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Flying abroad can be overwhelming if you haven’t done it before. Here you will find some useful tips and important suggestions that we hope will help.

You will get important information about living abroad, student life at your institution, adjusting to the culture and dealing with homesickness. You will also have the chance to connect with other students, including alumni, current students and future classmates.

Our team will help you with ticketing, foreign exchange, travel insurance, opening a bank account and an international SIM or eSIM.

Before setting off on any trip, it is always a good idea to have a checklist to stay organised. Use the list below to make sure you have everything you need before departure.

Check for the following before you leave:

• Updated passport
• Valid ID showing proof of age/student status
• Plane ticket
• A forex card, and credit/debit cards that are accepted at your destination
• Prescription medicines (a supply large enough to last for your time abroad)
• AC adapter for electrical appliances, if needed
• Guidebook for your study-abroad destination
• Metro plan and a map of your destination
• Any emergency contact information you might need

What is a statement of purpose?

The Statement of Purpose (SOP) is the single most important part of your application. It is your chance to speak directly to the admissions committee:

• To tell the committee who you are, what has shaped your career path so far, your professional interests, and where you plan to go from here.
• To make yourself stand out from the many similarly qualified candidates.
• To convince the committee that you have the spark, the thirst for knowledge, that will add value to the class.

Things to keep in mind

• The admissions committee will read between the lines for your motivation, competence and potential as a student.
• Present everything in a positive light, and write in the active voice, not the passive.
• Show everything through examples. Don’t simply say you are persistent; show it.
• If something important affected your grades, such as financial hardship, illness or excessive work, mention it, but write about it positively, showing your perseverance.
• Make sure everything is connected, with continuity and focus.

Writing the statement of purpose

1. Open strongly. The first sentence is the most important: it is your introduction and should hook the reader from the start. Write a strong opening paragraph of five sentences or fewer. Briefly explain who you are, where you are from, why you have chosen the field you are applying to, and why this university is among your first choices. Make it count, so the reader wants to keep reading.
2. Summarise what you did as an undergraduate. Mention any important paper or thesis project you completed, and anything scholarly beyond your curriculum requirements.
3. Describe your work experience, especially any responsibility for testing, designing, researching or interning in an area similar to what you wish to study in graduate school, and describe your current activities. If you graduated and worked before returning to study, explain what you have been doing: the company or non-profit, your work/design team, your responsibilities and what you learned. You can also explain how this helped you focus your graduate studies.
4. Elaborate on the topic you wish to pursue in graduate school. Describe in more detail what you would like to study: name an area of interest, then set out the questions, concerns and thoughts you have about it.
5. Research the departments. Look online for information about the departments you are interested in, and about their professors and research. If any professor’s research interests match yours, mention this.
6. End positively, showing your excitement and readiness for the challenges ahead.
7. Thank the admissions committee for their time.

Scholarships and grants are competitive, so most Indian students fund at least part of their studies abroad with an education loan. We help you work out how much you need, compare lenders and prepare the paperwork, so that your loan sanction letter is ready in time for your visa application.

Who lends for study abroad. Public- and private-sector banks and specialist education-loan companies (NBFCs) all offer loans for study abroad. They differ in interest rate, processing fee, how much they lend without collateral, whether they accept a co-borrower from another city, and how long you get to repay.

What a loan usually covers:

• Tuition and other fees charged by the university
• Accommodation and living costs
• Examination, library and laboratory fees
• Books, equipment and a laptop needed for the course
• Travel to the country of study
• Caution deposits

Points to compare before you choose:

• The interest rate and whether it is fixed or floating
• How much you can borrow with and without collateral
• The moratorium (the course period plus a grace period, before repayments start)
• The repayment period and any prepayment charges
• Whether the lender can sanction the loan before you receive your admission letter

Interest paid on an education loan for higher studies may also qualify for an income-tax deduction; check the current rules with your tax adviser.

Apply early. A sanction letter can take several weeks, and many visas ask for proof of funds, so start your loan application as soon as you have shortlisted universities. Ask our counsellors to help you prepare.