Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a huge impact on business, family and personal lives across the world. Whilst studying abroad has never been easy to plan and negotiate, it has been made extra difficult with this new pandemic.
Those who were studying overseas when the pandemic took hold in March 2020 and international lockdowns and travel restrictions began, would have had to make the difficult decision to remain in the country where they were studying or return home.
What happened in March 2020?
In the UK, University courses were in full swing, so much if not all teaching moved online. Whilst many Indian students studying in the UK who were living in halls of residence or private accommodation, were supported by the institutions they were studying at, they were far away from family connections and wider support; many made the difficult and costly decision to return home as soon as possible.
Laila was one such student, she posted on social media that she was ready to “enjoy the famous British summer” when her plans were shattered by Coronavirus. She paid for a return flight to India and managed to get home before the national lockdown and travel ban took hold.
Universities did what they could to limit the impact on students’ learning – they replaced exams with assessments and coursework that could be completed online and gave students additional time to complete their work. However, what they could not replace was the interaction with British students and students from other countries, and they could not replace the wider opportunities to explore all that the UK has to offer. The same applied to Indian students studying in other popular countries such as Australia, the USA, Canada and European countries.
The impact in the new academic year
At time of writing (September 2020) the virus remains with us and does not look like it is disappearing anytime soon, so Indian students who had made plans to study abroad have had to make some difficult decisions. For some, the attraction of studying abroad will ensure they overcome any doubts and, government policy permitting, they will continue on their academic journey to study aboard. But for others, the risks mean they have to consider if overseas study is for them, or perhaps take an online programme.
As a result of the ongoing situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19), we have updated our FREE study abroad checklist and included sections that covers these issues. Those who are on our mailing list will have received the updated copy, but if you haven’t downloaded it yet, you can grab a copy now by entering your details in the pop-up box that appears on the site or by signing up to our newsletter. Experiencing problems downloading it? You can find further details in this article: http://thestudyabroadshow.com/get-your-free-copy-of-the-study-abroad-checklist/
Our recommendations to reduce the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on your studies abroad
In light of the current situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19) we recommend you complete this checklist or revisit it as it will help ensure you are fully prepared for overseas study.
You may also be interested in this related article: 5 reasons why people study abroad – which is yours?