From our blog “12 Reasons You Should Study Abroad,” you must have discovered there are a lot of opportunities that await you, if you choose to study abroad.
Studying abroad is a very exciting and life-changing experience for students. Although, it could be challenging when you lack the right information. This is why we at Mundus consult are here to not just provide you with the right information, but also guide you through the process.
General Documents Needed to Study Abroad
International Passport
You need your passport to be able to apply to universities abroad. It also acts as an Identification card for foreign embassies. Well, if you don’t have one, it’s advisable to apply a few months away from your study application date and you can get one from any immigration office in your country.
Birth Certificate
This helps clarify your citizenship by the embassy and validates the data given on your international passport. A birth certificate is issued by the hospital where one is born or you can get yours from the National Census Commission of Nigeria (PS: If you are a Nigerian born in Nigeria).
Diploma Certificate
If you are applying for a bachelor’s degree, you have to provide your diploma certificates such as WAEC or NECO certificate and for a Master’s degree, your bachelor’s degree certificate will be required.
Universities need these certificates as proof that you attended and graduated from the previous level of education to qualify for application. These documents contain data about your grade point average (GPA), final grades, or bachelor’s thesis.
Your chosen university takes into account the details of your certificate and uses it to determine if you are capable of academic excellence.
Academic Transcript
If you are going for your master’s, you need to provide your academic transcripts to the University you are planning to study. It provides full details of your courses and modules alongside the grades you had as an undergraduate
It is important to provide your transcript because it helps your chosen university determine your area of strength and weak points. This is why it is advisable to have higher grades in subjects related to your master’s course.
Recommendation Letters
This is also known as “reference letters.” They act as additional evidence of your ability that you will complete the master’s you are applying to successfully.
If you are applying to study abroad within a few years after your undergraduate or high school, you will need to get your reference letter from your academic officer/professor. This reference letter will highlight your academic skills and achievements.
If you are going for a master’s degree abroad and you are applying after about 5 years of work experience, then you need a letter from your employer. This letter will reflect your skills related to your master’s course.
Language Proficiency Certificate
When studying abroad, there are chances that you will study in English or any other national language like French and German, etc. For this reason, It is necessary to have a language proficiency certificate.
For English-taught universities, you will require one of the following language certificates; TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic or C1 advanced, etc. Your university could also demand a specific score and so it is necessary to go through the information on the university’s website before applying.
Also, there are cases that a language certificate will not be demanded, especially when you are applying for a master’s degree in an English-taught university and your bachelor’s degree was obtained from an English-taught university. This will be provided in your transcript.
Motivational Letter or Statement of Purpose
A motivational letter or statement of purpose is a document focused on your background and reasons why you are applying for that particular program. It should be well-written, structured, and should be precise. As much as possible do not exceed two pages or check the number of words needed by your chosen university on their website.
Here are a few things to consider when writing your statement of purpose /motivativational letter;
- The reason(s) why you want to pursue the program you are applying for and how you have learned about the program.
- What interests you about the content of the program and why it is the best option for you?
- What factor convinced you to choose that program?
- How does your previous study match the program you are pursuing if they do not match, argue why you want to change subject areas.
- What career are you aiming for after graduation and how does it fit your plan?
Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Your resume/CV provides details on your working experience and how it matches the program you want to study abroad. Due to this, you should add resources you have published, work done (Both paid and unpaid), and any other relevant think-thanks, that will help boost your application opportunity.
Bank Statement
This is necessary to show one’s capability to sustain a lifestyle abroad. It could be your statement or that of your sponsor.
Study Visa
Your study visa acts as proof that you have been granted access to study abroad. It provides details of how long you are going to stay and the benefits attached to your Visa application.
Health Documents
Many countries require you to be tested for illnesses like COVID, yellow fever, and hepatitis amongst other diseases. It also shows a historical record of one’s health which helps determine whether to provide certain benefits.
Final thoughts
Having discussed the benefits of the requirements needed, you should be considering applying for your desired program abroad. This is a very difficult choice for most people to make especially when faced with options like the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, and Germany.
If you need help making a choice, you should reach out to us for a consultation. One of our counselors will speak with you to assess your situation and offer professional advice.