In recent years, more and more universities are deliberately seeking out international students and encouraging cross-cultural exchange, whether through direct exchange programs, entire degrees for or including international students, or wider networks such as the Erasmus program in Europe. The benefits of working and studying abroad are numerous – they can lead to improved language skills, salary, a global network of contacts and increased cultural sensitivity.

Although the range of tuition fees is quite broad in Spain (depending on the program, discipline and university, you may be asked to pay anywhere between a few hundred and many thousands of euros), nearly every Master’s program requires some level of payment. Thus, it is a good idea to carefully look through the admissions pages of each program you’re interested in and be fully aware of tuition requirements before you apply.

The value of overseas study is immeasurable, and a study abroad semester or degree enhances the educational experience. As such, we have recently been doing a blog post series highlighting reasons to study in Italy, Turkey, China, Spain and – now our next in line -  the United Kingdom! The UK is home to many of the world’s leading universities, and is a top international student destination for those who would like to improve their English and take advantage of the challenging and creative courses on offer around the UK.

Funding your studies is always an important consideration and can be a big hurdle for students. There are a number of funding types available, such as grants, scholarships, and student or private loans. They can come from a number of different sources, including government, university, or private organizations. But what do these different types of funding mean, and how do they work?

It can be hard to stay motivated surrounded by chocolate, festive lighting and tinsel garlands. With the prospect of overseas holidays, dinners with family and friends, gift-giving and an abundance of food fast approaching, whether you work or study, maintaining focus can be an issue.

We’ve already explored Spain, China and Turkey – next stop in our series exploring top destinations for students is Italy!

Earlier this month we wrote about the top 5 reasons to study in the Iberian Peninsula; the high quality of education, the Spanish language, the culture, lifestyle, landscape and entertainment are factors that draw people towards study in Spain. Next up, Turkey is the second country we want to talk about in our series exploring top destinations for students from around the world.

Spain is the first country we will be highlighting in a new series exploring top destinations for students from around the world. Spain is one of the most popular countries in Europe for students interested in either short-term or longer exchange programs, as well as for those looking to earn a full degree in a foreign country.

It often happens that potential students show interest in a specific program by visiting the webpage, pre-subscribing for the next semester, or sending enquiries via email, however the number of completed applications is much lower than the number of people interested. We decided to research this issue and discovered the factors potential Master’s students take into account when choosing a university and type of degree. What we found is that the possibility of receiving funding motivates potential applicants and develops added value for students.

With the start of the academic year come many changes to most university departments – new students, new courses and, every so often, a new department chair. If you happen to find yourself in the lucky position of holding this post, it’s important to be aware of the plethora of responsibilities and advantages that come with the job. In this article, we’ve gathered helpful tips and reminders from a variety of sources to create a comprehensive list of what you need to know to make the most of being a department chair.

With September upon us and campuses around the globe preparing for the coming school year, many recent graduates face a harsh reminder that student life is over and it’s time to plunge headlong into the workforce. Yet, sometimes landing that first career-oriented position can be tough, particularly in today’s economic climate.

In the third interview in the Experts Talk series, UMass Amherst Professor Emeritus, New York Times Economix contributor and leading feminist economist Dr. Nancy Folbre discusses the importance of interdisciplinarity, the overconfidence economics has in the individual pursuit of self-interest and what she learned from reading the comments section on her New York Times pieces, among other topics.

When the first online reviews of consumer products appeared in the internet, they were often received with mistrust and had little affect on how consumer choices were made in reality. Over the past few years, however, the behavior of users and their interaction with product reviews has changed dramatically, and with rocket speed. According to last year’s research, 90% of respondents who read online reviews prior to a product purchase admitted that their decisions were influenced by positive online reviews, while 86% of respondents indicated that their choice was mostly influenced by negative reviews.

Continuing with last month’s topic, it is known that quality information increases student interest in universities. We pointed out the relevance of giving detailed information in the promotion of programs, courses and scholarships. If a prospective student finds quality information and thereby recognizes the value of an institution, he or she is more likely to apply and stay engaged with the university over a lifetime. So how else can universities provide information to their candidates?

The infamous opening ceremony of the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) was held today in Seoul, South Korea where Maryam Mirzakhani was awarded the Fields Medal, the most prestigious and honorable prize in the vast field of mathematics. Mirzakhani, an admired professor from the Departments of Mathematics at Stanford University in California, is the first female winner of the distinguished award that was established in 1936.

A picture speaks a thousand words, an adage that also holds true when presenting data to an audience. Whether to stand out during an academic conference or a class presentation, to share statistics with your customers, to explain a difficult concept to your students or to impress your friends with something funny: if you want to convey the message quickly and clearly an infographic is the tool to use!

If you are interested in working or studying in a French, German or Spanish speaking country, you will almost certainly need to provide proof of language skills. While exact requirements differ between institutions, there are certain exams that are more widely accepted than others. Following up on our recent post on English proficiency tests, in this post we will offer you an overview of the most respected language exams from around the globe for French, German and Spanish.

Instead of relaxing by the pool, engaging in night long barbecues or taking long awaited beach vacations, do you find yourself smoldering in the summer heat at your local library, or at your very own disheveled desk, mustering what little willpower you have left to write your thesis? As a current graduate student at the American University in Cairo I share your woes, and perhaps sleep depriving fears, but believe me when I say there is light, and the promise of a blissful graduation, at the end of that slightly terrifying thesis tunnel. Whether or not you’ve established a sizeable outline or built a praiseworthy bibliography, you will need to keep writing, and not succumb to the dastardly clutches of summertime procrastination, to ultimately reach your deadline. The key to thesis writing during this scorching summer is to stay motivated, even if it takes pitchers of iced coffee and copious amount of frozen yogurt to get you through! Take a look at my top ten tips on how to stay motivated while writing your thesis this sunny season.

When a student chooses a program, it’s not only a decision about a subject and place of study, but also a choice regarding future career. Such a choice has a big impact on students’ dreams, plans, budgets and decisions that affect their personal and social life for at least the next 2 or 4 years.

Based on our experience here at INOMICS, as well as by examining site usage statistics, we can confirm that the click through rate (CTR) on Standard jobs advertised in summer is significantly higher than throughout the rest of the year.

We spoke with Dr. Dolan about his crossover interests in Russian literature and economics (and how he made that combination work to his advantage), his experience working in Moscow during the last years of the Soviet Union and why he recommends the MBA degree, among other topics.