Study Abroad .

The COVID-19 or Corono virus outbreak has had a heavy toll on millions of lives around the globe. The uncertainty of Corona has shattered the hopes of many students studying in Europe. Let’s quickly see some of the most pressing issues that international students studying in Europe are going through or expect in the coming weeks or months:

# 1 Students are deprived of personal attention, one-on-one teaching, tests or exams. Most universities have nothing on the cards as for on-campus activities such as lectures. Only online classes and examinations are held. Thesis defense and exams may be put into hold or conducted in different formats, which means the students need to play the waiting game.

# 2 All international borders have been either sealed or insulated and only permanent residents or nationals are allowed if there are valid reasons. How this can impact foreign students in autumn this year is still unclear, but you should keep yourself updated on the latest developments so that you can plan in advance.

# 3 Actions taken to combat COVID-19 such as lockouts, deferment of high school award or degrees can only add to the delay in the admission process. This means high schools need to rethink its strategy to adjust to the current COVID-19 situation as it is not technically feasible for a student to meet all requirements, failing to do which will put a large number of students into a spot of bother.

# 4 Another thing to note here is this pandemic is not only affecting teaching or the study program, but also the eligibility of applicants and administration at large. A lot of universities have indefinitely postponed the application deadlines. You need to check the website or social media pages of your preferred institution (s) regularly for updated information.

If you are not able to meet eligibility criteria within the application deadline due to the challenges thrown by the Corono virus pandemic, you can reach out to us online as we will help you in the application process of your preferred university. You should be better off submitting an incomplete application rather than waiting for things to normalize from an application perspective.

The COVID-19 or Coronavirus has taken the world by storm and looks like this deadly global pandemic is set to disrupt virtually all business sectors across the world. The education sector is no exception. What’s been deeply concerning in the study abroad sector is that COVID-19 has shattered the dreams and hopes of millions of Indians aspiring to study abroad.

Several students with study abroad plans have also witnessed suspension of visa processes and classes owing to the COVID-19 situation. Most study abroad aspirants would ideally want to go before classes commence mainly for internships as well as to get used to the set-up and environment. But with the lock down in place, it is difficult to catch up with the lost time. The idea of taking up an internship abroad can also be a distant dream for many aspirants.

We, at Gees Consultants, advise aspirants to stay motivated and keep focused on the goals as this temporary setback shouldn’t spur you into considering alternate plans and set aside your long-term education and career objectives. All said and done, the situation looks pretty much grim, and might impact long term plans for many aspirants.

Students who have already got an admission to foreign universities by paying a hefty fee have been disappointed with many universities shifting classes online—considered the only viable option in the present crisis. Interviews and announcements for many fellowship opportunities and funding have been put on hold.  

For applications in process, aspirants have been made to wait indefinitely as the number of corona virus cases is on the rise and now that the lockdown period has been extended in many countries, the wait is not yet over.

We are working hard to conduct interviews online as much as possible through meeting tools and phone so that no process is disrupted under any circumstance.

Do you need to postpone your international studies for the beginning of 2021? This blog is written keeping in mind that things won’t improve in the immediate future, and if you’re optimistic of a quick revival of the current situation, you may well ignore reading this blog:

We, at Gees Consultants, still got you covered. You can start around this COVID-19 lockout period and get ready for future study options by January 2021. So, here is a self-help guide until you start applying:

• Check our list of International courses and programs by calling us or referring to them online. 
• Focus only on the study programs that enthuse you.
• Do a match making with what you’d want to study and the country. 
• Check out study options based on careers after you graduate.
•  Select the best fit program that matches with your goals and experience.
• Get quality additional information from reliable sources online. After all information is power.
• After the lockout is over, you can gain some professional experience by applying for an internship, part-time job or volunteering. You may know that universities love a heavy resume.
• Get ready for language test and take PTE, IELTS and TOEFL the most popular English language assessments, from the comfort of your home, online.Almost all universities consider these tests as a metric. This means you can prove your English even if that means you need to wait for the coming year. 
• You can take up GRE® or GMAT tests from the convenience of your home. These tests are also available online.  

We advise you to make the best possible use of time during this lockout period staying indoors, remaining safe, doing thorough research, comparing and weighing the different International education options available and figuring out the best possible options to apply in the coming academic year.

If you’re an Indian student, the most preferred destination for study abroad is the UK. Canada is not far behind in terms of preference. When it comes to Japan, India shares certain commonalities including Sanskrit, Buddhism, spirituality, music, etc. Japan being an ageing society pins its future hopes on the likes of automation and robotics. The demand for engineers in Japan is as high as 2 lakh IT engineers. Most countries that offer study abroad opportunities expect students to clear the Language Proficiency Test or LPT as minimum eligibility. 

Thorough research:
Most industry experts recommend that students need to be clear about what their area of interest is, and where they want to go in order to pursue their professional careers. Every single decision must be aligned to your goal or objective. Find out if your study abroad destination provides a work permit while you’re studying.  Students must do a thorough research of the courses or programs offered by a particular university, and their application process all by themselves first before approaching any consultancy. Next, focus on the visa process as prescribed by the visa office.

Co-curricular activities:
Experts also opine that students make a list of universities that suit their preferences, and match-making here is really imperative. Again, understanding your needs and wants with your preferred study abroad destination and university is pertinent here. Mentioning co-curricular activities in your resume will carry a lot of weight when applying for a program. Though most universities abroad offer hands-on practical programs, it is still important to check on the university’s website. Furthermore, these universities allow graduates to work as trainees after course completion. The details can also be received from the consulate directly. Inundated with loads of doubts? Touch with us directly as we’ll show you the path to global education.

There are three types of intelligence critical for survival in today’s cut-throat competitive world. Studying abroad at its best can enhance your mental capacity (IQ), your cultural adaptability (CQ) and your emotional intelligence (EQ).

Improved Cultural Intelligence (CQ):
The Society for Human Resource Management in one of its publications has it that finding the right employee who can break cultural barrier in creating a truly global company has become a nightmare for many international companies and MNCs. And mind you it just doesn’t stop with someone becoming proficient in a foreign language. It becomes imperative that companies educate their top employees about cultural intelligence. This said there is a cost involved in training them. 

Employees who already have study abroad or study international experience form better candidates for top positions because of a high level of Cultural Intelligence displaying the following:

1. High level of anticipation and future-oriented when it comes to cross-cultural situations.
2.  A high degree of understanding of multicultural situations.
3.  Positive attitude and extrovert in support others, thereby breaking culturally diverse backgrounds.
4. Adjusting verbal and non-verbal behaviors in response to the cultural environment of the situation.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ):
Research studies have pointed to the fact that students with international studies have greater Emotional Intelligence marked by greater team collaborative spirit, empathy, lateral thinking, open-mindedness and ability.

Enhanced IQ:
The diversity of teaching methods and techniques helps increase the Intelligent Quotient (IQ) of students having completed International Education. This is one of the most sought after attributes in the rat race to corporate success. There is so much exposure in any study abroad program that it transforms the entire thought process of how to address problems and turn them into potential opportunities. Great corporations were built by carefully picked leaders who had the opportunity to study abroad and execute ideas that captured global attention.

Select a study abroad program that makes you not just a pampered employee in an internationally accredited firm, but a global leader who can steer a firm to foreign shores successfully amidst looming economic uncertainty and downturn.