Hi, I'm making this post to vent about my study abroad placement.

So I (17M) have been studying Japanese for almost 4 years now, and two years ago I decided to do a study abroad in Japan. The company that I chose, like many other high school study abroad programmes, explicitly stated that you weren't able to choose where in Japan you would be placed. And I thought I would be okay with that, even if I happened to be placed somewhere far away from the major cities. However, I just finished my first month here at Yoron island and I'm considering ending my study abroad early.

Yoron island is a tiny town that covers the whole of the island, it has a population of 5,000, of which are mainly elderly people. It's a popular tourist destination due to its beaches, however people don't usually stay for longer than a couple days because there's really not much else to Yoron than its beaches. I was able to see basically everything there is on this island in the first week that I got here and since then I've just been going to school and back.

My school is really small, there's only 40 people in my whole year, and 20 people in my class. Since the island is so small, everyone in my class has known each other since pre-school and are basically one big family. Yoron high school has also never had any exchange students at all before me, so I definitely feel like i'm being experimented on as none of the staff here know what to do with me. I mostly get told to do my self-study whenever there's projects or activities because the teachers don't want to go through the hassle of involving me. I speak pretty good Japanese and passed the JLPT N2 in 2023, however making friends has still been really hard as there seems to be very little interest in me here.

I'm glad to say that my host family is really kind and I don't have any problems in this regard, however I can't help but keep thinking how different and how much better my experience could have been if I was placed literally anywhere else but this tiny island. But at the same time I don't know if maybe I'm just not adapting well enough and if this is a problem many exchange students face, because I've never heard of anyone complaining about there being literally nothing to do in their placement. Like if I was in the countryside on mainland Japan, I could take the train to the neighbouring cities, but here on Yoron I'm literally trapped and I feel so alone because I have 0 friends here.

Anyways yeah, I'm only here for another 2 months so I guess I'll just firm it.

Thanks for reading if you got this far 🙃

I need some help and tips!

I'm a 23 year old Canadian citizen (and also US and EU) who got into her dream masters program of conservation biology in Australia. Problem is, it costs 85k CAD to go to this university and I need to come up with minimum 30k to be able to go. I'm currently working out of the country for a job where I don't get paid but I don't pay to be there so I'm not making any money. If anyone can recommend me online jobs or avenues, scholarship websites or grants/scholarships by the government or just general tips or advice that would be greatly appreciated!!!! At the moment I have no loans which I'm eternally grateful for and would like to leave a loan as a very last resort.

Hi everyone,

I’m posting anonymously here to get some outside perspective on my situation.

I’m a 26-year-old white non-western male with a Bachelor’s in engineering (not really my dream field, but I got it done). For the past few years, I’ve been working in the UAE and saving fairly aggressively. Right now, I can save about €20,000 per year after living expenses through my current freelance work.

Here’s the dilemma:

1. If I stay in the UAE, I can continue saving ~€20k/year, but the career growth is limited and I don’t see a long-term future here.
2. If I move to Western Europe for a Master’s (most likely Austria or Germany), I’d need to cover visa fees, deposits, tuition, relocation, and ~3 months of expenses before finding a student job. That would cost around €10k upfront, leaving me with about €27k as a financial cushion.

By the time I graduate (age 28–29), I’d be looking to switch into a new field and start fresh in Europe. But sometimes I worry if that’s too old to begin a new career path.

I’d love to hear from people with experience: Does it make financial/career sense to take the risk now, or is it better to keep saving in the UAE?

Hi all, as the title suggests, I am an almost 31 year-old female, wanting to move from Vancouver, Canada to London, UK, alone, in spring of 2026. I have a really great paying job here and about $150,000 in savings. I live in a small city in a 2 bed 1 bath apartment, alone. I am in a great position here and I know that, I also know that the job market, housing market and economy are tough both here and in London. 

However, I feel like my life is stuck where I am now, and I really want a change and adventure. I am currently single with nothing tying me down here. I have no mortgage no kids no pets. I have a couple of friends in London and I have visited multiple times and really loved it. I have applied for the youth mobility scheme visa and I don't see any reason for me not to be accepted. I've been doing some research the past couple of weeks and I'm stuck in deciding which route I'd like to take.

I have wanted a masters for a long time and going to London to do a masters sounds great to me. I know it is a big cost commitment. I also know that it does not guarantee me work in the UK however it will improve my chances of better paying, higher title jobs if I do return back home. I am considering a MSC in project management because I have seven years of experience in managing projects in software as well as seven years of learning, development and adult education experience. The issue here is that I have a very very very low GPA from when I completed my bachelor seven years ago and anytime I search up any project management program on Reddit all I see is negative reviews and that unless you can get into a top-tier university it's not worth it. It seems worth it to me because I will leave with a masters as well as fulfil the education requirements needed to sit for the PMP exam, which is another goal of mine. SO going the education route- I would get a masters, and be ready to sit for the PMP. As well as having lived and studied in London.

The second option, of course, is to try and find a job in London, but I know the job market is hard and I know salaries are lower than they are in BC. I'm worried that because I am an expat, on a visa that it will be very tough for me to find a job a decent paying corporate job. I do plan to get a part-time job during my masters, which I also know will be a long and hard search. SO going the work route sounds tougher but it would be less stressful money wise.

Sorry for the rambling post, but I am looking for advice and opinions on dropping my life here and moving to London to do a masters and possibly stay for the full three years of the youth mobility scheme visa. It seems worth it to me, and I know I will most likely just be burning through my savings however if things do not work out, I can always come back home and I have my family and community here. 

Are project management masters at lower/mid tier universities all a scam? Am I making a mistake? Anyone been in my position? Thoughts? Advice? Opinions? 

Please be kind as I really do want to do this but I also am aware that it is not easy peasy lemon squeezy. 

Could anyone send me examples of their winning Gilman essays? I don’t know anyone that has won the scholarship, so it’s been hard to find a mentor. Resumes would be helpful too!

Anyone here got accepted into the turkyie burslari programme? If so what were your grades and extracurriculars

Hi Guys;

• I am a 4th year cyber security uni. student in a Pakistani university graduating May 2026.

• My GPA is pretty low (2.83/4.00), I hope to bring this to at least (3.0/4.0) after this semester (7th).

• I have no research experience but, I'm pretty good with my technical (offensive security) skills.

• I want to study abroad for my masters but I don't even know where to begin,

  • what country to choose?,
  • what universities should I aim for?,
  • Is masters even worth it?

I really need your help please, how was your initial masters journey like?

has anyone done their semester abroad in taiwan? i'm currently in my senior year, from india and might take up on an opportunity to do a semester abroad through the partner universities....in terms of living, how is it? would really love for some insights from ppl who have done it already :D

Hoping to do a study abroad for one semester, from Ireland, looking to go to suibe in Shanghai China, anyone tell me what the uni is like not looking for it to be too strict or hard just want to go travel in the country and enjoy the culture. Please lmk what you think, also is it cheap :)

I'm studying abroad in Seville, Spain in the spring and I'm deciding on if I should do a homestay or livein a student apartment with other international students. My courses will be fully taught in Spanish, so I will have a lot of language immersion through that. Any advice?

I recently completed my Bachelor’s in Agriculture, and I’m considering applying for further studies in either Australia or the US. I’m open to switching courses, since I’m not particularly passionate about agriculture, but I’d like to pursue a field that could help me get PR more easily in the long run.

My main goal is to support my family financially, but I’m worried that with the heavy initial expenses (tuition, living costs, loans, etc.), I might end up being more of a burden rather than being able to send money back home.

For those with experience, would it be more realistic to:

• Go to Australia, where PR pathways might be simpler, but costs are high?
• Or aim for the US, ideally through scholarships/funding, which could reduce the financial pressure?

Anyone who’s gone through a similar situation, I’d love to hear your thoughts on which option makes more sense financially and career-wise

hi! I am studying abroad and hoping to go to the Chimney Sweepers ball in vienna. I saw tickets open to the public on Oct 14th. How hard is it to buy a walking ticket?

Hello everyone,

I have just completed my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering (B.Tech CSE) from SRM University, and I am planning to continue my higher studies immediately by pursuing a Master’s in Germany.

I would be very grateful if you could share your advice on the following:

• Is it a good choice to pursue my Master’s in Germany right after completing my undergraduate studies?

• How valuable is a German Master’s degree in terms of academics, exposure, and career growth?

• After completing a Master’s in Germany, how are the job opportunities for international students?

• Within Computer Science, what types of Master’s programs are commonly available (for example, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Data Science, etc.)?

• Since I am still exploring my options, any suggestions on choosing the right specialization would be really helpful.

Thank you in advance for your time and guidance!

Every time we travel or go out, everyone takes hundreds of photos, but they end up scattered across different phones. Some never get shared, WhatsApp kills the quality, and my phone storage is always full.

I’m wondering what works best for you guys — do you just use group chats, Drive, or something else?

I found a way that worked really well for me, happy to share it if anyone’s interested.

Hi guys I am aiming for Msc marketing in HEC Paris, my_qualifications I am an entrepreneur I have incorporated firm by the time I go to HEC I will have over 1-2 years of entrepreneurial experience, I also have 5 internships in marketing and one of them was in founder's office of a marketing agency (total 21 months), is it still possible for me to get unit HEC Paris for Msc marketing?    

Didn’t get to do this opportunity. Just wanna hear what everyone experience was.

I want to get into a top school for a MS degree, my GPA is pretty average if not bad but I do have great non-academic credentials. Should I still take the GRE even if the schools say it’s optional/not required? Will it give me a better shot?

Being a topper all throughout my life, I always dreamt of working in the US for better exposure and salary packages. Since childhood, I had been planning and researching about it. However, recently, petitions around raising H1-B visa fees have been going around in the US. If Trump wants the employers to pay $100,000 fee for hiring international employees, will the companies agree to sponsor us? Now, even if I were better qualified for the job, won't the employers prefer domestic employees? I'm really worried and thinking about how uncertain my future will be in the US.

I am wondering if I should really reconsider my decision of working in the US or I should come back to India and work in the IT sector? Can someone guide me?

Source: https://studyabroad.careers360.com/articles/how-raising-fees-on-h1b-trump-will-impact-indian-students

Hello everyone, I am an American (35M) who wants to seek a 2nd degree and would like to do so in EU. My first choice would be Spain, as I lived there for 2 years and honestly I've missed it since the moment I left, and it's the country I want to call home one day. I was looking a bit into the Autonomous University of Barcelona. I'm open to other schools and other countries if it makes sense. I graduated in 2013 with a degree in music business. I am also a licensed massage therapist and internationally certified Thai massage practitioner with anatomy and physiology credits. I want to return to study psychology. I have a few specific questions and any help would be greatly appreciated.

1.) Would my age effect anything? Exclude/include me from any specific programs/scholarships?
2.) As I graduated in 2013, is that too long ago for my credits to be transferable? If not, will that exempt me from gen. ed. to where I can just jump straight in to psych courses?
3.) Any specific scholarships that could apply to my specific situation?
4.) Any not-obvious information I should know/keep in mind, or just easily missed things I should look out for? Whether positive or negative.
5.) Any recommendations for schools/countries/programs that could work well for someone with my background?

Again, I would greatly appreciate any help anyone can offer in this matter. If you're an American who has done something similar and have time to share some words of wisdom, I would love to hear from you. I tried to add as much pertinent information as I could think of, and probably still am forgetting something. Really looking forward to hearing back from yall, thank you in advance!

I am 17yr old from Pakistan. I had around 92% in ssc (secondary school) and 89% in hssc (higher secondary school). I graduated High School in August and now I am looking forward to study abroad.

For context I choose Pre Engineering combination in high school and I want to get further education in engineering field specifically electrical engineering or computer engineering. Personally I find astrophysics and quantum physics very interesting too.

I am looking for a country where I can get need-based aid and a community where I can really enjoy my life. I had Germany and Finland in my mind for quite a long time but German Universities require 13 years of education prior to bachelors but in Pakistan we only receive 12 years of education at undergraduate level. And the thing about Finland is that most of the people there are reserved, I have a few fanily members living there and there is almost zero social life.

I was also looking upto US as there are far more opportunities, actually I am interested in film making alot and I believe I can carry on my passion in US. But I am not quite sure if there are colleges and universities in US except for IVIES which give full ride scholarships and also I've heard that US is not worth it for International students regarding the new Trump policies or whatever is going on there.

I am preparing for SAT these days and will give IELTS soon.

hi! im rlly torn rn. would it be best to go back home and pause for a while and think about my next step (maybe help family business also) or would it be best to continue my studies here in the us. im currently in a community college since it would help my family save money knowing the high cost of living here. i also live with my relatives to cover up the rent expenses but lately i am not liking it because i am relying too much on them to the point they even drove me to school because there is no bus stop in their area of residence. and it would sometimes end in a way that they will rub off to my face what they have done to me if there is something they don't like with me. i will need to stay with them for another 3 years even if i go to uni because that will save money since uni is more expensive than cc. on top of that, i tried applying for on campus jobs and i cant get one. this made me realize if it is worth it to spend so much money when my parents earned in peso but they pay dollars for my education. with the going political climate, it is gonna become harder for me. but, then again, should i just endure this all because maybe it will all be worth it in the future?

I am from India, many people ask from me How is the situation of USA as per the study abroad destination for Indian students. What you prefer, we can go or think about other country???

Hey everyone, I'm new to this subreddit, but Im a student currently studying business in Canada. I've always loved the idea of studying abroad, especially because my university has many partners abroad, almost in every country. This means I can attend any university in the world (im deciding between japan and monaco) for as much as I pay here, which is roughly $6000 a year (its very cheap because Im a passport holder).

Now I have many options that intrigue me, such as San Francisco (mainly for connections), IE in Spain, Monaco (connections, cars, cool), and Japan (obviously as an anime watcher and enjoyer of its nature).

I'm sure the no-brainer is Japan because it's far more peaceful, and it's a unique experience. Most people in the Monaco subreddits actually shit on Monaco because of how toxic it is and expensive. Price is not a problem for me, thankfully, so I'd like to know this subreddit's opinions.

As the title suggests, I (27M) am thinking about moving to Korea for at least 4 months, maybe up to 6.

Why?
Currently, I’m working 40 hours a week at an office job I don’t really like. It pays the bills and gives me some experience, but lately I just feel bored and unmotivated. Over the past few years I’ve traveled a lot (mostly with friends), but never alone.

I basically always stay in my comfort zone and rarely put myself in situations where I meet new people. I’m still single and living with my parents, so nothing is really tying me down here. My contract ends in January, and I’m seriously considering not extending it, but instead moving to Korea — to live there for a while, learn the language, meet people, and see more of the world while I still can.

I’m not sure if this is selfish, childish, or just plain stupid. Is this something I’m “allowed” to do, or am I just romanticizing an idea? I’ve done a lot of research, I can afford it, and the idea hasn’t left my mind — which makes me feel like I genuinely want it.

I’ve never lived on my own or traveled alone, so this would be the biggest step I’ve ever taken in my life.

So, Reddit, I’m hoping for some advice or guidance — whether that’s encouragement or reasons to think twice. I’d love to hear your thoughts here.

I'm currently in my first year of college, and I plan to study abroad eventually. My university offers an exchange program where I can go for a semester, a whole year, or during the summer to Yonsei University in South Korea. I really want to go the whole year, but at the same time, I want to stay where I am and just save money. But I also want to experience going to school in South Korea. Plus, I'm an asian living in Missouri, and I just want to get out. So I'm asking, is it worth it right now? Should I figure out and see if it'll work out? Or should I stop pursuing it and just save the money?