You've made the decision; you want to sail across the seven seas and experience a foreign education.
But soon, you realise that all is not as rosy as it sounds. You must answer many questions:
What programme is best for you? What exams do you need to take for your particular degrees?
Which country is the best fit? How can you earn funding for your foreign studies?
Karan Gupta, education consultant, joined Get Ahead readers for a chat on 22 August 2007. He answered these questions and shared his expertise on a number of related issues.
For those of you who missed the chat, here's the transcript
Part I: 'MBA is your best bet for management'
aparna asked, hi karn i am appearing in GMAT. i want addmission in columbia university as it is near NJ. at what score of GMAT i will get comfortablly there.
Karan Gupta answers, Yes, Columbia is in NY and close to NJ. Aim for a GMAT score of above 680 to apply to Columbia.
drbjtt asked, Hi! Karan, I am post graduate in Veterinary science (Pathology). I want to do PhD in US. Is there any uni in US which do not require GRE for admission? thanks
Karan Gupta answers, No, all good universities in the US ask for the GRE for admissions.
mohan asked, in insead do they give visas to both france and singapore campuses in the beginning only or whenever we wish to switch over we need to apply for the visa?
Karan Gupta answers, You must check this information with INSEAD directly.
adarsh asked, MR Karan i am taking GRE in sep,can u tell what score can fetch me to good university...and let me know is that important to take toffel exam also.
Karan Gupta answers, Aim for a score of above 1300 and the TOEFL is needed (score of around 100).
paliwal ravi asked, sir can u pls tell me the course value of master in finance & banking in australia & what are the chances to get the job after the course if i will go to edith cowan university
Karan Gupta answers, This is a good course with good job prospects.
anbusatis asked, sir, am looking forward to an MBA degree in London school of business, what are the minimum set of qualifications i should have to get a seat, also what is the cost of education per year in London? thanks.
Karan Gupta answers, You should have at least 3 years of full time work experience along with a GMAT score of above 680. The cost is around 50,000 pounds (Rs 40,00,000) for the entire course.
sharath asked, who can sign on my trascripts?
Karan Gupta answers, Any college official can authenticate your transcripts.
satyendra asked, after doing MS in IN from Carnegie Mellon University i would like to do MBA from an American University,suggest how long will it take andnames of some good universities
Karan Gupta answers, You should have at least three years of work experience and a high GMAT score in order to apply to good universities. The length of the MBA programme is around two years. Good universities include Harvard, UPenn, Stanford and so on.
Neeli asked, Hi..I have done my BIT and would like to do MBA. My first preference is UK but I have heared that getting visa for UK is bit tough now. So should I go for Aus or USA or i should try for UK first..thanks
Karan Gupta answers, If you are a genuine student and can prove that you have sufficient funds to pay for your education, you will have no problem in getting the UK visa.
ajai asked, I had passed my B.Tech in Computer science from IPU, Delhi in 2007 and interested to do either MBA or MS from Berlin University, Germeny . Please advice me from where i shoud do my higher education and expected expenditure for study period. Can i do part time job also to meet my expenses. Regards, Ajai
Karan Gupta answers, I would recommend that you consider US universities. Your chances of getting a job after you graduate are maximum at US universities. And a part-time job can sometimes pay for your living expenses but not your tuition fees.
sharath asked, hi karan,whic is better in US? a MS r a MBA?
Karan Gupta answers, Generally speaking, an MBA is better. However, one must evaluate his or her career goals before making this decision.
ania asked, hi..sir..'v done BE..'m verymuch interstd 4 persung my Mtech..wt are d facilities in USA..
Karan Gupta answers, Take the GRE and the TOEFL and apply for admissions to US universities one year prior to your intended year of study.
hari asked, i am doing my ug 2nd year i want to pursue my studies in singapore what r the ways fo do it
Karan Gupta answers, You can browse the website of NUS and NTU in Singapore and have a look at the courses offered. For admissions you will need the IELTS or the TOEFL.
visweshwar asked, hi karan i have a GRE on 1330 and a toefl of 112 what are chances for funding
Karan Gupta answers, Most universities do not have funding for international students. The limited funds that are available are given to students with GRE scores of 1450 and higher and academics of 75% and higher.
placd asked, What's the best college for MBA? WHarton?
Karan Gupta answers, Yes, Wharton and Harvard.
Smedhi asked, Sie, I am Satish MEdhi doing service in a General Insurance Co. as an Officer. I wants to learn/study more about the Computer TEchnology. What are the ways to do this.
Karan Gupta answers, Take the GRE and the TOEFL and apply to US universities for a Master's degree in Computer Science.
apb123 asked, hi karan, at what score of GMAT it is possiable to get scolarship.
Karan Gupta answers, Many factors are used to determine whether you get a scholarship or not -- prior work experience, essays, resume, academics and GMAT score. Generally speaking, a GMAT score of 700 and above is good for a scholarship.
chand asked, sir can you please tell some countries which which will offer free education. (Masters in Aeronautics)
Karan Gupta answers, Try public German schools for free tuition.
visganesh asked, hi karan i have a GRE on 1330 and a toefl of 112 what are chances for funding for biomedical engg...
Karan Gupta answers, Good chances for admission but funding is very hard to get.
nisha asked, Hi Karan what should be the GMAT score to get into London School of Business
Karan Gupta answers, 680 and above
sumeet asked, what is investment banking? what is to be done to make a career in it?
Karan Gupta answers, Go online and read more about Investment Banking. Generally students with a Masters degree in Finance can opt for a career in investment banking.
Neeli asked, Can I do part time work while studying in Singapore?
Karan Gupta answers, Yes in some cases. Please check directly with your university.
Smedhi asked, Sir, I am Rajesh Jain working in a MNC. I have completed in MCA from Patna University, Now, I wants to study more about the hardware technology of Modern Computer.
Karan Gupta answers, Take the GRE and the TOEFL and apply for admissions to US universities one year prior to your intended year of study.
ajai asked, Sir, Should i opt for MBA Or MS and from which university NUS or Berlin university or Australia Uni. please advice with duration & expenses.Where more indians are. Thanks, Ajai kansal
Karan Gupta answers, I think NUS or Melbourne Business School would be good. Average duration is two years and expenses are around $30,000 (Rs 12,00,000) per year.
RuchiGupta asked, Karan wht is good score in GRE and Tofel to get decent university in BioTechnology in US? Please name few university which are good in Biotechnology area in US???
Karan Gupta answers, Johns Hopkins University and Columbia University are good. GRE scores of 1400 with academics of 70% and above are considered good for admissions.
karthik asked, hi karan, what are ur thoughts on RSM Erasmus univerdity, netherlands?
Karan Gupta answers, It's a good school with a good reputation.
rahul asked, sir, which are the best universities in uk which give admission to fresh undergraduates ?
Karan Gupta answers, All MBA programmes need prior work experience. An MBA from a below average university like Cardiff might be possible for someone without work experience.
sumeet asked, to get into insead what is the avg gmat score reqd?
Karan Gupta answers, 680 and above
paliwalravi asked, sir what is the average inocme in australia during the student visas
Karan Gupta answers, You must be able to show that you can fund your entire education in order to get a visa.
Ranjansenkutta asked, Sir, I am a Commerce Graduate aged about 48 yrs and now wants to learn about computer in abroad. Please confirm me the right place of my studies.
Karan Gupta answers, The US would be your best bet.
rahul07 asked, sir is there any good college in abroad offering bba course
Karan Gupta answers, Yes, look at UT Austin and University of Michigan Ann Arbor.
soju asked, currently i m working in a s/w company but want to do MBA from UK ......i have 8 month work experiance i m planning to do my MBA after 2 years will i get any type of advantage because of 2 year of experiance if yes what r the facilities i will get .
Karan Gupta answers, Collect at least three years of full-time work experience before you apply for your MBA. Depending on your GMAT score you can apply to universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College.
RuchiGupta asked, Karan one more quetion where you get information about 10 good university in Biotechnology in US??? Apart from US which country is good for doing MS or Phd? I am doing my final year(M.Sc) In Biotech.
Karan Gupta answers, Look at http://www.usnews.com for a list of top universities. You can also consider the UK.
harsha asked, hi karan! is there is any universities in U.S accepting TOEFL alone for admission? If so plz name some.
Karan Gupta answers, Have a look at RIT in New York. They accept students for some courses without the GRE or GMAT.
rahul asked, sir, how many yrs of minimnum work experience is required to get admission in uk as well as us?
Karan Gupta answers, Three years is minimum work experience for MBA.
sanjay asked, hi karan, i want to go for higher studies to us, presently i am doing MCA. which line i should apply.thanks
Karan Gupta answers, You can apply for a Master's degree in Computer Science.
rahul asked, sir , can you kindly suggest me the names of topmost universities in uk and us
Karan Gupta answers, UK -- LBS, LSE and in the US -- Harvard, Stanford.
chaitanya asked, Karan i got a score of 1300 in gre and i"ll have almost 2 years of exp in software industry in an american MNC bu the time i go in 2008, but i am a mechanical graduate and want to do MS in computer science, what univs should i look for?i have 85 in Xth and 80 in 12th and 63 in engg...
Karan Gupta answers, Look at NCSU and USC.
visganesh asked, hi karan are we supposed to show any kind of financial positions b4 we get a visa to do an MS in US
Karan Gupta answers, Yes, you have to show that you can pay for the entire duration of your education.
Part I: 'MBA is best bet for management'
