Study Abroad: Less Popular Destinations With Great Opportunities

In this article, we want to take a look at some less popular offshore destinations for students who wish to study abroad. Places like the US, Canada, the UK, Germany and Australia are already on everybody’s minds. But there are other less travelled, less known countries off the beaten track that offer high quality of life, quality education, scholarships, and the opportunity to find a job and continue your life after your schooling. What’s even better is that it is far easier to get into these countries because they don’t have as many stringent immigration rules as the more popular countries.

Without further ado, let’s have a look at them.

Norway

Norway is perhaps not so much unknown as a study destination, but we just had to put this first because it deserves it. Located in Northern Europe, the country has universities featuring among the top 500 in the world. The University of Oslo ranks 135th, and the University of Bergen is placed at 171st. 

Public universities in Norway are tuition-free. Yes, that’s right – free. You’re only required to pay membership fees per semester, in the region of 300 to 600 Norwegian Krone. That’s just 15,000 to 30,000 naira (as of the time of writing). Yet there are still scholarship opportunities in Norway, so you can check your eligibility with the university you choose.

Norwegian universities offer courses in both Norwegian and English, and a good number of the locals speak English, so language will not be a problem. Once you’ve got your degree, you have the opportunity to stay behind and look for a job. Employment is not so hard to get.

You might want to brace yourself for the cold weather though. 

Ireland

Not island – although both are pronounced the same, and although the country itself is in fact an island. Ireland is not the name that comes to most Nigerians’ minds when they think to japa, but it is in fact a top European country with opportunities for a better quality of life. Part of the UK until 1922, the country is an independent republic that lies on the left side of Great Britain. The northern part of the region, called Northern Ireland, is still part of the United Kingdom. 

If you wish to study abroad, you should seriously consider this destination. Irish universities are actually among the best in the world and the country has some attractive scholarship opportunities for foreign students. These scholarships are sponsored by the Government, some universities or some private organisations. You should check closely for any opportunities that will work for you.

What’s more, Ireland has a generous stay-back option. Students who have been awarded degrees from Irish universities have the opportunity to stay back and find employment. And just as well, there is a high prospect of getting a good job in the country after graduation.

Malta

If you love the Mediterranean Sea, or you just can’t bear to be too far away from Africa, then you might want to consider Malta. The little European island nation lies just off the coast of Tunisia. It was part of the British Empire for over a hundred years, up until 1964. Therefore, about 90 per cent of the population speak English. It is the official language, alongside Maltese.

Most Nigerians perhaps know Malta more for Malta Guinness than as a place you can study abroad. Immigration to Malta deserves serious consideration. It’s one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe, and the Government of Malta has different scholarship opportunities available for non-EU, international students. Some of the schools also provide partial and full scholarships for students. The best way to find out about scholarship offers from the schools and the eligibility criteria is to consult the school directly. You can do this through their website.

New Zealand

Popularly called the land of the Kiwi, New Zealand is located in the far southeastern part of the world. The country has many peculiar and interesting features that will attract any international visitor. Besides the fact that New Zealand doesn’t have snakes and that the sun rises there before anywhere else in the world, it is also a fantastic spot for any student seeking to pitch up his tent somewhere away from our dear homeland. 

New Zealand has many study abroad scholarships available for international students, including at PhD and Masters’ degree levels. These scholarships could be offered by the New Zealand Government, educational institutions, philanthropists or private organisations. Students have the opportunity to work for 20 hours a week during the semester and up to 40 hours during the holidays. After your education, you can apply for a post-study work visa, if you are able to secure a job in the country. There is no scarcity of jobs in the country, but the ease of the process depends on your discipline and your abilities. Your work experience during your time as a student can also count in your favour.

Finland

Welcome to the land of the midnight sun. In some periods of the year, the sun never goes down in Finland. It stays on the horizon even at midnight. In the country, you can also see the legendary aurora borealis – the northern lights. But let’s take a look at the student immigration opportunities in Finland.

There are many international students who come to Finland to work and study. The country boasts a good university education system and has a high quality of life. There are scholarship opportunities, but they might be few and far between. Another downside is that the country requires anybody studying for longer than three months to apply for a student visa. This is usually in the range of €350, which is upwards of 170,000 naira.

However, once you have secured admission to a university and got a visa, you can freely work and study in the country. After your education, you have the opportunity to stay behind if you get a job. If you do not get a job by the time you graduate, you can easily apply for a stay-back visa which allows you to stay and look for a job within a year.

If you do choose to try out Finland, we must warn you of the cold. In most parts of the year, especially the long winters, the temperature regularly drops towards the region of 0° C and below! 

Also Read: Cheapest Provinces of Canada to Live In