 |
 STUDY ABROAD: A GUIDE FOR WOMEN
Introduction • Access to Information • Where to Find Information on Study Abroad
Other Important Considerations • The Testing and Application Process
Selection/Interviewing Issues • Terms and Conditions of Your Scholarship • Going Abroad
Other Important Considerations
A Word About Timing
Start early! Everything always takes much longer than you expect. There are many details involved in applying to international programs, all of which require time. Transcripts of your academic record, for example, must be obtained, as well as letters of recommendation and other materials. It may also be necessary to arrange for documents to be translated. Some programs require that you take standardized tests , such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), which are given only periodically. It is critical to make note of all deadlines and plan accordingly.
It is also important to recognize that your desire to pursue study or training abroad will have an impact on many people in your life—your parents, your spouse, your children, other family and friends, your employer, your professors. When and how you involve these various people in your planning process will depend on your individual situation. For example, some programs may require you to seek a leave of absence if you are working —and that takes time to arrange. Others may require that you be currently enrolled at a university. Some programs offer additional support to bring family members with you, while others (the majority) do not.
Regardless of your particular situation, it is always advisable to expect the unexpected. Packing up your life and moving to another country for an extended period of time is complicated as well as exciting, and the more time you give yourself to plan and prepare the smoother the experience will be.
Overcoming Barriers
The problems and barriers that women face in pursuing international education are wide-ranging. A 22-year-old Chilean graduate student might have to overcome her family's preference for educating only her brothers, or her parent's fears for their only daughter living thousands of miles from home. A 31-year-old Egyptian mother of two seeking a doctorate may encounter resistance at her perceived "selfishness" at "up-rooting and disrupting" her family. And a 43-year-old economist from Kazakhstan who is chosen for advanced training may be thought to be jeopardizing her marriage by leaving behind her husband while she goes abroad. You may well have to deal with similar concerns when you announce your own intention to study abroad—as many women have before you.
Family and personal concerns often weigh heavily in women's professional decisions. Societal norms and expectations—and restrictions and taboos—vary from country to country, from city to rural areas, and even from family to family within the same community. While there are strategies for helping to overcome barriers, such tremendous diversity demands that every woman who decides to pursue international educational opportunities necessarily address these issues within her own specific cultural and familial context.
Regardless of the specific strategy, the goal is the same: to defuse resistance, and, if possible, to enlist the support of family, colleagues, and friends in a process that requires enormous time, energy and commitment.
In some countries, achieving a college-level education in her home country is already testament to a woman's determination—and her ability to overcome both overt and covert discrimination. Within this context pursuing a scholarship to study abroad might be seen as the logical next step. It is, however, a very significant next step, one that few women (or men) undertake lightly.
In addition to the many issues that women confront as women, it is also crucial to realize that international scholarship programs are enormously competitive for everyone. A high level of academic achievement, as well as adequate language skills for the appropriate country, are absolutely required.
It is also important to know that all programs vary in their focus—they have different priorities, different qualities and interests that they are looking for in potential grantees. Be sure to study the program requirements before you apply and choose those that most closely match your skills and goals. In other words, look for program that is a "good fit" for you.
Some Common Objections
While some people may try to dissuade you with a variety of arguments, these arguments tend to be couched in negative terms. Some people may think you are selfish or irresponsible toward your parents, your husband, your children. Others may criticize you for possibly jeopardizing your husband's career (by having him travel with you abroad), or conversely, consider it a sin if you leave your husband for a period of time.
To help you overcome some of these objections, it is important to stress the positive aspects of the experience. Pursuing advanced education overseas will benefit not only you, but also your family, and, broadly speaking, perhaps even your country. Upon your return you will be better prepared to serve in your chosen profession, and you may have a significant impact on your community in your chosen field. International scholarships are also very prestigious. It is an honor to be chosen, and it reflects well not only on you, as a role model to others, but on your entire family and your community. More generally, the benefits of international education are difficult to quantify because every person's experience is different. There are common threads including gaining both academic and practical knowledge, broadening your personal and professional experience, making new friends, and establishing new professional contacts.
A few international scholarship programs are particularly sensitive to the special problems women face, sometimes providing helpful orientation materials or even sending a program officer to meet with prospective grantees and their families to facilitate the process. It is, however, much more common that you will not have this level of support from the program before you leave your home country. That is why it is so important to involve those who matter to you in the process as early as possible and try to enlist their support. If you know that you will encounter resistance from a particular person—a parent, a spouse, an employer—think about who you can recruit to help you counter that opposition: perhaps a sibling, professional colleague, or trusted family friend. The more people who are supportive of you, the easier the process will be.
Remember that thousands of international women receive financial assistance to study abroad each year in the United States, and thousands of others receive support and overseas training from universities in Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and other leading host countries of foreign students. You are not alone in your desire for overseas training and you will not be alone once you go abroad to study. Those who have done so and returned home to your country can be important allies for you in your preparation efforts.
|
|
