5 Things to consider when deciding to pursue higher education in physiotherapy abroad. 

Many students will consider pursuing higher education in physiotherapy abroad at some point. Perks of living and working in a foreign country often seem alluring. Many of you reach out to me asking if it is a good choice. My answer remains the same, it depends. 

Depends on what? Well, those are the things we are going to look at today. Just because it worked well or did not work well for somebody else, doesn’t mean it will be the same for you. Here is the list of preliminary things you should consider when pursuing higher education overseas. 

• Know your why 
• University & Curriculum
• Finances 
• Immigration Laws
• Job prospects

Know your why

Same as making any other life-altering decision, you should be clear about why you want to pursue a master’s abroad. I want to tell each and every one of you, before making any decisions about your career, please, please know your why! Ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the reason you are considering a Master’s abroad? 
• What are your interests? 
• Where do you want to settle down? 
• Where do you want to see yourself in the next 5 years and doing what?

Just another thought, Are you considering moving abroad because you think you can’t build a career in India with your PT degree? If that is the case, I want to you to pause and think once more. I have over dozen spotlights featuring PTs across India who are following conventional and unconventional career paths. Check it out!

One more thing to check with yourself is to ensure you want to pursue a clinical career in the coming years. I have seen some students who want to just get out of India and hence they get enrolled in higher education courses abroad. Only to realize later that they wanted a non-clinical career instead. So first check with yourself to see if you want a non-clinical career. 

University and Curriculum

You don’t want to go through the hassle of the admission process just to end up at the below-average university. It is important to thoroughly research the university before filling out the enrollment paperwork. Remember that you will be investing important years of your life along with a lot of money. Make sure you have the necessary information about your future university. 

But don’t just stop there! Find out the curriculum for the course you are applying for. This information is often available on the university website. Check the duration of the course. Read information about each module. Considering the pandemic situation, find out how classes are conducted online or in person. 

It is a good idea to talk to your seniors who have been to the same university. You can also connect with the university alumni on LinkedIn and ask questions. Check out my article on how to use LinkedIn to your best advantage. 

Finances

This can be a deciding factor for many. It most certainly was for me. When I graduated, I considered pursuing a Master’s from USA. When I researched more, I realized, fees were higher than what I could afford. Hence, I didn’t go ahead with pursuing higher education in physiotherapy abroad. 

You too will definitely need to consider your and your family’s financial situation. Consider application fees, tuition in addition to the cost of living expenses. Cost of living expenses will include your monthly rent, grocery bills among other things. 

Inquire if your program offers scholarships. Be sure to take advantage of all the scholarships you can avail. In addition, if you are planning to take out the loan, find out all the information and necessary paperwork for that. 

Students often take out substantial loans to study abroad. Commonly the thought behind that is once you start earning in foreign currancy, you can repay the loan you took out in Indian Rupee. It is a good idea to have a backup option to repay the loan, just in case you don’t get the opportunity to work abroad. 

Immigration Laws

All the countries require you to have a visa so that you can enter that country. When pursuing higher education in physiotherapy abroad, you are likely to require a student visa.

Just as I mentioned above, if you are planning to work abroad, find out if you can work on your student visa. Some countries may allow you to work on your student visa for a short period after graduation. While many countries will need you to obtain a work visa before you are allowed to work. 

Talk to your seniors in that country and find out how difficult it is to obtain a work visa in that particular country. Many times obtaining a work visa is more difficult in comparison to obtaining a student visa. 

Job Prospects

This is important especially if you are planning to work abroad. It is obligatory in many countries to obtain a physiotherapy license before you can treat patients independently. In that case, you will have to find out the process of obtaining a license in addition to a work visa. 

Licensing requirement and procedure varies greatly with each country. The best place to get the information on this is each country’s regulatory board’s website. Find out what is the eligibility criteria, the format of the test, the frequency at which tests are held, the syllabus, and the paperwork needed. 

Talk to your seniors in that particular country and find out how difficult it is to pass the test, how to prepare for it etc. If you can get in touch with someone who is already working in that country ask them about their work. Ask about work-life balance, remuneration, work hours, and a typical day of work. 

Remember, moving to another country is a big change in life. Be sure you research thoroughly, talk to enough people. Get clarity on the steps you will require to take right from initial application to landing a job. 

Feel free to check out my PT in Spotlight: PT overseas series. This series features interviews with Indian PTs pursuing higher education in physiotherapy abroad.

I know all of this can sound intimidating. Feel free to reach out if you need more help. I do my best to help you figure it out. I wish you all the best!