The world is wide open to CRICS students! How do you decide which country to apply to? As you can see on the “Where have CRICS students attended” page, our students have gone to several countries for various reasons. Here are a few factors to think about when considering which countries to apply to.

1. What is your home country?

What are the benefits to consider with home countries? Many countries have financial advantages for their citizens. Do you qualify for them? Do you have family yet in your home country that could be important support? On the other hand, have you ever lived in your home country? How fluent are you in your home language?

2. What is your budget?

Determining your budget is important to determine before you start the application process. Some schools can be as much as $80,000!

3. What is the language of the country and the school?

There are many options of English medium schools in non-English speaking countries. Before applying confirm that the WHOLE program is in English. In addition, what are the internship opportunities for non-native speakers? Being able to have work experience/internship should be a priority for your university experience. Transitioning to another culture for university is hard enough without the stress of a language barrier.

4. What is the culture of the area you are considering?

Thailand has a wonderful, relational culture. The importance of the relationship is priority and this is shown through greetings, interactions, friendships, and indirect communication. Many cultures functions with this priority but not all. Some countries can be perceived as hard to get to know people and very direct which can make it hard fit in because the priorities look different.

5. What is the international population at the schools your are considering?

Having a genuinely international population is important to find. Many schools boast an international community but almost all international students come from the neighboring country.

6. Is the school accredited?

We want to be sure the degree you earn is valid and usable in whichever country you plan to live and work.

7. What do you plan to study and where you plan to work after graduation?

Majors like law, medicine, education, and architecture vary greatly between countries. The amount of time for study (can you do it as a first degree or will it require a masters or even a PhD?), the number of internationals accepted, and the ability to use the major in another country are all factors you might need to consider when you consider which countries to apply to.

Why should these factors matter? It is just about getting an education, right? Yes, we want you to be successful academically, but if you are struggling in your day to day interactions, feel isolated, or not supported, the academics suffer too.