Any Americans studying overseas?

[GoingAwol]

I've been doing some research and I'm seriously considering studying overseas in Ukraine. College is cheap as hell over there and the cost of living is really low too. Any advice?

[gsjackson]

Make sure the program you want is taught in English. Unless you speak Russian or Ukrainian.

[GoingAwol]

Yep,
I'm aware of that. Luckily it looks they have a variety of courses taught in English.

[Ghost]

.

[MrMan]

I think this will be a trend in the future. American education is expensive because the government subsidies incredibly high amounts of money for student loans, with no restrictions on whether tuition is reasonable. They will subsides huge loans for expensive sub-par schools like U. Phoenix.

But you can go to a developing country and pay really low amounts for tuition. About 15 years ago, my wife's tuition when I met her was something like $50 a semester. That may have been low, but it gives you an idea. You may be looking at hundreds a semester for tuition overseas, cheap food, cheap rent, and expensive flights home. Still, the math can work out better. If you study and teach English on the side, it may turn out well.

The thing is, unless the school is an affiliate of the US, I doubt you can get loans, but you can use GI Bill money to study abroad. You don't have to pay that back, so the financial incentives to study abroad aren't as great.

I'm just thinking there are probably some technical and art diplomas you can get overseas where you'd actually have skills to compete in the job market. Maybe automechanic schools in some places could be a good deal.

Some of the foreign schools operate differently. It's not a smorgasbord of electives and choices of classes at some of those schools. It's like high school. You change classes with everyone in your group at some of the schools. I don't know about large, internationally accredited schools in Asia. Those could be different. Some schools don't have a very clear track to graduation and students linger around until they finish. Indonesian schools often require little writing, but ask for a whole thesis to let you graduate. So you could got a place where policies and procedures are vague, and that could be stressful.

An advantage to studying abroad would be if you wanted to pick up a language. If you were a certified school teacher and there were a demand for Chinese teachers, for example, and you got a masters in Chinese language education in China, that might be a good way to go.

[Moretorque]

I hope wherever you go the education is much better than the USA.

[MrMan]

I hope wherever you go the education is much better than the USA.

Having worked in education overseas, I cannot say it will necessarily be better.

[GoingAwol]

Mr.Man,
That's the plan. I'm going to try to get a job teaching English in Ukraine and go to school there. The schooling and overall cost of living is really cheap there plus I have a huge thing for Eastern European women so the location works for me in a lot of ways. I guess it will depend on what the whole situation with Russia looks like. If things are good and things work out I'll go in 2016.

[Jester]

This simply the best HA plan in existence, bar none.

Absolutely nothing better.

You get a better education, datable coeds, language immersion, residency. You avoid debt, and years of misery and slavery.

+100