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Before you become a “full-fledged adult”, you’d first attend tertiary education. For many people who come from families that have the money to spend on their tertiary education, attending university is considered one of the most important choices in their lives. As many Asian parents place importance on their kids’ education, they will obviously place importance on their tertiary education too.
Here’s the thing when it comes to attending universities. There is a popular debate about whether to attend a local university or an overseas one. Below are some of the key points of attending a local university and a foreign university.
Attending an overseas university
- It tends to be more expensive mostly due to the exchange rates, depending on which country you are going to. It also includes the visa processing fee, travel expenses, and other unforeseen expenses.
- More exposure to different cultures and you will get to meet a lot of people from different walks of life.
- You’ll learn more (honest opinion and fact) and you will be well-prepared in your work life later on.
- Creates a wealth of opportunities.
Attending a local university
- A lot cheaper as you are spending in local currency. Your parents do not need to worry about the exchange rates, the flight tickets, and the visa processing fees.
- You’ll meet less diversified people as most locals often rather keep to their own kind. We do see foreign students studying in Malaysian universities but not as diversified as some countries.
- You may not learn as much but you will be equipped with a mindset to survive.
- You may not be offered a wealth of opportunities but at least you can get local jobs easier (because you are cheaper).
Don’t uphold one and put down another
To be fair, both local universities and overseas universities have their own advantages and disadvantages. Local universities are readily available so locals who are not financially well-off have an equal chance at attending university. They will have an equal chance of landing a job to advance further in their lives.
Though they may not have as much exposure as students who went overseas, at least they still have a fighting chance. By the end of the day, they’ll need to actively hustle to become very successful. However, if there is anything local graduates have any kind of advantage is for them to land a job easier in the local job market. They are comparatively cheaper to hire than overseas grads as they do not have such high salary demands.
Overseas grads, however, do factually have more exposure than their local counterparts. They do bring invaluable experiences with them back from abroad. However, Malaysia may not be ready for their updated ideas yet. Yes, they may be a bit more expensive to hire, but the money is worth it if the company is willing to invest. The only downside? A lot of Malaysian companies may not want to spend as much on fresh graduates anymore.
Which one should employers hire then?
Up to the employer, to be honest. It really depends on what the employer is looking for. Are they on a tight budget? If they are, they may quite likely hire the local graduate as they may accept lower salary packages. In many ways, it is also a good thing for the local graduate as they can already start earning money. They can also start cultivating industry training and experience so for the most part it is a win-win situation for the local graduate and the company.
If you are an overseas graduate, try to aim for bigger companies or international companies. They may not offer competitive salaries like their peers overseas, but hey, it’s the best you can get in Malaysia for now. Your overseas degree is an easy gateway into bigger companies in Malaysia so you can earn both better salaries and company prestige. “Never settle” is never in your advantage in such a country so you may as well take what you can first.
Bottom Line
Regardless if you are a local graduate or an overseas graduate, both have equal opportunities. Just so that each have their own different pathways upon graduation, that’s all.
Lydia is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav.
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