One of the hardest decisions to make as a student is where you want to study abroad. There are thousands of cities around the world that offer unique benefits and charms for international students, but it can’t be denied that one of the most enticing places to study is in Asia.
Studying in Asia offers many incredible benefits for international students and can launch exceptional future careers and connections. Here are 9 reasons you should consider studying abroad in Asia, along with our top-recommended countries for students now!
1. Globally Powerful Universities
The center of higher education is moving to Asia. Universities from China, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea are strong competitors to universities from US and UK–often offering cheaper tuition prices and more immersive experiences for international students. Degrees from accredited Asian universities are recognized around the world. Earning a prestigious degree from this region can signal your academic qualifications and global experiences to future employers!
2. Low Cost of Living
Compared to North America and Europe, Asian cities offer incredibly low costs of living to students. Students on a budget, or trying to save money, can easily achieve an affordable lifestyle by studying in Asia. Groceries and local foods are often extremely cheap, and renting in an Asian city is generally much cheaper than New York or London.
Read More: 10 Most Affordable Places to Study Abroad in 2023
3. Highly Developed Urban Areas
Asia might be cheaper, but you definitely don’t need to compromise on a high level of economic development and modern lifestyles! Asian cities are famous for being clean, modern, and technologically advanced. China has more than 150,000 kilometers of modern railways. Japan boasts underground bike parking, ramen vending machines, and incredibly efficient subways/metros. Kuala Lumpur’s public transportation is extremely developed, and even has a free bus line. Living in Asia means a front-row seat to exciting new economic developments every day.
4. Convenient Travel and Tourism
Asian countries see an influx of millions of tourists each year. As a student, this is also a major convenience for you. Tourist sites are developed and easy to access. Traveling within the country is supported by a strong network of public transportation and domestic flights. Visiting another country, nearby city, or vacation island is just a short flight away. On breaks from studying, you can easily and cheaply explore your host country and broaden your horizons!
5. Natural Haven of Beauty
Asia is home to the majority of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Coral reefs, rainforests, river basins, and towering mountain peaks all provide a home to thousands of unique species and humans as well! As a student in Asia, you will get to experience the stunning beauty of nature that is so famous across Instagram and Pinterest. You will get to live and study where others can only vacation!
6. International Hub of Culture and Economy
Over the past decades, Asia has developed to reach a major influential position in world policies. Led by major economies like Japan, China, and Singapore, and deeply influenced by major players like India and South Korea, Asia is the center of global attention, investment, and innovation right now. Experience in this global economic heartbeat is going to be essential for students today to set up bright futures tomorrow. Connections, networks, and opportunities are flourishing for youth across Asia. By studying here, you can be part of that wave!
7. Delicious and Famous Foods
Of course, no topic on Asia would be complete without referencing the incredible culinary culture here! Asian foods have millions of fans around the world and are a major component of the region’s “soft power.” Ramen, sushi, rice, curry, dumplings, and bubble tea/boba are just a few major food innovations from Asia that have practically taken over the world!
With a high level of internationalization and globalization, Asian countries also offer diverse foods from around the world including American, French, and Italian foods, and more niche cuisines such as Peruvian or Turkish! You will definitely be able to find food that suits your palate and explore many more options in this foodie paradise.
8. Learn a Valuable Language
Learning a second or third language has incredible benefits both for overall brain health and your future career. In Asia, you can study in English while learning some of the most important and widely-spoken languages in the world. Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese, and Korean are some widely-spoken and popular languages that you can reach fluency in.
Additionally, you can learn a smaller but still crucial language such as Thai, Vietnamese, Tagalog, or Malay. As a foreigner, attaining proficiency in one of these languages will open up exclusive career opportunities. Not many foreigners are able to learn one of these languages when they study abroad, making it extremely impressive and rare if you can do so!
9. Increasing Global Importance
For the next few decades, Asia will be the place to be. The region is in the global spotlight for growing economies, technical and scientific innovation, quickly growing research hubs, and geopolitical influence. China, India, Japan, Korea, and Singapore are regional leaders bringing Asian perspectives to the forefront of everyone’s minds. Having study experience in Asia will set you up for a well-informed and important post-grad career in a variety of fields.
How can you study abroad in Asia?
On Global Admissions, we make it easy to search for universities around the world. You can even apply to universities from different countries at once, with one convenient and easy application!
We have also published guides to several destinations in Asia, such as Japan and Taiwan.