Avanse Financial Services in conversation with Meet, who is set to pursue his M.Sc. in Strategic Management from Technological University Dublin, Ireland. This chapter highlights his research mechanism, the impact of COVID-19 on his course, interesting tips, and more.

Research Mechanism: Ensure you are investing in the right place, says Meet

At the beginning of the research mechanism conversation, Meet highlighted that he invested a lot of time to do thorough research. He wanted to ensure that he is making the right decision as it has the potential to make or break his professional journey. Firstly, higher education aspirants should narrow down all the study abroad destinations that provide attractive opportunities in their domains of interest. Secondly, students should be clear in their mind whether they would like to work part-time. The meet had always been planning to take up part-time jobs to manage funds better. Hence, it was absolutely necessary for him to opt for an English-speaking country. This is one of the reasons that Meet did not opt for France, which was his initial preferred study abroad destination. Next, he analysed the return on investment (ROI). It is crucial to estimate this part of the study abroad plan as your financial responsibilities begin as soon as you complete your course and enter the professional world. And you can only do this based on proper research and data.

Meet used various online platforms to do his due diligence. According to him, the best platform which proved to be of help is Quora. It is an excellent platform because most reviews are peers’ first-hand experiences, and hence, a reliable source of information. He also adopted an innovative way of connecting with the university’s alumni on LinkedIn to get candid opinions. These honest opinions are a perfect cocktail of both pros and cons that assisted him in arriving at the right decision.

Impact on pandemic on his course structure 

Due to the pandemic, the first semester will be conducted via a hybrid model, out of which 70% is on-campus, and 30% is online. For the subsequent semesters, the university is keen on conducting a 100% on-campus learning program. However, it depends on the pandemic situation prevailing at the time. Meet has been keen on experiencing a campus life as he firmly believes that networking and participating in group projects lead to a  completely different experience than learning online. Hence, he personally prefers the on-campus learning experience.

Meet’s travel & accommodation plans

His orientation is scheduled to start from 14th September 2021. On 15th September, he has an on-campus orientation organized by his university, and 16th is his Project Management session day. He plans to depart on 9th September. Since Meet is fully vaccinated with Covishield, he will have to home-quarantine himself for just 5 days instead of 14-days. On the TU Dublin website, Meet came across some 8-10 branded accommodations suggested by the university for its student fraternity. By branded, Meet meant that the accommodations provide subsidized rates for TU Dublin students. From that list, he figured out a specialized student accommodation. The prices were extremely reasonable; hence, he booked a room for himself which he will be sharing with four more students. This specialized student accommodation even offers a library, training center, swimming pool, and more.

Did Meet face any challenge to get his vaccination doses?

“Extremely smooth process”, exclaimed Meet. He applied for his first jab through the Cowin app and got it on 1st June. Later on, the government initiative to get study abroad students vaccinated on priority caught momentum. The process implemented by Meet’s local corporation is that study abroad students need to write an email to the local body along with the passport, college acceptance letter, visa copy (if available), and other relevant documents to prove the admission and travel plans. Meet received a reply within 2-3 days, along with his token ID and center details. Upon reaching the vaccination center, Meet easily received the second jab after completing few formalities.

He even graciously thanked the authorities for arranging the vaccination drives. This saved him from having to quarantine himself at an airport hotel in Dublin for 14-days, which would dig a hole in his pocket.

Essential tips for students traveling to Ireland during the COVID-19 crisis

Research well about the airline options available. Some airports require you to apply for a transit visa or quarantine at the transit airport. So check thoroughly prior to getting your travel ticket. Secondly, before purchasing your flight ticket, check all the travel company websites so that you can enjoy some of the amazing student discounts available and less extra luggage allowance. You also cannot rule out the possibility of flights being canceled. Hence, it is imperative that you choose the right airline that has a lower number of cancellations.

How did Meet find the perfect education loan provider?

Since Meet’s education plans went through some last minute changes, he had extremely limited time to go through the education loan application process. Hence, he was looking for financial company which could sanction loan swiftly. Since NBFCs are known for faster sanctions, he was keen to take an education loan for higher studies from an NBFC. Secondly, he was looking for an unsecured loan because he wanted to take complete responsibility for his education loan, which was another reason to opt for an NBFC.

So, Meet applied at 2-3 NBFCs, out of which he mentioned that Avanse Financial Services was the quickest to respond. The organization took notice of his time-sensitive requirement and provided quick service. Meet even appreciated the informative videos (STUDENTS SPEAK) that Avanse uploads on YouTube where study abroad students like him share their academic journey and help others who are set to take a similar route.

Here’s Meet’s valuable advice for all the study abroad students

Ensure that you gain some work experience before pursuing a Master’s program. He emphasized conducting in-depth research before selecting a study abroad destination, university, and coursework. This decision will be responsible for shaping your career path ahead, so don’t take hasty decisions. Ensure that the program is aligned with your interests too.

So, this is about Meet’s incredible journey so far. Stay tuned for more informative and experience-sharing articles. Please reach out to us if you have any queries regarding study loans. All the best!