All these administrative procedures take a lot of time. For that reason it is very important to take this decision with anticipation and organize your time very well.

When you finally take the decision of studying abroad, it’s important to test the level of your knowledge of the language from the country that you are going to visit. Having a previous knowledge of that language is going to simplify the trip a lot and choosing the different subjects that you are going to study is going to be an easier duty. Anyway, you don’t have to forget that although this is going to be a productive experience you are going to need a period to adapt to the customs of that country.

To take into account

At the beginning you are going to act as a simple spectator of the scene in the new place. At that point you are going to be watched and pointed out constantly. Once you have passed through this period of adaptation, you are going to be completely integrated to the new culture. Obviously there are going to exist those periods of time in which you are going to miss your home and your family and it’s going to be difficult to assume certain customs from the country you are living in. Remember that you must pass through these moments to leave them behind and to be able to enjoy the decision that you have made. After all, you are living a unique experience that will boost your professional and personal development.

The decision of studying in a foreign country is not taken for only one reason; there are a lot of motivations to take this decision. This wonderful possibility allows, for example, meeting a new culture for a long period of time; this is one of the main factors when a person chooses to study abroad.

In addition, the student is going to learn or improve his knowledge of the foreign language. This is very important if we consider the professional future of any student. In many other cases, this trip is more related with the first independence period from the family. This builds a strong personality in the student and improves his capability to expand in new and unknown environments. It helps to strengthen his self confidence as well. Among others, one advantage of taking this decision is the exclusive opportunity of establishing new relations and acquiring different methods of work. This facilitates a better adaptation for the future.

There’s no doubt that if you choose studying or improving yourself in a foreign country, you must have necessarily an adventurous soul and an open mind that has the capability to absorb completely the experience that you are about to live. The fact of living in a new culture will probably enrich you with a new vision of the world.

The University of Buenos Aires (Universidad de Buenos Aires) offers over 65 undergraduate careers, divided in 13 Faculties. But choosing a career or a postgraduate degree is not that easy or simple since there are many procedures you need to go through, and a lot of documents that you need to get in order to become a student here. It is very frequent for people to get frustrated since they don’t know where to begin, what to do, who to ask…

Faculties: Faculty of Agronomy; Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism; Faculty of Economy; Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences; Faculty of Social Sciences; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Faculty of Law; Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry; Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities; Faculty of Engineering; Faculty of Medicine; Faculty of Odontology; Faculty of Psychology.

What to do if you’re a foreign student

In order to enter the Universidad de Buenos Aires, there are no admission courses. You start the career with a Basic Common Cycle that tries to level and orientate students, before they have to follow specific subjects of the chosen career. In this way, with a general learning that lasts a year, the student will be better prepared to face his/her chosen career and the universitary life.

First, the students should head to the Argentinian diplomatic offices in their country of origin in order to apply for the University and get registered for the next academic year. After obtaining the documents, the students should present the information to the Ministry of Education and Culture and to the Universidad de Buenos Aires.

The documentation needed for each faculty may vary but, generally, you need a graduation diploma and a studies certificate, validated by the Ministry of Education and by the Ministry of Foreign Relations; also, you need a criminal history record of the last 3 years; several copies of your birth certificate; a valid passport or equivalent document of entrance to the country and a medical insurance.

Postgraduate Degrees

But if the choice isn’t an undergraduate career but a postgraduate degree, each faculty offers a great variety of masters and postgraduate options that are constantly renewed.

Just like with the undergraduate careers, it’s always better to inquire each Faculty about the specific documentation requiered but, generally, you need to regularize your migratory situation in order to obtain a temporary Green Card and be able to take the complete postgraduate course without any problems. They will also ask for your criminal history record, birth certificate and valid passport. Once you gather all the documents, you should head to the International Affairs Office of each faculty.

The student will have more opportunities to speak the language and will meet people who speak it fluently as their mother language. This is a great help to improve control of the language and fluency.

How to choose the best program

In order to select a language study program, you must think about what your expectations are, how much you can spend and what programs adjusts better to you. You must consider that any course will be beneficial if you make the most of it, even if it is only for a month or less.

First select which language you wish to learn. The usual is English, but there many other options. Choose the language to know what countries you can visit.

The duration of the course is also an important factor. Be it because you miss your family or because you have job commitments, you must plan previously how many weeks you will be abroad. There are many options, from two weeks up to 1 year.

Some programs offer additional classes with specific themes (tourism, journalism, computer programming, etc.) or special courses for university students or graduates with the option to carry out internships in companies (you pay for the regular program, but besides taking the course itself, you also work in a company with a salary).

Finally, you must find accommodation. This also depends on your budget and you ability to adapt. You can choose between a family home, a student residency or a hotel (these options vary from one company to another).

Prices and travel money

Most programs are paid in Dollars or Euros with international rates. The cost can be very high for some countries, so it is essential to know the total value of the experience and be sure of having sufficient money to pay for it.

You must also consider additional costs that may arise. If you need a visa, what permits you must apply for, how much money you will need for personal costs (meals not included, transportation, study material, excursions, etc.). You must know in advance the average living costs at your destiny and which will be the first things you will have to pay for, in order to have enough money when you travel.

For your safety, it is advisable to have an international credit card that allows you to check out money at any local bank.

Procedures and visa

Before applying to any study program, you must ask the company what permits you must apply for before you leave, and if the manage these procedures and at what costs. Keep in mind that, in general, they do not include in the program costs the visa procedures, custom taxes, travel permits for minors or similar incidences.

International MBA – Full Time

It is one of the best MBA on the international level (Rankings) and last 12 months. It is a very intensive degree with students from all around the world. Classes are held in English – of course! The maximum number of students excepted every year is 120. This allows you to get a closer contact to most of the students, forge relations and it helps the communication. Small classes are necessary for debates and discussions between students.

The fees for that very special MBA, starting in 2010, will be 36.000 Euro. Living cost are estimated at 1.200 Euro per month (including, books, room, health care, food). In order to apply, you need an excellent degree and level of comprehension, communication, creativity and self-confidence.

Excecutive MBA

This programm is designed for persons which are working during the week. The MBA classes are given on friday (18h30-21h30) and saturday (9h30-16h30). Therefore it will be no problem for you continuing your job and carreer. This programm includes a short intership in a private company, an international journey of 2 weeks and 2 weeks opening programm at the University. You will study real life / real business situations, making simulations, working in groups and alone. The fee for the excecutive MBA will be (starting 2009) 42.000 Euro plus a deposit of 5000 euro.

Global One MBA

It is the only degree that has been created to provide the student the same type of education in different international universities around the world ( Asia, Europe, North America, South America). It is a programm for professionals and senior excecutives. The programm last 21 month and is divided into several modules, which respond to the necessities of todays business life. The fee for that MBA are 49.500 Euro plus a deposit of 5000 Euro.

Do you believe that is the worst that may happen? Oh non, just wait for the first two weeks, survive them and you will have a nice stay abroad. Because in the upcoming days you have to do all the administrativ stuff, papers, papers and papers. Stay positive – it’s the best way to learn quick a foreing language, it doesn’t matter if you’r talking in spanish, french, italian or german. The important is, you try to make people understand you, so keep the dictonary close to you, it’s more important than your credit card.

Read some reports form former students in the experience section of this website. And always remember : It may be just a small step for the mankind but for you it’s the beginning of a new era!

So again, watch the DEADLINES, you have to prepare a cover letter for your exchange coordinator, you need ad Curriculum Vitae (CV), but hey before doing all that stuff, have you already choosen the country where you want to go? Okay, and even the University? Perfect.

Before leaving, make shure that you have a place where to go. Find a room – in student residences, private flats, shared flat, because living in a hotel is really expensive. Even for most residences there are deadlines to respect, otherwise you have a problem in cities like Paris or Geneva, were free rooms are rare.

Have a look on the University Homepage, find out what kind of clases they have and which ones you would like take, do they match with your studies, what kind of examens have to be done at the end of the term and so on. Maybe you can already have a look on the literature they propose to read, as it is in a foreign language you may be interested in having a look on it, before doing all these classes.

Next step: Flight or Train tickets – buy them. Then make a list of all the things you need in another country (clothes, money, credit cards, books, dictionary, medicaments).

Last but not least, it can happen that you want see your family and your friends for some month, so organize a “farewell party”, spend some day with your closest friends and family members. They will love it.

Now continue learning a foreign language and clean your room (because one day you come back . Be although prepare for all these parties and journeys your will do in the new place.

That’s it, all the other information you may need, you will find them soon on www.eu-student.eu!

For this periode they get in contact with another world, news friends, with different nationalities and hobbies. Your can go to Paris and study art, do you prefare Economy in St.Gallen, Law in Berlin, International Relations in London or Languages in Barcelona?

Studying one year in Geneva may help you learn french, but given as a fact, that many spanish students come here, maybe your will learn spanish too! Be prepared for adventures, differents cultures, many partys, different point of views in university classes. Big vacactions are nothing compared to one Erasmus Year!

Probably you will spend 50% of your time studying and 50% discovering the Erasmus Universe. I’am not shure that you will spend more money on studybooks than on Party, travelling and Adventures? In any case it’s not that important where you go, but what you doing there. Your may find friends from any european country – wherever you stay.

Monday Pasta, Tuesday Croissants and Wednesday “Eisbein mit Sauerkraut”? Probably your will get in love with somebody, spend time on beaches, on snowboards – be open minded an your year abroad will be a success.

Many students especial like the Cultural Programm : exhibitions, philosophy, modern and ancien paitings, literature and art.

You should try Paris, especially after a cold winter, Paris starts to vibrate and your could feel it, if you choose this city for studying abroad. It seems difficult, but not impossible to find an appartment, or at least a room. Rush Hour and Worker Organizations may change your plans, but who cares, take a good book, there are many nice french authors and novelists. Even by foot you may see most of the city. At any time you can get some good french wine and some interesting conversations.

A Top Event, is the Museums night, free entrance into all museums, the whole night, half of the population of Paris seems to be out on the street on these occasions. Paris is calling… listen … and go!