Hello, I presume you clicked this thread due to the thread title which might have caught your attention, and no it's not a prank, it's something which I MIGHT be going through, and I will really appreciate and positive and constructive comments from anyone of you.

To give you a brief insight of what is this all about, I have currently two options to go for:-

1) United Kingdom - University College London
2) Singapore - National University of Singapore

Fyi, I'm going to pursue economics in both university, where I have already secured unconditional offers from. I have applied to almost every available scholarship out there which provides overseas education funding/sponsorship, but so far the chances of securing one seems to be diminishing, and it has come to my realization that I'm in need of a back up plan, because I do not want to jeopardize the dream which I have planned and worked hard for so long already.

So, in order to finance my study in UK, I have calculated a rough estimation of 400k (at the current currency exchange rate) for my 3 years study there which ought to be pretty sufficient for my life in London, where the first 200k would come from a loan through Bank Rakyat - offering a max of 200k loan with a 7.45% interest rate p.a and a repayment of 15 years, and on my second year onwards I'll apply for JPA overseas loan which covers the 2 years remaining tuition fee which is interest free at the repayment of 20 years. The remainder of the figure might come from family/relative borrowings, which sums up to 400k.

Generally speaking, I'm more inclined towards the education in UK, and I'll base this on the following reasons;

1) UK's wage rate are much higher. If I were to study there, chances are rather high that I will work there, or rather I should say, I must work there. The weekly wage rate would be around 600GBP and above (so i've heard) which I believe is more than enough to cover the installment of the debts I owe, in terms of ringgit. I understand that if I were to come back and work here instead, I'll probably be buried alive by the debts I have incurred, so it would be a dumb idea if I chose to return.

2) Of course you may want to mention that competition are tough, especially when one is an international student who will be competing with the locals (UK citizens). But the uni I'll be attending - UCL in this case actually have a report which tabulated a 95% of their candidates were able to secured a job successfully after graduation (some even before graduation) I believe there is a certain amount of credentials from that report, judging that it's one of the highly ranked universities.

3) The experience - yes, something that I've been wanting for a change! I'm so accustomed to Malaysian's lifestyle and I really want a change be it in environment or the people around me, to learn things and explore things and the world on my own, where I believe it'll leave a great impact on me, and in everything! Plus the fact that I'm enrolled in the uni which is ranked the 4th of in the world (according to Times Higher Education) is what intrigued me to study there even more!

However, my concerns are as follows;

1) How difficult is it to secure an employment opportunity in the UK? My friend told me that the new prime minister is a conservative, and conservative do not favor migrants. Is it really that difficult for a foreigner to secure a job there, even if I graduated from their local college/uni? Especially when I'm in the field of economics?

2) Is it worth to spend 15-20 years to repay ur debts for only 3 years of education? But then again, since interest rates are fixed and if the UK currency appreciates or there's mild inflation by the time I'm working there, I repay less in real term (in terms of pounds to ringgit), so may I argue that it could be a positive investment in the long run?

3) The risk involved. Yes, economy changes very fast, and like I mentioned earlier the JPA oversea loan would only be available on my 2nd year onwards, and because they have a rather closed policy in working at things, I am afraid that such schemes might not be available by the time I reached my second year, though they are actually recommending people to opt for that schemes when a student are unable to secure an overseas scholarship.

So, what should I do? I'm still applying to any scholarships available out there, in fact I might be writing letter/emails soon to big corporation asking for sponsorship, though that could be quite unlikely, but I just want you guys to know that, I really worked hard to achieve my grades, and obtained admissions from some fairly reputable universities. In fact I'm even willing to take the risk even if it might seem to be a road with no return, call it stubborn or adamant, but it has become more than just a goal I wish to achieve, it's something that I want to achieve.

Note: I'm a self financed student, I don't think my parents financial circumstances would be able to support my tertiary education, be it locally or abroad, but all these would not deter me from laying down my goals.

Oh btw, for an education in singapore, if you guys are aware, it has lesser risk involved, and an easier plus better financial aid schemes which is not offered unlike UCL, since it's a need-blind university, but as you can see, I'm still more inclined towards the education in the UK. So... opinion and advices please

I took A level, and I've scored straight Aces as well. Obtaining scholarships from local banks are not as easy as it sound, same applies to big corporation scholarships as well. A lot of factors have to be taken into consideration as well.


Yes I know that it's a good university and everything, NUS was more of a back up choice in the sense that, if all else fails I'll head to NUS. But still, I don't know why I'm just more inclined towards UK

Call it an investment for my future, it might be a huge amount for now, but who knows 1 day it will yield something far greater than that?

Thanks, apparently I think most people, including me, are intimidated by the fact of loaning 400k on my tertiary, it's a very big risk involved actually.


Yes, applied the Ivy Leagues as well, too bad my course is not under the course of sponsorship this year, plus they only have about places for 30 students this year. I understand that NUS is highly reputable, but like I said i'm just more inclined towards western education? Hmmm.. big dilemma here..

The jpa scholarship don't sponsor people who started their course overseas (so i've heard) yeah agree, but finding a job there itself is pretty hard, especially if you're a foreigner. I will come back to malaysia definitely, but I wish to explore the world now as I go on.

I did not get any outstanding results like the best in the world/malaysia for any subject but generally, I've straight Aces in all my subjects, even in the all the papers as well (except for 1 paper out of 15). As for SPM, I have also scored 11A1, 1B3 in Chinese. I am not trying to brag or boast anything at all, but I would say I have a relatively fine academic records.

Speaking of scholarship, yes. I would say even if I have quite a slightly above average co-curricular records in high school, some scholarships I've applied rejected me even before an interview was conducted. And most of them were financed directly the government, I do believe part of the reasons is due to certain "pre-determined-quota", however this is just a baseless assumption only. And no, despite facing many rejections, I hope there is still some positive replies out there, which as of now, I have heard nothing from.


Yes, I'm trying hard on that, umm mind if I ask, are you a current UCL student?

Hei. Your reply actually struck me really hard. It seems that I have been over confidently naive and ignorant, or I may have look at the world today too optimistically. But if we are talking about logic, forking out 400k and be heavily indebted for a student is obviously a completely ridiculous, if not absurd move.

I did consider the circumstances ahead, the possibility of me screwing up, but deep down in me there is a dream, a dream I aspire to accomplish. Aren't great things accomplished when people have a great dream? I may put my family and the people around me in great distress should I fail (yes, a very selfish way to say it) but IF things worked out, I could be enjoying an entirely new lifestyle. Of course nobody knows the future, this thing seems to be too much of a risk for somebody like me, if anything goes wrong, I might end up at the wrong side of the road.

Yet, trust me, I'm still considering my options now, which was why this thread was started in the first place. As much as my heart tells me to go there, but the logic in me is constantly baffling me, to decide between dream or reality..

Hello people, after reading all the comments and replies, I believe the rational side of me finally took over. I was aiming to go UK even before I begun my A levels, and it took me 2 years to lay out my plan, this beautiful plan of mine.

My plan was to do very well in A level, get an offer from a relatively good uni, and ultimately obtain a scholarship. But guess I screwed up the last stage, nonetheless, there is still a glimpse of hope, and I hope some miracle would appear.

It was not easy for me to crush my own dreams because I really want to spend 3 years of my education in a country that I believe could further shape me better, though many of you would say this could be done anywhere else as well. It's just my preference and perception in this sense, because I believe there are more to offer out there. Again, this is my perception, I don't have to explain that don't I.

I understand that, but admission for international students are highly sought after as well. Each year, there were about 2k+ candidates applying for that course, only 200 made it, and out of that 200 only consist about only 20% internationals.

People, let me just make myself clear. I am not being selfish/not thinking about my parents, if not this thread wouldn't be started in the first place. A part of me knew that I needed a wake up call, despite being blinded by my own fantasy. Let's just put it this way, sometimes when we have an aim, don't you think we should try to accomplish it, at least for once in our life, regardless of what people thinks? Didn't the wright brothers subsequently invented the airplane, which was deemed completely absurd and irrational once before?

I am not proving anything people, I know in the world today, we have to succumb ourselves to logic and rationality in order to survive, what I'm trying to do was to achieve something I wanted badly, but then I agreed on the many points brought up by many of you, I guess I have to re-consider the entire option, because really, I haven't think on so much for the consequences.

So in conclusion, I shall choose NUS at the moment, unless...... if God's willing and miracle happened, there goes one dream of mine. And it is by far the only goal that I deeply want to accomplish.

Yes, I agree with you, but someday I know I will achieve my goals, and thanks for the motivating message

Thanks

No, because I know if I were to get myself involved in such a loan, I wont come back Malaysia to work for sure. If its lowest I had to go, take washing the dish in UK for example, I'll do it because I picked that decision and I am liable to it. After all, I was the one who dug that hole is the first place, I might fell on it, or I might just crossed that hole successfully.

Hei, we're in the same boat! I agree the part where most replies were given by people of older ages, after all they were the people who have seen the world enough to make such remarks, which I do appreciate very much. But young people like us just have a burning spirit to achieve the dreams that motivates us huh.

Btw, did u apply to NUS as well? Or HKUST for that matter?

Since you're saying that, have you decided to go US? I really wish you can go there, since like you said, your parents could afford half the fees. The land of US has more to offer, if compared to Malaysia I'd say, and trust me you'll do very well there. While I was working two weeks back, a random uncle approached me and asked me about some questions related to the product he purchased, then he complimented me for the advice I gave him, which he proceeded with talking to me about education stuffs. He even told me this, if you have to wash the dish there, even if that's the lowest you have to go, trust me, just go, you'll do far better than being in this land. I have no idea why he made such a remark, but out of no where he just told me these, the moment before that I was still confused and baffling between the choice of furthering my studies. It served not only as an inspiration from no where, but a force of motivation that told me to pursue my dreams.

Of course that happened before the thread was even created, after reading more and more of the negative replies, I finally figured it was a very naive/silly/absurd/ridiculous and whatever words that people have used to tell me about this dream I had. Heck I was even accused of things that I've never mentioned simply because most people perceived the idea in a different manner, i.e to invest so much on nothing but a piece of degree, but it was okay, some hold great true in it. Then, after considering the big picture, the rational in me finally manifested into a wake up call which tells me to let that decision to go, although it was devastating move but LOGICAL nonetheless.

I am not saying NUS is not a good uni, and I know a lot of people are dying to get there. It is just the fact that I'm more inclined towards heading somewhere further, like UK for instances, not only for the education itself, but the environment and life there. But in this position where I'm a self funded students, I guess it just made things more complicated. Long story short, I shall concentrate more on NUS for now, if and only if there's some miracle which happened somewhere in between.

p/s: I just got a email for interview for EPF scholarship next week, and it could be my last shot, and I pray I could do my very best.

I'm not jeopardizing my parents savings, in fact they have no savings to begin with. What I'm afraid is to drag them into a financial burden should any unforeseen circumstances arises, which after much consideration, I decided not to pull them in.


Umm, as much as economics is concern, it is only a theory in logic. I could relate economics with this "investment" if I wanna call it as one, but apparently my previous post stated that it was a dream/ambition/goal, and I believe it is usually difficult to achieve and sometimes correlates with the some outrageous goals.

But in this case, since most people have made their remark clear and strong, it's not such a worthy investment afterall.

You mentioned a great point over here, but I'm the kind of person who will finish what I've started, so switching of course would be unlikely unless I have a dire need to do so. Anyway I have decided to head to NUS at the moment, unless I have been offered a scholarship to study there

Thanks for the opinion and advices everybody So, until miracle happens!

I get what u mean And did I tell you how much I appreciate it?

Anyway, I presume you're currently studying abroad as well? Speaking of weather, part of the reason I wanted to go UK is also due to the weather, coming out someone who've never experienced winter/snow before, but don't get me wrong. I didn't choose UK just because I want to be in a four season country. It's just part of the minor reasons XD

Actually guys, sorry for digging out this thread. But I have another situation currently. I've just received an offer from Uni. of Melbourne for a 100% tuition fee remission, but before this I have decided to head to NUS.

My problem are as of below;
1) High living expenses. Melbourne is not cheap to live in, and it would require an annual expenses of about $15000. But lucky for me, I have an aunt who stays there and maybe I can move in with her, so that I could save up for accommodation, so after deducting that, roughly how much do I still have to fork out?

2) Would you choose NUS over Uni. of Melb? Btw, I was offered to do Commerce in Melbourne uni.

3) What are the job opportunities in Melbourne like? Is it really as bad if compared to UK?

Opinions and ideas are welcomed

I will still be majoring in Economics in Uni. Melb. Just that it would a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Economics.

Well one thing about my aunt is that she is still single and usually she works night shift. I mean don't get me wrong for all the wrong things though

I will do more research on the job prospects.

Actually both NUS and Uni. Melb would require me to loan, and my rough estimation is that both loans would generally amount to the same figure, I.E MYR100k for all 3 years of studies.

No reason, and I have no idea why. It was said that UCL's entrance requirement is even higher than LSE. I guess maybe my personal statement wasn't impressive enough? I've got all 4 offers and rejected by LSE.

@ykaccess: Hello, it was awarded based on merit, up to 10 scholarships were given to all international applicants.

So to speak, I think I'm really lucky to be one of them.

The thing about this is that, if I go to NUS, I'll still have to loan (I don't have a scholarship there), but as for Melbourne, I have a full fee remission, and also have to loan, both would equate to the same amount. So it's like, scholarship vs no scholarship.

Well yes, I know UK is out of the question, unless with a scholarship funding actually I should re-edit the topic since that I have decided not to spend that amount of money for the sake of achieving my dream. I'm still in the midst of discussion with my family, and generally I think they would support my decision where ever it may be.

Thanks mate I will consider that.


Hello, actually it has come to my realization that the point of starting this thread is due to my ignorance and irrational thoughts to achieve what I've wanted so badly, so after being "awakened" by so many people who shared their sentiment, I have agreed to ditch that absurd thinking of mine, and focus either on NUS or Melb instead.

Thanks