Study Abroad Consultants Vs Self-Apply: What is Best for You?
Studying abroad is one of the trending topics nowadays. With increased awareness, students have realised the benefits of international education in accessing the global job markets. According to PIE news, around 1.3 million Indian students are studying abroad in 2024.
Applicants have two main ways by which they can explore the opportunities of studying abroad, either via study abroad consultants or self-application (do it yourself).
This blog will help you explore the key differences and broader aspects of handling your study abroad application through consultancies and managing the process independently.
- What are Study Abroad Consultants?
- Types of Services Offered by the Study Abroad Consultants
- What is Self-Application or Do It Yourself (DIY)?
- Key Steps in Self-Application
- How Can Study Abroad Consultants Help You Facing Challenges?
- Study Abroad Consultants vs Self-Application: Pros and Cons
- AdmitX - One of the Best Study Abroad Consultancies in Delhi
- Conclusion
- FAQs
What are Study Abroad Consultants?
Study abroad consultants, or overseas education consultants, are highly qualified professionals and experts in the overseas education sector. They provide application assistance, career guidance, and lifestyle-related help to students desiring to pursue higher education abroad.
Types of Services Offered by the Study Abroad Consultants
Overseas education consultants provide the following types of services:
Matchmaking Service
Matchmaking is orienting students’ aspirations, dreams, and careers to the best available course, study program, and university. When students approach a study abroad consultant, the following information is gathered to understand their goals and objectives better.
- Complete Educational Background
- Complete Professional Background
- Skills and Expertise
- Areas of Interest
- Extracurricular Activities
- Honours and Achievements
- Hobbies
- Possible Career Path, etc.
Test Preparation
Study abroad consultants also help students prepare for standardised tests like the TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, GRE, GMAT, etc., through their comprehensive course and test materials.
College/University Application Assistance
- The primary objective of this service is to assist candidates in completing the university application process.
- Based on the information provided by the student, consultants create an individual profile and evaluate it to recommend suitable universities and programs.
- They also provide guidance in shortlisting universities and preferred courses based on the student’s budget, location, and other factors.
- Overseas education consultants help candidates frame their letters of recommendation, statements of purpose, CVs, personal statements, and essays according to university standards. These are the important documents required for completing the university application process.
- A study abroad agency provides an application strategy for a candidate to complete the application process on time.
Visa Assistance
- Overseas education consultants also provide visa-related assistance.
- They ensure students submit the paperwork and meet all requirements, such as maintaining a minimum annual budget to afford the living expenses in the specific country and opening foreign bank accounts.
Scholarship Assistance
- Based on merit and financial need, students can apply for scholarships to afford their studies and other expenses overseas.
- A study abroad agency helps students explore the wide range of scholarships, financial grants, and bursaries specific to them.
- In addition, study abroad consultancies like AdmitX also provide scholarships and additional perks to make students’ study abroad journeys smoother.
Settling Abroad
- Study abroad consultants provide accommodation and housing-related assistance to students.
- Consultants also assist students in connecting with university career development services and foreign networks to help them harness academic and professional skills and opportunities.
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What is Self-Application or Do It Yourself (DIY)?
When candidates independently manage their overall study abroad process without taking the help of a consultancy or agency, it is referred to as do-it-yourself or self-application. There are no significant differences between moving the study abroad application through a consultancy and independently. However, with the proper guidance and support, you can streamline the whole process, increasing the application’s success rate.
Key Steps in Self-Application
When you are not involving any consultant or agency, you must take care of the following points while exploring overseas education opportunities.
- Determine the career path by understanding and evaluating the academic and professional performance and aligning them with your dreams.
- Find the countries, universities, and courses offering the desired academic values and career opportunities.
- Go through the specific university or course brochure to better understand the curriculum and other details, such as the cost of study, course structure, eligibility criteria, required documents, career path, class profile, etc.
- Shortlist the country, university, and degree programs based on your specific criteria like location, affordability, career opportunities, interest, etc.
- Prepare and appear for the standardised tests like GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.
- Arrange all the required documents.
- Based on the specific application timeline, start making an application process on the university application portal.
- Appear for the interview, if required.
- After completing the whole process and getting a positive response from the university, wait for the offer letter.
- Apply for the study visa by submitting the required documents.
- You can leave the home country after getting the visa and completing the emigration process.
How Can Study Abroad Consultants Help You Facing Challenges?
Here, we have described how study abroad consultants can assist a candidate in facing some of the common challenges.
| Common Challenges | How Study Abroad Consultants Can Help You? |
|---|---|
| Inability to understand own desires and aspirations | Study abroad consultants provide personalised career counselling |
| Confusion in selecting the right course and university | Study abroad consultants create and evaluate the candidate profile to facilitate them to choose the right program and university from a wide range of list |
| Difficulty in writing CVs, SOPs, LORs, etc. | Study abroad consultants offer support in writing impactful CVs, SOPs, LORs, etc., as per university requirements |
| Application Process and Deadlines | Overseas education consultants help streamline the application process so that candidates can meet the application deadlines as per university requirement |
| Visa related issues | Study abroad agencies help candidates in Arranging visa application documents Preparing for visa interviews Tracking application process |
| Financial Aids, Bank Accounts, Currency Conversions | Study abroad agencies provide- Scholarship assistance Loans and bursary assistance International cards like Forex cards to make financial transactions International bank assistance |
Study Abroad Consultants vs Self-Application: Pros and Cons
| Context | Study Abroad Consultants | Self-Application |
|---|---|---|
| Guidance | Assistance from experienced study abroad experts to solve the issues and doubts personally. | Due to inexperience, it may consume much time and give undesired results. |
| Cost | Affordable and budget-friendly, some are even free of cost. | No cost. |
| Risk of Mistakes | The risk of making mistakes is low. | The risk of mistakes is high in the documentation and application until the individual has proper knowledge and updates. |
| Knowledge and Experience | Candidates can utilise the insights of experts while choosing the best-fit program and university. | Lack of experience may increase the chances of failure. |
| Securing Funds and Scholarships | They have the best resources and connections to offer funding and scholarship assistance. | Candidates conduct independent research to get funding opportunities. |
AdmitX – One of the Best Study Abroad Consultancies in Delhi
AdmitX is committed to providing expert guidance and assistance to study abroad candidates. Our priority is to encourage the students to pursue overseas studies by understanding their objectives and, therefore, facilitating them to connect their aspirations with them. Our services are available all over the country, round the clock. Currently, we are providing the following services:
- 1-1 strategy building
- Customised action plan to choose best-fit universities and courses
- Preparation plan for standardised tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, GMAT, GRE, and others
- University and visa application assistance
- Scholarship and loan assistance
- Guidance on finding suitable accommodation
Conclusion
Studying abroad is one of the most important aspects of one’s life. The role of overseas education consultants is to guide students through their study abroad journey. They are well-qualified and experienced individuals who assist in selecting the right university and course, managing application timelines, getting financial support, navigating the complex visa process, etc.
One of the most significant advantages of taking guidance from an experienced study abroad professional is that it makes the overall process smoother and faster.
FAQs
Can consultants guarantee admission?
Study abroad consultants can guide and strengthen your application, but they don’t guarantee admission.
Are study abroad consultants worth it?
Study abroad consultants have prior experience relevant to the overseas education system. Consultants handle tasks such as completing the university application and visa processes on behalf of candidates. It facilitates students’ ability to focus on other things at that time.
What are the advantages of study abroad consultancies?
The advantages of study abroad consultancies are:
- They provide guidance on making important career decisions.
- They help improve the quality of applications.
- They provide guidance on visa applications, interviews, and post-admission processes such as accommodation arrangements, insurance, and travel.
- They assist in financing the cost of study and living expenses.
How much do study abroad consultants charge in India?
Study abroad consultants charge on a package, commission, and service type basis, which might vary depending on the agency. Most of the consultants like AdmitX provide guidance free of cost because they have tie-ups with universities.
What services do study abroad consultants provide?
The primary services that study abroad consultants provide are:
- University and visa-related application assistance
- Personalised strategic counselling
- Fee and scholarship-related assistance
- Standardised test preparation package
- Accommodation and travel assistance
