Everyone has a different reason to pursue a Master’s degree. Some do it for career progression, some for better job prospects, and some just for fun. Going abroad for a Master of Science adds another layer to the whole experience, as then you have to adapt to the country-level changes that will occur in your life.

Before you set your sight for a Master of Science program in a country other than your own, you should be aware of some basic facts:

A Master of Science degree is highly competitive. Any top graduate program is highly selective, and only the best applicants get through. In the crowd, you need to stand out, in order to achieve your career goals. That means a lot of hard work, commitment to your program goals, multitasking, networking, all at the same time.

Are you ready for another year (or more) of university study?

If you’ve just finished three years of undergraduate work, you might have some understandable ‘study fatigue’. Remember that you don’t have to begin your Masters immediately after your Bachelors.

A period in work could help you take a break from studying and reflect on your goals. You might even put yourself in a better position to afford a Masters. (You can always come back and study part-time, or via distance learning).

Are you studying the right qualification?

Postgraduate study is very varied, with various types of Masters degree and other qualifications. Some develop academic expertise. Others have more obvious professional and vocational applications. Some include lots of research. Others are much more applied.

Review all the options available to you and pick a course that fits your interests and goals.

If you have decided to get a Master’s degree, can you pay for it? The programs are quite expensive, considering the dollar and euro exchange rates. A typical Master’s degree in the US would cost you somewhere between 30-40 lakh INR, depending upon your lifestyle and preferences. Something similar in Germany can be as expensive as INR 25-30 lakh. 

Fortunately, there have been disruptors in the banking industry who have addressed the concerns of such financially-not-so-strong candidates.

Traditionally, personal savings are used to pay for a Master’s course. Most students opt to take an education loan to sponsor their studies, in addition to their parents supporting them. 

Most Indian banking institutions offer education loans, at an interest rate varying between 12-14%. 

New-age Non-Banking Financial Corporations (NBFC)  such as HDFC Credila, Avanse, Auxilo, Prodigy Finance, etc., offer full loans to students, in most cases, WITHOUT any collateral. This makes them very attractive to people who are not strong financially. 

Once abroad, some graduates try to cover the costs by working part-time, on or off-campus. In most of the schools, you are allowed to work for atleast 20 hrs per week and 40 hrs during summer breaks. So, even if you are employed at a minimal wage, you can cover the living expenses to say the least. 

Some graduates get an opportunity to serve as a RA/TA to university faculties. Such assistanships are universally well-paid and covers most of the cost of your graduate program.  

Many graduates, specially in the area of STEM, find internships in a year of their Master’s program, which helps them fund their education. 

If you are in your pre-final year or final year of your undergraduate degree and pondering over this question, the answer is a resounding YES. 

Once you are out of your undergrad college and in your first job, it is harder to get back to university life during Masters. The reason being that people get accustomed to drawing a handsome salary and living a comfortable life with financial freedom. Thus, switching back to a student’s life during the Masters program is not an easy transition. 

Moreover, the skills that you acquire at your job might be different from your area of interest. Say you are interested in Data Science, but all you are doing at your present company is managing the website. The skill sets you to acquire may not be as beneficial as you think it is because it is, at the end of the day, a job experience, when you are actually in the program. 

So, our advice to almost all who care to listen is, go right after undergrad, if you can. Most of the graduate programs will have your kind of people from diverse background. Just about the right time to go! 

If you are just starting out, we recommend the GRAD SMART PRO option. What you will put on your essays, resumes, and letter of recommendation will eventually be a result of what you DONE in your undergrad. 

Our mentors advice you on the THINGS you need to focus in this last crucial final year, which can make a DIFFERENCE to your applications. 

To be very honest, none at all.

Guarantees may seem appealing but are really nothing more than a nefarious and misleading gimmick. When any education consultants “guarantees” that you will be admitted to a university’s graduate program, they have every reason to encourage and redirect you to apply to safe schools, that are either their partners, or which are easier to get into, rather than helping you apply to the school(s) you really want.

Gradsmiths helps clients submit the strongest applications possible to their dream MS programs. We recommend your schools based on profile, which will give you the best Return on Investment. Period.

A money-back guarantee will not get you admitted to your target school, but an experienced, committed consultant with your best interests in mind just might.

Gradsmiths’ GRAD SMART program is a content-driven approach to simplify your grad journey. Once on-board, we will make YOU work to excel in the various elements of a grad school application. We will conduct brainstorming sessions to understand what EXACTLY are you looking for, and how to develop a thematic consistency in your application. 

Gradsmiths works with a network of collaborators, who have a vested interested in making your applications look GREAT and a CUT ABOVE THE REST. 

Why do they do what they do? Because they belong to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, who have gone through the same process and understand the inherent confusion of students.

GRAD SMART PRO goes one level beyond, what GRAD SMART can do. It features a PROfile builder, where we tell you how to further boost your profile in order to be ready for the grad school. 

Along with that, we provide post landing assistance, help in choosing your courses, and kickstart your LinkedIN profile (if you aiming for job search abroad, we don’t need to say more). Of course, you get all the benefits of the GRAD SMART package.

If there is something we can truly brag about, it is the ESSAYS we write for grad school. Be it your statement of purpose, letter of recommendation, video essays, or any other essays, we have got your back. Whatsapp us at +91-9819578985 to let us know your story.

As a matter of fact, we are. Well, technically we are looking out for collaborators. 

If you have already spent a semester abroad in your Master’s program at some kick-ass US university, and like to share your experiences, we would love to listen. 

We place a lot of value on our CONTENT. For that, we collaborate with people who master in creating high value and viral content pieces.  

Send us your work at [email protected], and you will get to hear from the dark side. 

Gradsmiths is result of a CORE belief that your grad journey can be FUN. It should not be only about writing ‘boring’ essays and working on a list of schools which your counselor has provided. 

We love to challenge the conventions. Break the norms. Steer away from stereotypes. 

The FUN part came as a result of collective journey of our collaborators, who have this obsessive compulsive disorder to bring out the best in every grad school application.