Short-term vs long-term study abroad courses

Congratulations on your decision to study abroad! You are on your way to a world of new experiences and revelations. Before you ponder about the many possibilities that lie ahead, be certain about your goals for taking this leap. Are you considering an intense academic experience, a short course to sharpen your skills or just testing the water before you go for a long-time commitment? Analyse what drives you to study abroad, then choose your course keeping in mind tangible and intangible benefits like your return of investments, personal enrichment and future application. Here are a few aspects to help you with your decision on how to choose between a short term and long term course.

Test the waters: You aspire to study at a foreign institution but are unsure if it is the right fit, or you might be fascinated by an unconventional subject but do not know what studying it entails.  When there is some uncertainty in the decision-making process, a short-term course may help you answer your queries. It also plays to clear your doubts by providing you an inside look of the university ambience. Taking a short course will make you confident about your decision, familiarise you to the new academic and cultural landscape and prepare you for a wholesome involvement.  

Meet a specific career need: If you are exploring career enhancement programs, check out short-term courses abroad. Front runner universities offer a kaleidoscopic catalogue of the latest skills and professional studies. A short-term course allows you to:

• With an ever-changing corporate environment, it’s important to stay on top of the latest trends and techniques.  Short programs can expand your knowledge in your field, allow you to acquire skills in new technologies and methods that have developed.
   
• Short-term courses also provide you a platform to learn more about long-term programs on a similar line. Before you opt for a full-time MBA program, you can take a short or introductory course on Business Intelligence and Leadership.
   
• If a promotion is coming your way, or if you are looking to switch careers or take on additional tasks beyond your main responsibilities, an appropriate short program program can lay the right framework.  

Broaden your horizons: A longer engagement in your chosen area of study will help you acquire comprehensive knowledge, deeper understanding and greater applicability in practice.

• A potential barrier to entry may be a certain certification or degree, thus long-term courses focused on building and enhancing the specific gaps along with an internship may be your only option.
   
• A longer term abroad allows you the scope to actively participate in various on-campus events, associate with research programmes !

Cost and benefits: A great dividing factor between a short-term and a long-term program is the cost each incur and the support available. For example, while at Harvard the total cost of a summer program amounts to US$15000 -US$18000, the cost of a degree course rounds off to US$65000-US$72000/year. It’s important to weigh out the costs versus the benefits. Do not base your course decision on cost alone, instead gauge which program is the best fit and then work towards pursuing that option.

• Before you sign in for a short-term course abroad, dig into the program fees including financial aid options. Whereas long-term courses are often backed by institutional or government aid.
   
• The silver lining for international students wanting to study abroad is that there are many kinds of scholarships and sponsorships available based on merit and need for long-term as well as short-term programs.
   
• Another point that you must keep in mind when applying for short-term programs is to check for areas like credit transfer, accreditation, travel opportunities, and relevance of the program to your career etc.

(The writer is Founder and Chief Education Officer, ReachIvy.com)