Top Study and Work Destinations for International Students in 2023
European, Canadian, Chinese American, and British Universities and Governments are always on the hunt to capture highly talented students, researchers, and scholars to further advance their scientific work. This is why nowadays there are plenty of options for international students to select a specific country for their higher education and career.
When deciding about studying abroad, choosing a country before choosing a university or a specific program is extremely important. But, the question is, how you would make that decision? What criteria should you keep in mind before reaching a decision?
According to research, students who are intending to study abroad also want to work there after graduating. So, the biggest factor in choosing one country over the other is its potential for employability.
List of Countries With High-Quality Education and Career Options
In terms of graduate employability, only a handful of countries dominate over all others like the USA, UK, Canada, France, China, Australia, and Germany. Here, is the breakdown of all the countries which possess strong potential for studying and working.
1# Canada
Canada tops our list because of its welcoming attitude toward immigrants, world-class education systems, and breathtaking natural beauty. A number of Canadian universities are known for their research citings and the institutions themselves are at par with the universities in the US and the UK despite being less costly than them. You can consider applying for scholarships in Canada.
In terms of work, the unemployment ratio in Canada is only 7%. If you know both English and French, you can easily get a job around here as bilinguals are high in demand. Work visas are easily available to young adults and there is always an option of getting a Permanent Residency once you’ve worked there for a while.
2# United States of America
The United States of America needs no introduction when it comes to studying there as there are endless universities and colleges to choose from. You can choose a school depending on your financial backing and inclination toward a certain program. It is also the country that holds the most places in the top 10 QS world university rankings. You can consider applying for scholarships in the United States of America.
It is called the land of opportunities as the rate of unemployment is amongst the lowest in the world with ample openings for fresh graduates to get their foot in the door. The salaries on average are also good. But, one can have to spend some time before they land the job of their dreams.
3# United Kingdom
The home of Cambridge and Oxford, the UK sure is one of the best places to study in the whole world. The universities in the UK tend to be more costly than the ones in the USA (as there are fewer scholarship opportunities available in the UK) but the education system is unquestionable. Student life is exciting and there are a lot of cities to choose from depending upon your taste for urban or medieval lifestyle. You can consider applying for scholarships in the UK.
The employment rate in the UK is particularly good with 70% of fresh graduates getting a job within six months of graduating. But staying in the UK after studying can be a bit tricky as there are strict rules in place. The work visa is only granted if you have a job offer on hand with a salary offer of more than 20,000 GBP a year.
4# Germany
The place with the most lenient education system is, Germany, where there is no tuition fee for students studying in public universities. The higher education system is top-notch and the career opportunities are endless. Germany has the strongest economy in the whole of Europe so educated and young individuals usually land a job quite easily there. The chance of getting good work increase greatly if you know the German language and can speak it fluently. You can consider applying for scholarships in Germany.
The job market is fairly better in western Germany as Eastern Germany is quite saturated. But remember, working in Germany is easier for EU nationals, and non-EU nationals usually only get hired if they are highly skilled at a particular job.
5# France
France, the land of fine dining, wine, culture, and lifestyle is also one of the hottest destinations to work and study. The best universities are in Paris, but if you are looking for a cheaper city to live in, there are some pretty good options in Toulouse, Lille, and Lyon as well. The student life is lively with lots of activities to engage in outdoors.
Finding a job can be tough especially if you don’t know any French. But, starting a business is becoming a thing in France and small companies tend to take in fresh graduates and let them grow their careers with the growth of the company. People from outside of the EU need an employer who can sponsor their visas. Visa applicants need to be highly skilled at their jobs as the French only prefer to hire outsiders if the position cannot be filled by a local. You can consider applying for scholarships in France.
6# Australia
Australia has been ranked third number in terms of providing students access to higher education. Most of the nicest universities are confined to the cities of Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney. The locals are friendly and welcoming and the country itself provides huge opportunities for personal development. You can consider applying for scholarships in Australia.
Unfortunately, the job market is not the best in Australia with the competition being extremely fierce in entry-level jobs. However, the job market for people with certain skills and degrees is still quite attractive like medicine, mining, nursing, veterinary science, engineering, etc. Salaries are good once you land a job, but paying for rent for a single room can set you back as in a major city, it is around $1500 USD.
7# China
In recent years, there has been a surge in students choosing China for getting higher education. The reason is cheap yet competent colleges and generous scholarship programs. The job market is strong with Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong being the best places for English speakers. For working in China, you need to attain an invitation to work there and an employment offer from a Chinese employer who is licensed to hire non-Chinese applicants. You can consider applying for scholarships in China.
Living in China can be both expensive and cheap depending on where you choose to live. Living in western China is less costly and living in a place like Hong Kong can be quite expensive because of the soaring rates of rent there. If you are an English speaker and also have some experience in the field of finance, accounting, or media you can easily land a job in China.
