Study abroad

Wer die Wahl hat, hat die Qual - The bigger the choice, the harder it is to choose

My philological studies have satisfied me that a gifted person ought to learn English (barring spelling and pronouncing) in thirty hours, French in thirty days, and German in thirty years.

International students in the United States tend to concentrate in three states: New York, California and Texas.

So the results of the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors 2015 report, revealing the 25 US universities with the most international students, are not particularly surprising.

New York, California and Texas each claim three universities in the top 25, as does Pennsylvania.

Are you an explorer, high-flyer, struggler or striver?

This identity, which takes into account your financial and academic profile, could determine your priorities when choosing a US university for a master’s degree.

According to a report by World Education Services released last week, almost half of prospective postgraduate Chinese students say that the reputation of a US university is the most important factor in their decision, compared with less than a quarter of prospective Indian applicants.

The best universities in Australia and New Zealand all fall within the top 250 universities in the world, according to the THE World University Rankings 2015-16.

Australia dominates the list of the region’s 11 best universities, with eight universities all ranked among the best 150 in the world, and one university in the top 250.

Not one US university in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015-16 has more than 35 per cent international students, contrasting with institutions in Asia, Oceania and Europe.

An analysis of universities in the rankings shows that 16 of the 30 universities with the highest percentage of international students are in the UK, seven are elsewhere in Europe and four are in Australia or New Zealand.

This may well come as a surprise, since the US has long been a popular destination for teenagers looking to study abroad.

In June 2015, Aaron Chapman travelled from his home in the UK to Japan, hoping to study for a master’s degree there the next academic year. His motivation was almost entirely selfless; he felt a duty to become a cultural ambassador.

“I feel like it is my mission to ensure that a good level of understanding happens between countries,” he says.

Welcome to THE Student

From now, you’re getting even more than you bargained for at Times Higher Education – in a good way, of course.

For 12 years we’ve given you rankings, data and table upon table for you to use in one of the most important decisions of your life: which university to choose.

But we want to make that decision process even smoother for you, by guiding you each step of the way and using our resources to help you to really understand all the options on offer and factors to consider.

Studying abroad can be an eye-opening experience wherever you go. But if you want to maximise your opportunities and get the most out of your experience, it is crucial to make an informed decision about where to study.

Luckily, there are plenty of resources to help you make a good decision, and I’ll take you through all the factors you should consider.

University rankings

Rankings should not be the sole basis of your decision, but there are many good reasons to use them as a starting point.

Studying far from home is an exciting prospect, full of new places, people and adventures in an unfamiliar land.

But what if your desire to go abroad is more strategic? Securing that sought-after graduate job is a worthwhile aspiration to keep in mind, and a study abroad experience can be important for your future career.

Whether or not you hope to use multiple languages in the workplace, international experience gives you precisely the skills that employers are looking for in a global business environment.