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  1. University Rankings

     

    There are a lot of discussions lately on the best route for higher education.

    The discussions are centered upon

    • the ranking of universities
    • the financial considerations
    • the paying of full fees for foreign students
    • doing part-time jobs in foreign countries

    However, all these issues are actually interlinked and should be discussed bearing in mind all the other issues in the big picture.

    The highest ranking universities are in United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada and Swizerland. According to The Times, the ranking in 2010 are:

    1. Harvard University (US)
    2. California Institute of Technology (US)
    3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
    4. Stanford University (US)
    5. Princeton University (US)
    6. University of Cambridge (UK)
    7. University of Oxford (UK)
    8. University of California - Berkeley (US)
    9. Imperial College London (UK)
    10. Yale University (US)
    11. University of California - Los Angeles (US)
    12. University of Chicago (US)
    13. John Hopkins University (US)
    14. Cornell University (US)
    15. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Switzerland)
    16. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (US)
    17. University of Toronto (Canada)
    18. Columbia University (US)
    19. University of Pennsylvania (US)
    20. Carnegie Mellon University (US)

    However, these universities charge tuition fees of about $40,000 (USD) per year. A  four year course in these universities will generally cost a minimum of about $300,000 (USD) including cost of living, depending on the location.

    Not many of us can afford this amount of money for our education. Due to financial constraints, most students will not be able to make it unless they are given a scholarship from the universities or any other agencies.

    Due to the rising costs of education, students will have consider other good universities. For example, they may want to consider studying for a short while in emerging economies like Malaysia. That way, they can reduce the cost to a large degree. Or they could consider mastering their English by studying in an institution in a developing country first.

     

     

     

  2. Managing Your Finances

     

    It is normal for students to work part time while studying in universities in developed countries.IThis is understandable because university costs keep rising and are often beyond the reach of an average middle income family.

    When my youngest daughter went to college in US, she needed around  USD$30,000 a year even with a scholarship. This amount naturally posed a great challenge for our family. We have spent years saving for this particular need. Of course my daughter, like all the other students also helped to support herself by working part time on campus.

    I would like to give you the latest immigration regulation in US, so that if you are looking to work part time to supplement your college fund, you will know what to expect.

    Firstly, if you are holding a student visa (F1), you are not allowed to work during your first year of study. After your first year, you can work on campus for not more than 20 hours a week. However, during extended holidays or during summer, you can work full time for 40 hours a week. Part time work on campus will normally be paid about $8.00 per hour.

    Secondly, you are not allowed to work off campus unless it is education related and authorized by the Designated School Official.

    Basically these are tough economic times and you really need to work hard on your studies and at the same time, work on campus to help your family finance your education.

    Scholarships

    Most American universities award scholarships based upon your SAT scores and CGPA. I hope you will set your heart to work hard at your studies. To win a good scholarship you will need to get a high (1200) SAT score.

    Every year, your GPA points should be around 3.8 to keep your scholarship. You should also be involved in extra curricular activities. These are important guidelines for you to remember.

     

     

     

  3. Studying in Developed Countries

     

    Studying In USA

    USA has many highly competitive and Ivy League universities and colleges. The majority of students attending these universities and colleges were in the top 10% to 25% of their graduating class  as well as being active in extracurricular activities. They demonstrated self motivation and leadership, scored well in SAT and/ or ACT and showed themselves to be passionate about learning.

    Today, it is very difficult to gain admission into these colleges and universities. However, USA has many other competitive universities that are ranked in the top 200 in the world. They have many good schools, and over the years have trained many students to work in various industries in America and all over the world.

    Entance to American universities will depend upon students' SAT and/ or ACT scores. Foreign students can apply straight to the university of their choice for admission.

     

    Studying in Canada

    Canada has many good universities. For example, University of Toronto is ranked 17th in the world.

    Acceptance into the university of your choice is mainly based upon your grades. Foreign students are requested to also submit an essay, statement of intent or personal statement of experience and these must be submitted directly to the faculty being applied for. Additionally, letters of reference, examples of extracurricular involvement, additional community service endeavours, athletic participation, awards and scholarships won may be required items for acceptance into some of Canada's top programs.

     

    Studying in Australia

    At the time of writing, Australia's highest ranking university is University of Melbourne which ranks 60th in the world. There are also many other good universities in Australia like Australian National University (ranked 70), University of Queensland (ranked 86) and University of Sydney (ranked 96).

    Students are accepted into Australian universities based upon their A Level or HSC results.

     

    Studying in United Kingdom

    United Kingdom has many good universities. University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College, King's College London and University College London are all good universities and ranked highly in world ranking. However, these are highly competitive universities and may require short listed candidates to attend an interview, write a personal statement and obtain a reference for admission.

    Students are selected based upon their A Level, Higher School Certificate, or International Bacalaurate results.

     

    Twinning Programs in Malaysia

    Malaysia is a Commonwealth country with a rich educational heritage from United Kingdom. It has many private institutions that work with US, UK, Australia and Canada universities.

    Many Asian students study English in Malaysia before going over to US, UK, Australia and Canada for their undergraduate studies. Most universities require a certification in English proficiency. After receiving their TOFEL, IELTS or A Level, HSC or IB, they will be accepted by the universities of their choice.

    Private university colleges in Malaysia also offer American or Canadian Programs. Students can study 2 years in Malaysia and transfer some credits to American or Canadian universities. This way, students can save 1/3 of their education costs. However, this route will take students to good universities in America and Canada but not the highly competitive or Ivy League colleges. Many students attend competitive universities for their undergraduate years, and then go to highly competitive universities for their post graduate programs.

    Many other universities from UK and Australia have also set up branch campuses in Malaysia. If you study your undergraduate years in Malaysia, your educational expenditures will only be 1/3 of what will cost you in the main campus. You will also be receiving a certificate from the university which entitles to apply for a post graduate program in the main campus.

    So if you need to work within a budget constraint, you can seriously consider doing part of your education in Malaysia.