SHORT TERM VS LONG TIME 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 ROI, 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. For instance, you dream to study abroad, but are hesitant about how you’ll get along with your international peers or the atmosphere. You want to be sure about whether you are comfortable with the teaching techniques and the curriculum. 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. Once you are exposed to the pros and cons of studying abroad through your short-term course, you’ll know whether your need has generated more need for further international experience. Most students recall the short courses to have catalysed their desire to pursue full time courses abroad.

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:
- Develop Relevant Skills Sets. 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.
- Test Drive Full-Time Options. 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.
- Prepare For A New Role. 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. It allows you to gain specific skills or knowledge in your targeted area.
- Opportunity To Network. A short term program provides you the opportunity to meet and collaborate with industry professionals from across the globe and expand your network.

Broaden your horizons. If you want to tread a new path or gain a significant boost in your skills then a short-term program will not meet these needs. A longer engagement in your chosen area of study will help you acquire comprehensive knowledge, deeper understanding and greater applicability in practice. A long term program allows:
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.
Academic Competence. If you want greater academic rigour, more access to resources, flexibility to opt for exchange programs which is immensely enriching both academically and personally, then a long term program allows you to maximize these objectives.
Diverse opportunities. A long term program goes beyond the academics and explores diverse opportunities to build on your overall development and learning. A longer term abroad allows you the scope to actively participate in various on campus events, join clubs or be a founder of your own club, associate with research programs, mingle with industry stalwarts, be a student contributor and much more!
Holistic curriculum. The degree programs offer a holistic curriculum that engages students equally in academic pursuits as well as extra-curricular activities. You get drawn into the system and it becomes a part of your identity. A greater amount of exposure to an international academic environment naturally leads you to inculcate a global mindset, greater tenacity and world-class educational standard.

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 $15000 -$18000, the cost of a degree course rounds off to $65000 - $72000/year. It’s important to weigh out the costs versus the benefits to identify which option provides the best ROI based on your objectives and constraints. Do not base your course decision on cost alone, instead gauge which program is the best fit and then work towards pursuing that option. A few points to clear the cloud about the expenses and the solution:
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, short courses are not likely to receive special grants.
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. You can win a scholarship through an essay contest to procure funding for your internship or volunteer program.
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.

Studying abroad is life changing, irrevocable investment of your time, energy and money. It demands absolute commitment from your end whether you are aiming for a short-term course or opting for a long-term tenure. Allow yourself time to decide how much you can commit in terms of financial investment and personal engagement. If you are opting for a longer commitment, go ahead as you’ll have nothing to regret. However, you must figure out what your goals and expectations are from the course. Whichever kind of course you are opting for, you must be able to capitalise your certificate for better prospects.

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Vibha Kagzi, Founder and CEO, ReachIvy, holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a Bachelor of Science from Carnegie Mellon University. She has also pursued courses at the University of California, Berkeley, the London School of Economics and the Indian School of Business.

Our global team of counsellors have also acquired their degrees from premier institutes and are passionate about sharing their experiences with students worldwide.