The very idea of studying abroad comes with a lot of confusion and in most cases it becomes frustrating for many Indian students to find the best engineering colleges abroad. But, if you have clarity regarding some fundamental aspects that we are going to discuss in this blog, you will get an idea of what factors to consider while considering an engineering college abroad. By understanding this framework, you can free yourself from the stress of choosing an ideal college for your study abroad endeavors.
Know the ideal course as per your aspirations
Engineering in itself is an ocean and there are dozens of streams to choose from. This abundance can be quite overwhelming. Be it studying abroad or studying in your home country, the clarity regarding what you want to study is quintessential. The course you choose should offer a promising career and help you become the best version of yourself.
So, make a list of all your natural and acquired skills and try figuring out the best engineering course that properly aligns with your skillset and interests. It’s better to make this decision by yourself with little or no interference from others unless you seriously believe that they are experts in this domain.
Choose your destination country
Once you decide what you want to study, it’s time to think about where you want to study. If you are crystal clear about which university you wish to enroll in, this step can skipped as there will be no point in thinking about the destination country, if you have already decided university.
Otherwise, you can consider these factors before choosing your destination country:
- Educational standards
- Immigration Policies
- Part-time employment opportunities
- Climatic conditions,
- Geographical Proximity to India, etc.
Find universities with good placement opportunities
One of the major reasons why students choose to study abroad is to access world-class education and facilities so that they will be job-ready by the time they finish their engineering program.
Effective ways to find universities with good placement records include:
- Browsing the Internet to read opinions of students from across the globe.
- Networking with the alumni to get the real picture of a particular university.
- Checking the reviews in online forums.
Consider University rankings from authentic sources
Numbers make a lot of sense than opinions in a lot of cases. So, it’s highly recommended that while looking for a reputable study abroad program, refer to authentic websites and draw conclusions based on various factors that make a university the best for a particular requirement.
It can be quite confusing to draw conclusions from these sources as different websites use different criteria to rank universities. But you as a student need to use your conscience to use these resources wisely.
Here are some popular websites for university rankings:
QS World University Rankings
QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) was established in 1990 and is one of the leading providers of the stats and analytics of different universities across the world. QS is based out of the UK and provides insights like country-wise university rankings and subject-wise university rankings. QS World University Rankings 2024 were already published and it’s always advised to keep an eye on the latest university rankings.
This website will not only help in comparing different universities but also help you find university-specific information like the estimated tuition fees, campus locations, available programs in a specific university, etc.
US World and News Rankings
Being established in 1983, the US News and World Report has been influential in providing meaningful stats and insights related to higher education. This American Media Company covers various topics and provides information related to world-class universities in the education category.
There are more than 2,165 schools listed on this website for you to compare them using various filters like Location, Subject, Number of Enrolments, etc.
Times Higher Education Rankings
This UK-based magazine publishes the annual university rankings in the name of the Times Higher Education Rankings which is shortly known as “THE”. This website provides global university rankings based on subject as well as reputation.
This magazine also publishes regional rankings for universities in Asia, Latin America, and BRICS which are ranked for specific criteria.
Round University Ranking
It is a Russia-based university ranking that lists 700 major universities in the world. It uses 20 key indicators which are focused around key areas like teaching, research, international diversity, and financial sustainability.
This allows study abroad aspirants like you to asses and compare universities based on subject and various other factors to figure out the best university for your specific requirement.
Also Read: Study Engineering in the USA
Effective ways to use tools to find the best engineering college abroad
For the sake of understanding, let’s consider the example of QS World University rankings to figure out how to effectively use these university ranking websites to filter the best engineering colleges to study abroad.
Let’s suppose you visited top universities website after searching for the best universities for the year 2023 in the subject of engineering and technology. The interface will be quite self-explanatory and you just need to play around with the different filter options available to draw meaningful conclusions.
You can filter university rankings by year, location, subject, etc. to get the list of top universities as per your requirements. After the list is displayed, you can click on a specific university to find the programs offered by that university along with the tuition fee and scholarships which helps you find the best engineering colleges abroad with scholarships.
Conclusion
To summarize, when choosing the best engineering college abroad, it is paramount to consider certain factors like the university’s reputation, placement record, scholarship opportunities, etc. Students like you can get a basic idea about all of these factors by using online resources. However, expert guidance is needed before leaping in as a single mistake can ruin your entire overseas education experience. We hope you got an idea of how to leverage online resources like university ranking websites to figure out the best engineering college to study abroad.
FAQs
To study engineering abroad after 12 from India, you need to clear standardized tests like the SAT and language proficiency exams like IELTS & TOEFL along with impressive scores in class 12 to get admission into top universities.
Public universities in Germany offer free education in Germany irrespective of the nationality of the student. Hence Germany can be considered one of the most cost-effective study abroad destinations to study engineering.
Language barriers in countries that don’t have English as their first language and cultural shocks can be some of the challenges of studying engineering or any other course while studying abroad. But, you as an international student need to adjust yourself
Academic Transcripts are crucial for applying to engineering colleges abroad along with scores on tests like the SAT, IELTS, and TOEFL. A diligently crafted Statement of Purpose(SOP) along with letters of recommendation also plays an important role in increasing your chances of admission.
