It is not unusual for someone to face difficulties adjusting in a foreign country, especially for a student. Mostly, there are common misconceptions students have that make it even harder for them to immerse in a new environment. As student agent consultancy, you must know these in order to make your service quality even better.
“I don’t need to learn other languages since my English is great”
One of the common conceptions students have is that everyone understands English. They might be surprised to know that this isn’t always the case. Sure, the people in their university will speak English but not everyone around the city. Even if they do, the accent might differ which will make it problematic for them to understand. This is especially true if English is not the native language in the country the student is moving to. Failure to communicate effectively can lead to a lot of misunderstanding and the students might feel low about it. So, as study visa consultants, make sure your client is well aware of that. And, if necessary, has taken required language classes.
More than 25 million U.S. residents claim that they do not speak English very well according to the data by Census Bureau.
“The subjects I choose will be the same in every country”
A lot of students have this common misconception that the subject they are studying has equal value or credit in another country. You, as a student agent, need to clear this to them. Apart from the name of the subject they choose, everything else will be different in every other country. This is because the same subject in one country could have a very rigorous theoretical content and more of practice in another. Thus, while choosing a university, the counselor should know this kind of preference of the student.
“It will be difficult to change my course once I’ve chosen it”
In most of the universities in foreign countries, it is fairly easy to change the course once you meet certain criteria. One of the common misconceptions students have is that they must choose what they want to study right in their first year. It is only natural for a student to want to change their course once they start exploring other courses. Student agent needs to include this in their counseling session so that the student doesn’t pressure themselves. By doing so, you will also show that you have the attributes of a successful student agent.
“I will get a job to pay for my own expenses”
Many students think that they should pay for their own expenses once they start studying abroad, which is really good. But, what they fail to consider is that getting a job isn’t as easy as they think. One of the common misconceptions students have is that they’ll get a job easily.
There are a lot of students coming from all around the world to study in the same university. This means competition, and not everyone will get a job they desire. There are students who have been unemployed for months upon arrival. On top of that, not every country allows students to work to earn a lot. For example, the U.S.A. and Australia allow students to work only 20 hours per week. Whereas students are allowed unlimited working hours in Sweden. As a student agent, you need to know what their expectation is regarding this. And then, you should try to match them to the countries that meet them.
“It will be really difficult to make friends”
It is only natural for a student to feel lonely for the first few weeks abroad. This is especially true if the university doesn’t have a lot of students from their home country. Because of this, many students tend to choose the subject or the university their friends have chosen. They are scared to study abroad alone. But, not having friends from back home doesn’t mean he/she will be left alone throughout college life. This is one of the most common misconceptions students have. Some students might even consider getting their ticket back home because of this.
So, student agent should let them know that a little effort from their side is all it’ll take to make new friends. Their university will have a lot of clubs they can join to meet like-minded people. Just because they do not get along with new people doesn’t mean it will be like that every day. Your student agent needs to know other problems such as these that arise once the student leaves for abroad.
“I will travel to new places every other week”
One of the perks of studying abroad is that you get to explore a new country. Since the wanderlust bug is caught by a lot of students, it is no surprise that they are keen to travel to new places. However, these students tend to think that studying abroad is the key to unraveling their travel expeditions.
One of the common misconceptions students have about studying abroad is that they can explore new places every other weekend. This expectation is shattered once the student starts college. The reason for this is that both their budget and time will be really tight. Students working part-time jobs barely earn enough to make ends meet. Also, there will be a lot of assignments and university events to attend. Thus, the student agent needs to let them know that their college life might not be as they have expected. Your student agent should communicate effectively with the students and manage their expectation.
“A college far away from city is not much fun”
Many students think that having college right around the city is more fun. Their general understanding is that they’ll get to attend events happening in the city if their college was near. This is not entirely true. First, public transportation expenses are much cheaper abroad so commuting won’t be a problem. Second, there will be a lot of other exciting events happening inside the university itself that students can be a part of. Student agent can also let the students know that living expenses outside the city are more affordable than in the city.
Besides, student visa consultants can even suggest them some fun things to do in the university while they’re at it. Your student agent must also let them know about authorization that some colleges require such as Cricos. However, study visa consultants can manage colleges through CRM tools, that will help you in providing better services.
Students might not be open about these things and have anxiety before studying abroad. Thus, your study visa consultants need to ensure that they are clear about it before moving with their process. Furthermore, Student agent should be familiar with these common misconceptions students have before leaving for abroad. This way your study visa consultants will be able to give excellent service to the students every time.