Going overseas?
UK, US or Australia? A Brief Introducation.
So you are one of the lucky few who have been presented the opportunity for an overseas education. Since it seems that everyone can now fly, the big question is – WHERE DO I GO??
The good people at the DECC have prepared a non-exhaustive, very summarized comparison of 3 of the most popular overseas study destinations for Malaysians – it’s Great Britain vs. The US of A. vs. The Land Down Under.
|
|
|
|
|
| Cost – all inclusive, fees and estimated living expenses | Up to GBP20,000 per year. May be higher for Science courses. = up to RM140,000 per year |
Up to USD50,000 per year (inclusive of living expenses, etc.) = up to RM175,000 per year |
Up to AUD 40,000 per year (inclusive of living expenses, etc) = up to RM120,000 per year |
| Duration for UndergraduateDegree | 3 years | Typically 4 years | Typically 3 years + 1 year for an Honours degree (Exceptional case: Engineering degree) |
| Mode of Assessment | Heavily exam oriented. Exams usually held at the end of term. Minimal assessed work during term time that contributes to final exams | Depends; typically a combination of exams and assessed coursework | Depends. Most cases are about 60% exam (Final and Mid semester) and 40% coursework (Lab reports, assignments, essays etc) |
| Most commonadmissions course | A – Levels | A-Levels or International Baccalaureate | Australian Matriculations Course (SAM, AUSMAT, MUFY etc) |
| Admissions process | Centralised admissions throughout the UK, run by UCAS. Involves writing of personal statement and references from teachers. Oxbridge applicants have a separate application form and an interview. |
Depends; many are centralised through the Common Application, but many more are not. One or more essays, as well as teacher recommendations, are required. | Admissions can be done through IDP, AusEd etc to individual university. No interviews are involved except for medical degree. |
| Additional entrance conditions | |
SAT Reasoning Test or American College Test (mandatory) and SAT Subject Tests. An English competency test such as TOEFL may be required. |
English competency tests such as IELTS or TOEFL are frequently required |
Bottom Line
Now that you’ve got the bare facts on the most popular destinations, we have compiled the opinions of several students who’ve been through it all. Here is what they think.
Tan Chin Han, University of Cambridge
Pros : A big attraction of the UK education system is the exam-based assessment. This could be partly due to the fact that we’re all so used to this in our local education system, and additionally, a BIG exam at the end of the year allows a good understanding of the whole course and this is great for grasping big concepts. Also, the stress of being continually assessed would probably be too much for me to handle !
Cons : Exam term is incredibly stressful! Coupled with a personal observation that lectures are only a guide to what needs to be learnt and a lot of self-directed work is expected, getting good grades will not come by easy without hard work.
John Lee, Dartmouth College
Pros : I would say the liberal arts philosophy, which emphasises the production of a well-rounded individual - science students are expected to take courses in the humanities, and vice-versa. Not having to declare your major until the second year of your degree (in many universities) also gives you time to decide based on the courses you have taken, instead of going in blind. Last but definitely not least, the heavy expenses are mitigated by financial aid, which is often available from many American universities!
Cons : Some complain that they are not able to specialise deeply enough in their chosen field. (Hardly any university there offers a major in, say, biotechnology or actuarial science.) The different culture and society may make adjusting to university life difficult. The additional requirements imposed, such as essays and extra exams, may make the applications process burdensome.
Tim Mak, Monash University
Pros: Paper applications to Australian universities are pretty much less tedious in comparison with UK or US universities. Education centers like IDP or AusEd can basically settle all your applications from A-Z and after that all you need to do is to get an air ticket. With continuous assessment during the semester, I believe it is beneficial to learn your mistakes through the semester and make necessary improvements.
Cons: Hectic and stressful semester (usually about 13 weeks a semester) crammed with loads of reports and weekly tests that will contribute to the final marks. Need a lot of effort to keep alert during the whole semester as it is continually assessed (can be very stressful too). Living in big cities like Melbourne and Sydney can cost as much as in UK or US. Financial aids from universities are usually rare and the competitions are fierce.
Loading ...