Do You Want to Study in Europe?
Here Are a Few Tips
A good education more often than not, paves the way for a good future. Due to steep competition in most professions though, a bachelor’s degree is oftentimes not enough to secure a job or climb high-up in the corporate ladder. Going abroad for graduate school offers a student a much wider horizon, in terms of training, experience, cultural integration, even communication skills. Most employers will put a premium to these. If you’re considering graduate school, here are few tips. Bear in mind though that I can only speak about my own experience, in a few European countries.
Prepare
Use the Internet and spend sometime for research. Look up the program/course you want to pursue to know which universities offer it. Then carefully go through the requirements for application. Take note of deadlines.
Apart from your credentials (diploma, certificates, transcript), they usually ask for recommendation letters (so make sure you have befriended a former Prof. well in advance), proof of English proficiency, one or two writing samples and of course, a research proposal. For the writing sample, make sure you give them your best work (you may also ask the Prof. to help you choose). Give yourself ample time to write the research proposal – this is crucial to your application. A cover letter in which you mention your motivation for doing graduate study is always a good addition to your application pack, even if it’s not a requirement.
Money Matters
Your parents do not have to be filthy rich so can extend your wings to European shores. Look for research fellowships (scholarships or studentships). Have a look on these sites; there could be something for you! Take note that most PhD positions are advertised as jobs. And yes, graduate school is a full-time job!
Erasmus Mundus – http://bit.ly/T6RnZ
EURAXESS – http://bit.ly/bvDbAe
Jobs UK – http://www.jobs.ac.uk/
The stipends are usually enough to cover tuition and cost of living. You can even save a wee bit if you’re frugal. If you feel you have quite a lot of free time you may also apply for a part-time job.
Welcome to Europe!
Assuming you get admitted, the next big task is to settle in the new environment. If you’re in a non-English speaking country (but most programs are in English), you may want to learn a new language. Be open to new experience – culture shock, social gaffes- that’s all part of it (I’ll share my stories next time). Make friends – you have the opportunity to meet people from around the globe (and tell those who don’t know where the Philippines is). Also talk about yourself, our country and our culture. Who knows, one of your classmates from the Ukraine may end up getting married in beautiful Boracay.
Filipinos are everywhere so don’t feel alone; you’re bound to run into them (the best place is the Catholic Church). Most are friendly and would introduce you to the Filipino community and invite you for dinners, picnics and parties with adobo, pancit, or Boy Bawang. The best part is, you can have a break from English and talk in Filipino (or Ilocano, Bisaya, etc.).
Enjoy
Remember that the reason you’re in Europe is graduate school. So be a good student and get that diploma. Still, don’t be too hard on yourself and spend all the time in the library. You need a social life; you need to have fun. Join your classmates (and teachers) for a pint in the school pub or go on a party with your flatmates. You may even travel to other European cities, which can be affordable with budget airlines, inter-country trains and coaches. You can stay in hostels or try couch-surfing. Bring a buddy so s/he can take your pictures!
For sure, you’ll miss family (but in some cases you can bring them, or they can visit you) and friends back home. You’ll miss your beloved. You’ll miss celebrations and important events. You’ll miss the food; you’ll miss your pet or your bedroom. But that’s a little sacrifice relative to what you can achieve. Besides, there’s Skype. It can’t be that bad.
You don’t have to be fresh from college to do graduate school. There’s no age limit and admission committees value (sometimes even require) work experience. It’s never too late.
So, see you in Europe?
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Lalaine S. is (26) ay kasalukuyang nagsusunog ng kilay sa Oxford U sa Inglatera. Sya ay nagtapos ng BA-Philosophy, magna cum laude sa UP-Diliman at MA-Applied Ethics sa Linkoping U sa Sweden at Utrecht U sa Netherlands. Sya ay bahagi (pa) rin ng isang PhD program sa Oslo U sa Norway. Mahal nya ang bansang Pilipinas ngunit mahal ang pamasahe pauwi kaya't sa ngayon, doon muna sa Europa ang kanyang mga kwentong lamierda.
Unless of course your parents have all the money in the world, money is always a big consideration. Several years ago, I met a professor from Mindanao State University who was here in Philly on a Fullbright scholarship. He was admitted at Drexel University doing his masters. I’m not sure if his PhD was also under that program, but he returned to the US for his PhD although I lost contact ever since he moved to UCLA.
My niece from Surigao was also admitted at Drexel University, though not on Fullbright scholarship. She was not able to come here because the US Embassy was asking for too many docs, support money and all. She ended up in Ateneo de Manila where she graduated.
For immigrants and US citizens, there’s always the student loan program, and you better believe me that I used them all up hehehe! But going to Temple Univ here in Philadelphia was the best years of my life, at lot of work at lot of tyaga, a lot of sunog kilay you know. You get to open up to a network of friends from all over the world and I did became close to a number of them, like this Japanese friends of mine who I visited in Tokyo, a guy from Moldova who I visited in Toronto, both of whom would visit me here in Philadelphia, another one from Torino and New Delhi. Yes, I’m still in contact with them up to today.
My Executive MBA Program, though pretty expensive was the best one I ever had. Those international trips in Eastern Europe, very memorable, wacky and funny.
Looking back, I thought I find it funny that I just came from the barrio, no connections, no nothing, we don’t even know the barangay captain hahaha! I never imagined in my life that I will become a US grad hahaha! But it’s all pure hard work, tyaga, ipon at maipagmamayabang ever na walang halong kurakot, but this i could say, if you truly make tutok sa ambitions mo in life, hayst, kaya yan lahat.
Studying MBA- International Business Consulting in Germany is one of the best years in my life, its a scholarship program and i gained not only knowledge and friends but also a husband, because Dirk is my sponsor.
I applied a few times before but failed because my scholastic records are just average, I got discouraged. But a friend whose English vocabulary is equal to a glass of water but has so much patience is now in South Carolina on full-scholarship. Kung nag-tiyaga lang siguro ako noh? It pays to be patient. Oh well.
I depends sa admission requirements nang school Mel. When I was in New Orleans, I was truly surprised to meet a number of students coming from Manila at andun sila sa Lousiana State University, I heard popular daw na puntahan to nang mga tiga-UP.
Here in Philadelphia, a number of schools here would even go abroad at mag-recruit pa kamo nang foreign students. My school Temple U, madalas sila sa Asia, not sure kung umaabot ang mga to nang Manila.
Then, there are a number of scholarships available. Kaya lang me kwento ako hehehe!
I have a friend here in Philly, he was from UPLB, scholar sya nang isang well-known organization, di ko na lang sabihin. He went to Syracuse University at napunta pa nang London. Pagdating sa London, kinurakot daw pan-twisyon nya hahaha bumalik sa US, napadpad nang Philadelphia. He never got to finish his studies sa Syracuse but he’s doing very well na here. Galit na galit sya sa “organization” na to hahaha!
Will start APN @ Jeff this summer and paying only a fraction of my entire tuition fee.
wow! lilipat ka nang Jefferson Univ? r u done sa La Salle? how did you get a fraction?
nga pala, at least here, we have Community Colleges which is very cheap.
I work with them, employees @ Jeff receive 75% off from tuition. I’m still with La Salle doing my post baccalaureate certificate. I went to the community college taking bio classes then transferred to La Salle in 2007. I’m still paying brother Stafford for my undegrad loans.
hay tapos na ako ki lolo stafford mo, thanks god! kilala mo si James? he graduated @ Jeff Univ and i think he’s working there sa Univ Hospital
marami akong kasamahang pinoy/pinay baka makabungo ko sya one of these days, so far wala pa ako nakilalang James na pinoy, pro lam mo na Jeff is huge ilang city blocks ba ang building nila di ko pa naikot ang buong hospital.
makikilala mo sya, basta… panget sya hahahah yung ipen nya mahaba ang isa naka-usli hahaha dating roommate ko yan, na pinapaglak ang kwarto at nag-lagay nang alarm systems sa kwarto nya dahil sa takot saken hahah
Wow, thanks Lalaine for the info. I want my son to study in Europe..hehehe…sana… ~_~
I WAAANNNTTTT!!!!!! I WAAAANNNTTTT!!!!!
Pero patapusin ko muna ang sister ko before ako magpursue nyan. Kasi gusto ko talaga mag-aral sa ibang bansa. Hindi naman siguro mawawala yan in three years time di ba?
Thanks Lainey!!! Really helpful post.
Pero mas trip ko yata ang mag lamierda sa Europe hehe
oo nga gurl, mukhang masarap ngang maglamierda sa europe with matching special someone on the side.
hay, wishful thinking on my part. 
Good day. I want to apply scholarship abroad.
Thank you.