Age is not a bar for new beginnings

Dear madam,

My name is Nikita Kumar and I have done my B.E and executive MBA. I'm 32 years old. I started off as a software engineer in Infosys from September 2012 to December 2017 and then moved to the HR field from 2018 January till date. I work as a generalist. I'm looking to move abroad and here are my questions. Which country is best to move to? Is Australia a good option? At this age, is it good to take a study loan and go for studies After studies is it good to start as a fresher again at this age?

Nikita
Dear Nikita,

While the easiest route to any country is through a student visa, at this stage in your life when you have already completed your masters too, you have to prove to the universities and the visa officers that you are a genuine student and that the course you choose to pursue is necessary for your career advancement.

Countries that are open to migration are Australia, New Zealand and Canada. You could apply for a job directly and try to move to one of these countries. If you want to take the student route, choose a program very carefully and write a strong statement of purpose stating how the programme is going to help you in your career. I would not recommend student loans at this age. Apply to a program that offers good funding. It is absolutely fine to start afresh at any point in our lives. Age is not a bar to make new beginnings.

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Dear madam,

I want to pursue business analytics, data analysis, data science or international business. My preferred location is UK or Germany. Please guide me.

Abdul Majeed

Dear Abdul,

You need to write the IELTS academic test as a requirement for both of these countries. In addition to this, it will help if you enrol at the Goethe Institute to learn German. Although your programme in Germany will be in English, it helps to know the local language when you plan to spend a couple of years studying there. It will also strengthen your resume. Applications to both UK and Germany have to be submitted online. Research the universities in both countries before you decide on them.

Five important points to keep in mind while choosing your university:

The reputation of the university: Pick a university that is known for its quality of education, faculty, research facilities, student satisfaction and placement opportunities.
Subjects offered: While most universities will offer most subjects, choose the one that offers what you want.
Tuition fee and scholarships: Choose a university that is reasonably priced and offers merit-based scholarships and financial assistance. In Germany, most universities do not charge tuition fees.
Living expenses and work opportunities: UK allows you to work for 20 hours per week during weekdays and 40 hours per week during weekends and holidays.
Visa regulations and stay-back options: Both Germany and UK offer post-study stay-back options.

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Dear madam,

How are Medical studies in Maldives rated? What are the other options available for cheap medical studies?

Sandhya

Dear Sandhya,

Other than India, Countries that are affordable for medical studies are Germany, Georgia, Russia, China, Philippines, Poland, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Maldives National University offers MBBS programs. Indian students must have qualified NEET Exam for MBBS admissions in Maldives if they want to be eligible to return to India and practice.

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Dear madam,

I am in my second PU now. I want to apply for design courses at the best of universities in the world. What should I aim for and how should I prepare? Please guide me.

Raghav

Dear Raghav,

All design schools would require you to submit a portfolio. Start putting together around 10 of your best works. The portfolio should be concise and show critical awareness and the ability to select work that best represents your strengths. Prepare a digital portfolio keeping the resolution high as most universities will want you to upload the portfolio online. Apart from the portfolio, you need a well-written personal statement clearly specifying your career goals and why you wish to pursue the particular course you are applying to. Some of the best design schools in the US are Rhode Island School of Design, Parsons, the New School for Design, Pratt Institute, D School Stanford University, School of Visual Arts New York City, Institute of Design Chicago, and Savannah College of Art and Design. In Europe, well-known design schools include the Royal College of Art London, Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design Denmark, the University of the Arts London, Aalto University Finland, Glasgow School of Art Scotland and Politecnico di Milano Italy.

(The author is a Bengaluru-based career counsellor. Send your queries to [e-mail])