58.

Alternatively, a minimum of 60% in Grade 12 or Post-Secondary and a minimum of 50% in each subject. With this score, they need an IELTS 6.5 overall with one band 5.5 or 6 in each module. The TOEFL score should be 85 and PTE is 63.

CIOT Programs

Business Accounting Diploma

Duration: 2 years (4 semesters)

This course opens up several employment opportunities for financial security and working in diverse companies.

Business Management Diploma

Duration: 2 years (4 semesters)

This course focuses on the practical application of core business theories, preparing students with tools to manage people, finances, production and promotion.

Teacher’s Assistant

Duration: 2 years (4 semesters)

This course prepares students to work in formal school settings in assisting Teachers. It readies them with knowledge and skills in child growth and development, learning strategies for diverse learners, interpersonal ties and team spirit.

Business General

Duration: 1 year (2 Semesters)

This course enables students to seek employment in Accounts Receivable/Payable, Auditing, Bookkeeping, Cost Accounting, Financial Services, Government Service, Payroll, Public Accounting and Taxation Services.

Administrative Professional

Duration:

1 year (2 Semesters)

This is a 35-week program that prepares students for immediate employment in a dynamic work environment. It offers them the skills required for administrative support positions.

With such bright career prospects at hand, the partnership between Aplicar and Portage at CIOT College, Calgary could be a great advantage for international students.

Fulfil your dreams of studying in Canada and the US with Aplicar!

Aplicar connects students and recruitment partners to the best educational opportunities across Canada. It’s a one-stop solution to ease students’ journey towards studying in Canada.

The Aplicar Advantage

Save hours of research and apply to the most suitable programs and schools in Canada
Apply to the school of your dreams in just 5 minutes
Apply to multiple schools/colleges with a single profile
Excellent acceptance rate
Streamline and simplify search, application, admission, study visa, and post landing services through our flexible service model