Here’s what you may expect to pay to send your child to an overseas university

More Singaporean students are shifting their education focus to overseas countries like the UK and Australia. This is happening mainly because of two things – the possibility of a higher number of credit exemptions and a muscled Singaporean Dollar.

What is, however, the amount paid by a parent when his kid goes overseas, especially in terms of unique variants? We’re talking about notions like the most expensive course, the most popular overseas courses, and possibly the cheapest too.

Here’s what we’ve found about the cost in sending your child abroad to for education in some pretty specific scenarios.

 

Most Popular Overseas Courses

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Popular courses vary based on location. For instance, students who apply to study in the States tend to lean more towards Economics, Politics and Philosophy, as well as the likes of Law, Engineering and Business. While there is a very wide range of courses in America, its fees tend to be on the higher end. This is also probably why dentistry and medical courses aren’t really the picks for Singaporeans to study there. Courses related to health sciences tend to be favoured for study in Australia.

The Boston University School of Law’s tuition fees for AY2018 would be at USD 1628 for each credit. According to its student budget, the annual tuition for 2017/2018 would come to US$52,000. A sum total which includes other costs such as books and supplies, room and board and student fees (among other factors) come to a grand total of US$72,469.

 

Most Affordable Oversea Courses

Taiwan’s programs come in cheap with tuition fees starting at US$3,180 per year for liberal art programs. Courses may be taught in English or Mandarin. At the National Taiwan University, the cost of living per semester is estimated to range from US$2,800-US$3,700 (AY2016/2017). The undergraduate tuition fee for a semester of 5 months (two semesters per year) comes at US$1,680.

Another affordable place that’s not too far is Malaysia, at Johor’s EduCity. The education hub at Iskandar allows Singaporean students to study for a far lesser fee, so much so that some programs are up to 60% lesser when compared to local programs (as at 2016). This is, indeed, partly due to the weakened Malaysian Ringgit.

Some of the schools listed as EduCity partners on Iskandar Investment’s official website include Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed), University of Reading Malaysia and even the Management Development Institute of Singapore.

 

The Most Favoured Country

Australia holds the rank as the most favourite country to study in, according to statistical research done by IDP Singapore. For one, diploma certificate holders are given more credit extensions compared to local unis here. Some polytechnic graduates are given up to a year’s worth of exemptions, allowing them to complete their Bachelor’s degree in a matter of two years.

Another pulling factor is that Australia also offers a series of courses that are not available in Singapore, with veterinary sciences being one of them. The Australian student visa also provisions for a student to work up to 40 hours in 2 weeks on a part-time basis, enabling them to earn as they study and support their financial commitments. International students who have completed at least 2 years in education may also stay on in the country and work.

Here’s a glance at what you’re looking in terms of cost – each credit for an undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing with Deakin University comes at AU$3927 for AY 2017.

Should you do it?

When it comes to embarking on an educational path, a student’s choice of career is vital. While there is a fantastic option for courses in Singapore, the need to pursue a different or more specific path might require a local student to migrate overseas.

While in search for wisdom, the university undergrad gets to experience the culture and even see how anthropology makes an emphasis in a new country. When he returns, he comes home with a new sense of being.

(By Annette Rowena)

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