Have you dreamed of living in a different country but aren’t ready to move permanently? You can choose to work and study abroad for a semester instead! Work and study programs are an excellent alternative for young people desiring to travel and spend time overseas.
Whether as an adventure during your gap year or for college credit, working and studying abroad is a great way to step out of your comfort zone and receive a life-changing experience.
If this will be your first time participating in a program overseas, this guide is for you. We will answer every question you may have about working and studying abroad, including the benefits, available courses, and the best countries.
We also provide plenty of tips and resources throughout this guide to help you get started. Then, when you’re ready, you can use our GrowPro platform to search and find great study programs in countries around the world that allow you to work.
Finding work overseas is sometimes much easier than in your homeland, especially if you’re a college student without any work experience. Let’s dive into the advantages.
Advantages of Working and Studying Abroad
Aside from a unique and enriching experience in a different country, working and studying abroad has its benefits. It makes sense why so many universities offer study abroad programs and why even more organizations encourage overseas experience.
Travel to a New Country
When you travel, you inevitably learn the cultures and customs of that country. There is a unique charm of every country that permeates through its traditions, history, and people.
While working and studying abroad, you get to discover this and more. Some lifestyles and environments may come as a cultural shock, but through the experience, you expand your perspectives, ideas, and worldview.
Learn and Improve a Second Language
Are you studying a second language? You can immerse yourself in a country where it is the official language. Having conversations with native speakers will help you naturally distinguish grammar rules, learn new vocabulary, and become more fluent.
Language immersion is the best way to learn and strengthen a second language quickly, especially while working and studying abroad in a country where it is the native tongue. Not to mention, being bilingual is an attractive and useful skill. The ability to speak in two or more languages is necessary in the corporate world and highly sought after.
Personal and Professional Development
In addition to language and cultural immersion, you can build career experience while studying abroad. Working abroad can assist in your personal and professional development. Abroad experience is an attractive asset to future employers, according to a recent IIE study.
By working and studying abroad, you become more open-minded, adaptable to new environments, and resourceful, all of which are praiseworthy traits to mention in your CV or resume. Cross-cultural experiences and language skills make you stand out from other applicants for a job position. Be sure to highlight those qualities!
Most In-Demand Jobs for Students Abroad
Now that you know to add international work experience to your resume, it’s time to identify which jobs overseas are high in-demand. Below is a list of positions that are the easiest for international students to obtain, especially if they have little to no work experience.
Teaching English
English is the third most spoken language in the world, with over 350 million people speaking it as their first language. Furthermore, roughly 1.5 billion people speak English around the world, where it is the most popular second language. As the lingua franca of the world, English is dominant in school systems and professional settings. Many schools around the world are in search of English teachers. If you’re fluent in English, teaching it is a great job opportunity abroad.
Most educational institutions do not require you to be a teacher or have a degree to teach English, which works in your favor. Schools do, however, generally require that you have a certification, such as the TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate. Fortunately, there are numerous TEFL programs available online for reasonable prices that you can complete beforehand.
Hospitality and Tourism
If you’ve taken a vacation to a different country, or even in a popular destination within your own company, you’ve seen how much the hospitality and tourism industries work hand-in-hand. Restaurants, hotels, and resorts all need employees around the clock to cater to their guests. Whether for hosting, dining, event coordination, or accommodation assistance, service jobs are always in demand.
The best part of tourism and hospitality jobs overseas are discounts for employees. Since most international students are on a budget, certain positions can help you save money on food and housing. For example, hostels generally provide free accommodation and meals in exchange for work.
Au Pair
Do you love children? Have you babysat for a family? If so, being an Au Pair may be the perfect match. An is a young, most like an unmarried adult who lives abroad with a host family and provides childcare in exchange for accommodation and spending money.
Since many families around the world are looking for live-in childcare, these types of positions make it easy for students to work and study abroad. There are dozens of websites online that help match you with families searching for an Au Pair, including AuPairWorld.
Agriculture
If you enjoy a nice glass of wine, you may find wine-making to be a fun job. Agricultural jobs, as well as volunteer opportunities, are popular among young travelers. Many vineyard owners look for assistance in crushing, pressing, pruning grapes.
Farming is another popular and in-demand job overseas. Many farmers rely on extra hands to help with planting, harvesting and tending to the farm animals. You could work on a dairy farm and learn to make fresh yogurt, cream, and other milk-based products.
Courses to Take While Working and Studying Abroad
If by now you’re convinced of working abroad, let’s explore different courses available that you can study abroad while doing so.
Language Courses
Remembering our discussion earlier, working and studying abroad can help you learn and perfect a second language. Below are the types of language courses you can take in other countries through our GrowPro Experience:
English
If you would like to improve English as your second language, there are many schools abroad that provide English courses ranging from basic level to intensive. These courses focus on strengthening your reading and listening comprehension, as well as conversational skills.
English Exam Prep
For international students who are already fully fluent in English as a second language and plan to take an English language test, there are options to help you prepare for it. The exam prep courses assist you in preparing for well-known university entry exams such as IELTS, Cambridge, and TOEFL.
French
Interested in learning French whether General or intensive modality? Look up the experiences we’ve designed for you in Montreal!
Degree Programs
Are you pursuing a college degree? There is a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses from which you can choosein universities around the world. Dozens of degree programs in popular countries are available through GrowPro Experience. Here are a few:
Vocational Programs
If you would like to jump immediately into the workforce, you can obtain a professional certification instead. Vocational programs are an alternative to degrees, where you can take courses that provide professional training and skill development in specific job sectors.
Vocational courses are great options for young individuals looking to work and study abroad for career advancement without a college degree.
Best Countries to Work and Study Abroad
Now it’s time to choose where you want to travel. Depending on your professional and personal goals, certain countries may be a better option for you than others. Let’s explore five of the best countries for international students to work and study abroad.
Australia
With a high quality of life, strong economy, and a low unemployment rate, you will see why thousands of international students choose Australia. In addition to listing third on the Higher Education System Ranking in 2018, Australia is also one of the top travel destinations in the world. Here, you will discover unique fauna and diverse landscapes across all of the cities in Australia.
Canada
For students looking to learn French and pursue other career ventures, Canada is another popular destination. Canada is ranked as #3 of the best countries in the world, having a quality educational system that offers certifications and diplomas that are recognized worldwide. Best of all, the largest cities in Canada are known for their diversity and multiculturalism, making the country very attractive to international students.
Ireland
Known for the mythological leprechauns and widely celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland is another ideal place to work and study abroad. Dublin, the capital of Ireland, has the largest population and is home to most of the country’s celebrations. You can explore and enjoy Ireland’s most popular attractions, most of which are deeply rooted in historical traditions.
New Zealand
With breathtaking landscapes and a first-class educational system, many students who travel to New Zealand decide to stay there longer to pursue their studies. The country’s high quality of life and safety rates also play a part in its popularity.
Not to mention, there is so much to see and do while living in New Zealand, especially for adventurous souls who enjoy extreme sports. New Zealand has the best landscapes for outdoor activities, including high cliffs for bungee jumping and seaside destinations for kayaking.
Spain
Did you know that tuition rates in Spain are among the lowest of all European countries? If you are looking for affordable higher education, this is a destination to consider. While living in Spain, you can visit the infamous landmarks and indulge in the country’s delicious gastronomy.
You will discover the prestigious architecture and rich culture that influenced Pablo Picasso, the renowned Spanish painter. Also, since Spain sits along the Mediterranean sea, it has excellent weather for the beach and outdoor activities.
How to Work and Study Abroad
If this is your first time working and studying abroad, we’re here to help. To ensure you are prepared and have everything you need, here’s our to-do list to get you started:
1. Choose a Country to Live
Before embarking overseas, take some time to read and learn about every country that interests you. You can take notes about the pros and cons of each country as it relates to their study programs and travel requirements.
Make sure to prepare a budget to cover your studies abroad, accommodation, and daily necessities. If you need financial assistance, there are plenty of resources online, such as scholarships.com, where you can search for a variety of scholarships and grants to help cover your trip.
Also, to search for accommodation in your country of choice, you can use Airbnb sublets for an extended stay. For Australia, YHA Australia is a useful website for finding hostels throughout the country.
2. Decide on What to Study Abroad
Next, decide what you would like to study. Doing so will help you choose the courses that best align with your goals. Whether it is a professional training, an intensive language course, or a degree program, have an idea of things you would like to study abroad and what you hope to receive from each experience.
3. Find a Job
The internet is considerably helpful when it comes to finding jobs in other countries. There are universal job search platforms like Indeed, as well as job search websites that cater specifically to a particular country. For example, you can use Jobs in Canada to look for work in Canada, Seek to find work in Australia, and StudentJobs to search for work in Spain.
4. Apply for a Visa
Even if for a short period, most countries require you to have a visa to live, work, and study abroad. Since the processing time for visa applications can vary per person, try to get started early. If you need assistance with the visa application process, our GrowPro Experience team can help. We have Experience Managers to guide you through the entire process and answer any questions you may have.
5. Purchase Your Plane Tickets
Once you obtain a visa, we recommend that you use websites like Skyscanner and booking.com to search for and purchase your plane tickets. Since flight prices fluctuate by the season, these websites help you compare flight prices across multiple airlines and secure a good deal.
Work and Study Abroad | How GrowPro Can Help
Our GrowPro team helps hundreds of young individuals every year to work and study abroad. Through our website, you can search and choose from hundreds of experiences in the best countries around the world.
We understand that planning to move to a new country can be a challenge. Once you choose an experience that interests you and fill out the form, you’ll get a free quote. Then, one of our Student Advisors will contact you to discuss procedures and answer any questions you may have about the process.
Best of all, once you arrive in your country of choice, we offer Kick-Off Meetings to provide you with plenty of information and resources to get adjusted, including how to open a bank account, what are the popular places to visit, and, much more.
Stay tuned to our blog for updates on experiences in popular destinations. Take the leap with GrowPro for an experience of a lifetime!
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