So Kinaara moved from Sri Lanka to London to join one of the world’s most influential dance education and training organisations. “Since arriving at the RAD, my experience has been nothing short of extraordinary. The transition to my life in London has been seamless thanks to the incredible support from my peers and RAD staff,” Kinaara says.

Founded in 1920, the RAD’s 100+ years of experience have led to its rise as a world leader in dance education and training. It operates in over 85 countries with 36 international offices – so you have plenty of opportunity to turn your passion for dance into an international career. Onsite in London, you’ll access state-of-the-art facilities like a purpose-built 200-seat theatre, dance studios aplenty, and one of the largest dance libraries in Europe. If you’re a working professional with many commitments, the opportunity to elevate your career remains just as rich with distance-learning options.

That said, RAD is the best gateway to a thriving teaching career. Want to shape the artists of tomorrow?  With RAD’s expert tutors and their commitment to educational excellence and transforming aspirations into tangible teaching careers you’ll be prepared to do just that.

“My initial focus was solely on ballet, but my time here has exposed me to different styles such as jazz, modern, and a deeper understanding of contemporary dance,” Kinaara says. “This exposure has broadened my horizons and enriched my dance repertoire.”

Teaching placements in its partnership schools and visits from guest lecturers and speakers enhance your skills and readiness even more.

RAD’s global community spans more than 400,000 students. Source: Royal Academy of Dance

From RAD student to professional in the making

The RAD journey begins with selecting the right degree for you. With a strong passion for ballet, Kinaara decided to pursue the BA (Hons) Ballet Education, and she’s now in her final year. It’s a three-year full-time degree that combines intensive dance training and preparation for a career in dance education, informing students on ballet and contemporary techniques.

In the first year, you take technique and practical classes to build your foundation across dance repertoire, choreographic practices, applied dance science, alongside dance analysis and history. In the next two, you boost your teaching skills through education-focused taught sessions and supervised practical teaching placements.

“The close-knit and supportive environment is enhanced by the student-to-staff ratio, which ensures personalised attention for each of us,” Kinaara says. “The bonds I’ve formed with my peers and tutors are invaluable, creating a nurturing and inspiring learning atmosphere.”

If you’re looking for a programme that’s more diverse in genre, RAD offers the BA (Hons) Dance Education programme as a flexible distance-learning degree that can be completed from anywhere in the world, at any time. Students can pursue the programme either part-time or full-time, and at certificate, diploma, or degree level. Experienced dance teachers looking to further their expertise can opt for the Master of Arts in Education (Dance Teaching) programme, a great option for research and professional development.

Students who pursue a distance learning programme are able to tailor their schedule around their commitments. Source: Royal Academy of Dance

For Laura Schneider, the BA (Hons) Dance Education programme allowed her to maintain her commitments while striving for personal and professional growth. It was a six-year part-time pursuit for Laura, one that was ultimately rewarding, albeit a challenge at the start. “The part-time and online study format allowed me to apply new knowledge and ideas directly to my teaching practice, bridging theoretical concepts with practical situations for deeper understanding,” she says.

Through the BA, Laura developed her identity and confidence as a teacher. She took modules that covered dance anatomy  philosophy, and pedagogy, and even received support from the staff as a non-native English speaker. Thanks to the Practical Teaching Placement module, Laura attained Registered Teacher Status, allowing her to become a teaching member of the RAD.

As a result of her positive experience, Laura decided to continue with the Master of Arts in Education (Dance Teaching) programme at RAD. “I greatly appreciated the RAD’s constant effort to make the content more inclusive, diverse, and aligned with contemporary pedagogies,” she says. “This approach inspired me to incorporate these values into my teaching practice and never settle for outdated ideas.”

Highly skilled and forward-thinking – the dance teachers of the RAD are strongly committed to lifelong learning and professional development. RAD graduates are highly sought-after, with a recent graduate destination survey reporting that 87% of graduates were teaching dance and performing arts, while 91% of them work in a teaching profession. They’re based all over the world, imparting their wisdom in different pathways like private dance schools, vocational schools, community settings, higher education, and more.

If you’d like to become one of them,

Follow RAD on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

We’ve heard from motion graphic designer Avalynn Kim, who has worked on projects like “Barbie,” “Squid Game,” and “CyberPunk: Edgerunners.” It was her award-winning work for “Barbie” that helped her secure an O-1B visa — granted to foreign nationals who have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in the motion picture and television industry.

Then, there’s product deployment strategist Jahnavi Shah, who knew that finding a company to sponsor a job visa in the US was hard, but managed to bag one anyway by taking up several internships with a diverse background in the job scope.

Meanwhile, it took Mohammed Wasim over 1,000 job applications and failing to secure a single interview to realise he was using the wrong job hunting strategies.  

The thing is, Wasim did exactly what Shah did — participated in several internships and even worked part-time on campus.

However, many, many, many applications later, he figured it out: “It took a while for me to realise the two reasons for my failure; I was not reaching out to hiring managers for opportunities, and I was not tailoring my resume to the jobs.”

As a part of his job as a Senior Data Insights Analyst, Wasim turns complex data into actionable insights that help steer business strategy. Source: Mohammed Wasim

‘I was a complete introvert, and I was hesitant to ask for help’

Wasim is no stranger to successfully applying for jobs; in fact, he has two years of work experience before moving to the US to pursue an MSc in Data Science at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT).

“As soon as I completed my undergraduate degree at a local university in India, I got a job as a data analyst at BYJU’s, a global ed-tech company,” says Wasim. “However, it took a long time for me to get a job in the US after completing my master’s.”

It’s a struggle many international students know well — the job market will always prioritise the locals first, as they don’t require any visa sponsorships.

Still, as long as you use the right job hunting strategies, things might go in your favour.

“I wasn’t hearing back from anyone for three months, so I had to change my strategy,” says Wasim. “I started applying for contract jobs to be financially stable while looking for a full-time job, and later on, I found a company willing to sign a 10-month contract with me while on my OTP visa.”

However, Wasim still needed to secure a long-term job, so he kept applying and desperately waited to hear back.

During his master’s, Wasim participated in several data analyst internships, mentorships, and ambassadorships. Source: Mohammed Wasim

Concerned by the lack of responses, Wasim finally realised that something wasn’t adding up.

It took him a while, but he finally figured that not reaching out to hiring managers for opportunities and not tailoring his resume to the jobs was a big mistake.

“I was a complete introvert, and I hesitated to ask for help. I kept questioning myself, ‘What if they don’t reply?’ or ‘What will they think about me messaging them?’ It was hard,” Wasim shares. “My resume was another issue I had to fix.” 

And by fixing those glaring problems, Wasim saw results in no time.

“I reached out to the hiring manager of my current company and told them that I was determined to apply for the position,” he shares. “I sent over my resume, and they looked at it. I was invited for an interview, and the next thing you know, I was offered the job.” 

While getting the job was Wasim’s biggest triumph, it did not guarantee him an H-1B visa — the foreign worker visa in the US that allows employers to hire foreign workers in so-called speciality occupations.

He took up the offer anyway, determined to prove his worth through this work.

“I was consistent at work, and I was also delivering the projects up to expectations,” he says. “Just seven months after working for them, they sponsored my visa.”

Today, Wasim works for Molson Coors Beverage Company as a senior data insights analyst.

Wassim believes that every rejection is a step closer to your goal. It might not seem like it, but it is. Source: Mohammed Wasim

4 job hunting strategies every international student should know about

Having successfully reached the finish line of his job hunt, Wasim has four key job hunting strategies to share with international students who are on their own journey.

Know what you’re applying for 

If you’re thinking about going in blind when applying for jobs, you will probably struggle to bag them. 

“A common mistake many make is applying for hundreds of jobs without knowing the requirements or tailoring their resumes to the job description,” says Wasim. “When I started applying for jobs, I did just that and barely got any responses.”

Job descriptions are there for a reason: they outline specific skills and requirements an employer needs. You’re unlikely to advance to the next stage if your qualifications don’t match. 

Understanding it will allow you to assess your suitability for the role and prepare for potential interviews, increasing your chances of securing the position.

Get them referrals or recommendation letters

While having referrals won’t guarantee a job, they can help you increase the odds of your applications getting seen by a recruiter or a hiring manager, potentially speeding up the hiring process on your suitability for the role.

As a referral comes from a trusted source, such as professors, previous employers, or managers, it can demonstrate your suitability for the role and the company. Plus, it gives you a boost over other candidates.

“If you’re applying for a senior data analyst job like I did, it’s best to approach someone in the same team as your past or current company to write you a referral letter,” advises Wasim. “Implementing this as one of your job-hunting strategies will help you as an international student looking for jobs abroad.”

“Also, the higher the position of the person writing your letter, the better.”

Wasim at the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in Paterson, New Jersey, US. Source: Mohammed Wasim

Avoid applying for non-sponsored employment

Applying for jobs that don’t offer to sponsor your work visa isn’t the best use of your time and efforts. 

Yes, it’s a safe bet if you apply for as many jobs as possible; if they end up not offering you a visa, then you have wasted an entire application process.

“There are a lot of websites you can use to find jobs that offer work visa sponsorships in the US,” says Wasim. “That’s how I started with my job search.”

Besides, applying for non-sponsored employment can also be risky, as it can lead to violating your visa status and potentially facing deportation. If you lie about whether you need sponsorship, and it’s later discovered, it could jeopardise your visa status and have negative consequences.

Network with people

As an international student, meeting new people and building relationships with those around you will benefit you in the long run. It will lead you to find unadvertised job openings, expand opportunities, gather insights into the local job market and culture, and build a support system. 

“A lot of people ignore networking nowadays, which is one of the most important job-hunting strategies,” says Wasim. 

Networking can also lead to referrals, which as we mentioned above, increases your chances of scoring an interview or job offer.

There are several ways to build networks and connections, such as attending conferences and career festivals or sending cold emails or LinkedIn messages.

“People will be willing to help you, especially if you reach out to the right person,” says Wasim. “They’ll guide you on your journey to getting a job abroad.”

In the documentary “Before the Flood,” Leonardo DiCaprio shows us our current reality — ice caps are melting, forests are disappearing, and rising seas threaten to swallow coastlines.

The worst part? We know it’s happening. From the pollution and biodiversity loss to the soil degradation and water scarcity, we’re staring down the barrel of what is a looming disaster ahead of us.

So, how do we fix it? Real change requires action, and that’s where studying environmental science comes in.

There is a growing demand for experts with advanced knowledge and skills to create sustainable solutions. The next generation of scientists, policymakers, and innovators must aim to shape a more sustainable future for all — and this is where you may be interested in joining the fray.

As famed English biologist and natural historian David Attenborough once said: “No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced.”

However, before you enrol on an environmental science degree, there are a few things former and current students have to share about it:

Some key advice about pursuing an environmental science degree, from students who’ve done it:

Gunawan in one of Monash Clayton’s science labs. Source: Brigitta Maria Andrea Gunawan

Brigitta Maria Andrea Gunawan

Degree: BSc, Ecology and Conservation Biology

University: Monash University

At just 17, Gunawan joined her first fellowship, the 30×30 Ocean Echo Fellowship and founded 30×30 Indonesia.

Since then, her journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. She’s been recognised as a National Geographic Young Explorer and a High Seas Youth Ambassador and has set sail on expeditions with OceanX and Darwin200.

But even with all these experiences, she knew she wanted to keep learning, leading her to pursue her studies at Monash University.

“I love that Monash gives me the flexibility to explore my interests,” says Gunawan. “I’ve taken psychology, languages, business innovation, and even a unit that sent me to Fiji for two weeks. It’s exciting to branch out while staying focused on my environmental science degree.”

More importantly, however, is her advice to those interested in studying environmental science — know your “why.”

“Don’t just think about the job you want. Think about the person you want to become,” she said. “Your degree is more than academics; it’s about growth, resilience, and purpose. Challenges are inevitable, but if they connect to your passion, you’ll find a way to thrive.”

Mega Trishuta Pathiassana grew up in a small village in Indonesia’s Central Java region. Now, she’s travelled around the world learning all there is to environmental science. Source: Mega Trishuta Pathiassana

Mega Trishuta Pathiassana

Degree: Bachelor of Economics, Natural Resources, and Environmental Economics

University: University of Indonesia

There is a big need to acknowledge that the use of natural resources is a big cause of conflict between countries and communities, and understanding the reasons behind this clash is how we can maintain our environment and natural resources.

Pathiassana is one of those eager to uncover more about the field. She had one simple goal: to become someone beneficial to her community.

How would she achieve it? By going global.

“I already had plans made even before I graduated with my bachelor’s; I wanted to have other perspectives and experience from another country,” says Pathiassana. “Because sometimes it’s not enough to just stay in my country.”

Her experience studying environmental science has brought her across countries like Taiwan, Sweden, and even South Korea, where she completed her PhD in Forest Environmental Science, and was an awardee of the Graduate Scholarship for Excellent Foreign Student and the SNU President Fellowship Programme.

One of her projects involved creating organic pesticides for biocontrol and a type of fertiliser that allowed farmers to double – sometimes even triple – their harvest.

“I believed that if I studied abroad, I could learn something new and use that knowledge for my country, especially to develop the smaller communities in my area,” she said. “Maybe in the future, my research can benefit not just me but someone else and the larger community.”

 

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Nikshep Trinetra

Degree: Master’s in Environmental Science

University: University of Wageningen

Trinetra started out like many other Indian students — pursuing chemical engineering, as it was the typical path.

But he had always felt like a misfit, and towards the end of his engineering degree, he finally understood why. It went against nature, which he was passionate about.

“I did an internship where I could hike in the Himalayas, and joined India Hikes to work in waste management for a while,” says Trinetra. “I trained people on waste separation and creating biogas with wet waste; this was the turning point for me.”

His next step? Pursuing a master’s in environmental science at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands.

For students who wish to pursue a similar field, Trinetra says that there is a need to rethink and challenge the current economic and societal systems that often discourage connection with nature and reward unhealthy, indoor-oriented lifestyles.

In his words: “Why do we value being indoors all the time? We have to figure out why the system has made us this way, and why we’re not consciously thinking about nature.”

“I suggest environmental science students look at things like systems analysis, environmental systems, how they work, and how the economic system works for us and against us,” he says. “Always be open to new ways of thinking and be more receptive to different kinds of thoughts and ideologies.”

There’s more that goes into deciding what the best US universities for international students are aside from their ranks. Source: AFP

What we generally mean when we talk about ‘best’ universities

When we tack on the word “best” for any education-related searches, we think about the university and programme rankings, their impact on the world, and their graduate outcomes.

Take the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for example. The undisputed best-ranked university in the world — at least for now — is where researchers and graduates triple the lifetime of bridges and other structures and identify several new potential drug targets for Alzheimer’s that have never been linked to the disease before.

And if we’re talking about great graduate outcomes, those at MIT have little to worry about. In 2024, 44% of undergraduates had jobs after graduation, while the remaining 49% went straight to graduate school. The destinations? MIT aside, other highly-ranked universities are common, like Caltech, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.

We’re sure, however, that you’re not here for this.

The best US universities for international students are the ones that make you feel like you’re welcomed without condition. Source: AFP

The best US universities for international students, explored

Apart from rankings, impact, and graduate outcomes, there are more things that international students, in particular, should look out for.

The biggest consideration of them all? How welcomed you’ll be at the university.

According to data from the National Centre for Education Statistics (NCES), New York University (NYU) hosted the most international students in the 2023-24 academic year, with 49,847 making up 37% of the overall student population. Meanwhile, Illinois Tech boasted the highest percentage of international students overall, with its 6,571 foreign students making up 51% of the overall student body.

It begs the question: what draws this volume of international students to these two schools?

“Obviously, for all the professional opportunities that New York City offers, but also for the global aspect,” says Pedro Tenreiro from Venezuela on his decision to study at NYU. “Being at a global university complements your academic and professional achievements in the city because it builds you to be a person who has much more perspective.”

Many others at NYU echo the same: choosing NYU means being able to access and take advantage of the university’s location and unique international exposure to the school’s three degree-granting campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai, as well as 13 global academic centres abroad and in the US.

But for Tenreiro, it’s the people that made all the difference.

“I came out in my freshman year and NYU really gave me the strength I needed to find myself and be publicly comfortable with who I am,” says Tenreiro. “The main reason why I was able to accept myself and be open about it is that the community at NYU is so accepting and appreciative of honesty. The people that I’ve met here and their ability to be sincere with themselves really gave me that strength and it is one of the best decisions I have ever made besides coming to NYU.”

Meanwhile, there are various reasons why international students chose Illinois Tech, but for Taiwanese student Simon Hwang, it was the abundance of resources available. 

“From building an electric race car from the ground up to operating one of the world’s first portable MRI machines, Illinois Tech offers opportunities in various fields to match individual passions,” says Hwang.

Like Tenreiro, however, Hwang was also pleasantly surprised by what else the university had to offer.

“Illinois Tech focuses on providing the necessary resources, support, and opportunities for every student to succeed and grow,” says Hwang. “Whether in the classroom or during student organisation meetings, there’s always a welcoming atmosphere and support from both faculty and fellow students. If you want a college experience that’s both challenging and rewarding, Illinois Tech is definitely the place to be.”

Ultimately, these two stories highlight this: that for your international student experience to go beyond just receiving an education, you’ll want to feel welcomed and wanted by the school too.

How US universities make their international students feel welcomed

Imagine getting delivered a piece of traditional mail to welcome you to the school — that’s how the best US universities for international students stand out from the rest. Source: AFP

Setting the tone for the rest of your time at university 

At the University of Michigan, where 48,167 international students were enrolled during the 2023-24 academic year, welcoming students, regardless of their country of origin, starts with an email:

“We are so glad that you are a part of our Michigan community. At the University of Michigan, we strive to create a campus environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and empowered to live, work, and learn. We seek to create a place where our discussions are inclusive and welcoming to differing viewpoints. This challenges our way of thinking and helps us grow.”

The email goes on to highlight the expectations the university holds for its students, including the programmes and resources available to support them in their journey. 

As a sign off, Martino Harmon, the Vice President for Student Life, writes: “Remember that you are not alone in this remarkable adventure; the entire U-M community, including faculty, staff, and your fellow students, is here to support and encourage you. You belong here.”

There’s a similar story from Andrea Suazo Rivas, who attended Grinnell College in Iowa because she “felt so welcome.”

In Rivas’s words, Grinnell found her instead of the other way around. Hailing from Honduras, she was shocked when she found an email from the college she had never heard of asking her to apply. After checking it out, Rivas gave Grinnell a chance – and they kept the momentum going, this time by sending Rivas snail mail, the first she’s ever received.

“Honduras doesn’t have a good mail system, but Grinnell somehow figured it out,” says Rivas. “No other college did that. That was exciting to me, and it made me feel so special. I felt like an individual and not just another number to them.”

The best US universities for international students have plenty of programmes to help you make your transition into higher education easier. Source: Pexels

Year-long inclusion programmes

One of the best US universities for international students is Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). All students, including the 14,517 international students who make up 44% of the student body, are thoroughly supported by the Centre for Student Diversity and Inclusion.

The centre is also where you’ll find the ORIGINS Experience, a year-long inclusion programme open to all students, focusing on community building and leadership development that begins a few days before First-Year Orientation.

In the programme, you’ll be immersed in a community-centred environment, exposing you to resources and opportunities for networking and development at CMU, and building your sense of belonging as an active member of the CMU community. 

At Alabama’s Auburn University, you’ll find the First Year Seminars a great form of academic support during, well, your first year at the university.

These credit hour-guaranteed seminars help new students acclimate to university life through learning about the opportunities for involvement on campus and in the local community, the soft skills vital to college success, the academic and personal resources on Auburn’s campus, as well as various career development and networking opportunities.

The best US universities for international students have dedicated support just for you. Source: AFP

International student-specific career support

Naturally, the best US universities for international students will have many forms of support provided, but some go above and beyond that too.

The Georgia Institute of Technology does this through the International Student Professional Development Series.

Offered by the Office of International Education in partnership with not one, not two, not three, but four separate organisations within the university (the Centre for Career Discovery and Development, the Communication Centre, the Student Alumni Association and the Advanced Technology Development Centre), the series helps international students during their career journey from start to end.

This includes helping them develop the professional skills required in today’s job market, explore the employment opportunities available to international students while a Georgia Tech student and after graduation, determine how international students can take advantage of F-1/J-1 employment benefits, and learn about other employment-based visa categories. 

Georgia Tech isn’t the only one with this dedicated support – Brown University’s Centre for Career Exploration.

At Brown, you’ll get access to Peer Career Advisors, Graduate Career Fellows, and Career Counsellors, as well as Interstride, an integrated platform to support international students and graduates with their career exploration, internship, and job search.

On top of that, the centre works closely with its university partners too, like Brown’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services, which can help you with immigration requirements and regulations that affect employment eligibility based on visa status, and the International Student Advising, which offers information sessions, workshops, and individual advising meeting.

There’s a big difference between being diverse and being inclusive, and the best US universities for international students know that well — that’s why they’re both. Source: AFP

Not just boasting diversity, but fostering inclusivity too

It’s easy to state that a university is welcoming of all students, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or ability. However, the ability to act on it is what separates the average and the best US universities for international students.

One really good example?

When Junfeng Li, a class of 2023 graduate from The University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Radio-Television-Film and the then-President of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, wrote an email inviting the university’s President Jay Hartzell to learn a sentence in Chinese for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.

To Li’s surprise, the president did it – responding to his email and sending over the recording to wish students a Happy Chinese New Year. Li was touched, to say the least.

“When you see the president of your university not only accepting an invitation to a Chinese New Year event but trying to learn a sentence in your language, it’s just a wonderful gesture,” says Li. “That’s another level of support. It felt like the entire UT Austin community — faculty, staff and students — truly celebrated Chinese culture. I never expected him to even respond to my initial email. I share this story with a lot of my friends at other schools. They were just as surprised as I was.”

The demand for expertise in corporate finance has inspired ambitious professionals to seek advanced qualifications; yet with today’s demanding schedules, stepping away for full-time study isn’t always an option.  EDHEC Business School’s Online MSc in Corporate Finance  is a competitive programme from a top-ranked school that is tailored for busy professionals and allows participants to gain in-depth financial expertise without stepping away from their careers.

That’s exactly why Stefan Steiner chose it. “I was working a lot at Amazon on projects that were also a bit financially related –– for example, calculating costs or savings,” he shares.  “I always had an interest in the finance domain, and because I wanted to gain more experience and insight in this domain, but couldn’t give up my job at Amazon, I decided to pursue an online master’s in finance at that time.”

The Online MSc in Corporate Finance strengthens your core skills in finance and business management, equipping you with the techniques to drive financial and sustainable growth. Source: EDHEC Business School

Founded for entrepreneurs, built for visionaries

Established in 1906, EDHEC Business School has built a global reputation for delivering business education rooted in real-world application. With a strong focus on innovation, leadership, and impact, the school has spent more than a century shaping professionals who drive change across industries. Today, EDHEC ranks among the top business schools in France and is internationally recognised for its academic excellence. It holds the 7th spot in the Financial Times ranking of European Business Schools.

Whether you’re still early in your career path out or you are an experienced executive looking to sharpen your competitive edge, the Online MSc in Corporate Finance programme will not only advance your skills and acumen, but it connects you with tens of thousands of alumni around the world. This 15-month programme equips you with a strong foundation in corporate finance and business management, while also giving you the tools to lead through financial and sustainable growth.

The learning approach combines fundamental theory with practical tools and techniques, guided by international experts who bring real-world insights into every course. As you work through case studies, you’ll develop essential skills in financial analysis, corporate valuation, and strategic financial decision-making, which are all crucial in today’s business environment.

In this programme, you will learn how to break down a company’s strategy, assess its competitive position, and analyse its financial performance. Using this information, you can apply financial tools and valuation techniques to make smart strategic decisions and understand their direct impact on a company’s margins, profitability, and long-term value creation.

Your journey begins with core pillars of financial education including risk management, and accounting. From there, you’ll personalise your path by choosing two to four electives, with options including strategic foresight, data analytics for managers, people analytics, and more.

“The electives — where EDHEC shines, in my opinion — have an innovative approach to combining these with the financial aspect,” says Steiner. “For example, in brand management and strategic marketing, you have courses that are basically management but are also seen through the lens of the financial background and the financial strength that EDHEC brings to its staff.”

Graduate Roland Nasr agrees. “Surprisingly, other courses, such as my electives in agile leadership, SME governance, and digital transformation, also proved very important for my personal development and growth,” he says.

EDHEC’s Online MSc in Corporate Finance offers flexible schedules, personalised coaching, and one-on-one academic mentorship. Source: EDHEC Business School

Live, interactive learning with real-world impact

In addition to the 100% online programme coursework, participants join one live online class every week that led by an academic mentor. These interactive classes encourage collaborative discussion and provide a space for participants to ask questions and review course content together.

Other major components of the programme are the consulting project and personalised career coaching. The immersive consulting project allows participants to be a part of a real-world simulation that emphasises strategic thinking, application of skills learned, and working in teams. EDHEC’s YouDrive is a tailored experience designed to support participants with coaching and feedback so that they are best-prepared upon completion of the programme.

On average, the programme recommends around 15 hours of study per week, which includes a mix of individual self-paced learning and group work. “The flexible format also allows you to balance your studies with professional and personal commitments, giving you the freedom to learn from anywhere, anytime,” explains Julien Desangle, Programme Director

That balance between independence and collaboration is something participants notice. “EDHEC does a great job of mixing that individual work aspect with group work, having a team, and also rotating teams — having contact with other people in other cohorts or specialities,” Steiner says.

For many, the learning has an immediate payoff. Nasr, for example, applied his new skills directly at work, using financial and valuation modules to create strong financial models and projections at innovative investment firm, Melanion.

“I can confidently say that this was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he says. “I would highly recommend this programme to any other student looking for an online option; this could be the best option for them in finance.”

Learn more about the EDHEC’s Online MSc in Corporate Finance.

Follow EDHEC Online on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube

That’s right. Data played a massive role in helping Liverpool break records, win matches, and dominate the football world. Behind every goal by Mohamed Salah or every defensive block by Virgil van Dijk was a layer of analytics — from opponent analysis and player recruitment to training loads and match strategies.

Liverpool used advanced algorithms, tracking technology, and predictive modelling, led by William Spearman, Liverpool’s director of research, to make smarter decisions than their rivals.

So when rival manager Mikel Arteta claimed, “Winning trophies is about being in the right moment in the right place,” the statement oversimplifies reality. Success at the highest level isn’t just about chance or moments of brilliance. It’s about preparation meeting opportunity, and in Liverpool’s case, that preparation was powered by data.

By investing in sports science, machine learning models, and performance analytics, Liverpool created those “right moments” repeatedly and intentionally. In modern football, data is a game-changer.

And here’s why this matters to you, especially if you’re a student thinking about your future: data is changing everything. Whether you dream of working in sports, fashion, business, or engineering, data science is becoming one of the most powerful skills you can learn today.

Let’s look at how Liverpool used data to rise to the top — and how students everywhere can apply the same principles to build smarter, more successful careers.

Liverpool’s winning formula: data + football

To understand how Liverpool’s winning era came to be, we must return to Jürgen Klopp’s early years at the club.

Most football fans think success only comes down to the coach, the players, and maybe a bit of luck. But Liverpool took a very different approach under Jürgen Klopp. Behind the scenes, the club brought in a team of data scientists led by Dr. Ian Graham (now replaced by Spearman), a physicist from Cambridge.

Instead of relying on gut feelings or scouting alone, Liverpool made decisions based on data models. These models crunched numbers on everything from player movements to match outcomes.

Here are a few ways Liverpool used data to their advantage:

1. Player recruitment: They used expected goals (xG), sprint patterns, and pressing stats to sign players who fit Klopp’s high-energy system. That’s how they found Salah, Sadio Mané, and even goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
2. Injury prevention: By using AI and military technology to track training data and player workloads, Liverpool could predict when someone might get injured and rest them before it happens.
3. Match strategy: They used match data to plan how to break down opponents, which zones to press, and when to make substitutions.

The result? In just a few years, Liverpool has won it all: the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Super Cup, and the Club World Cup. And much of it came down to one thing: making smart decisions using the power of data.

Liverpool’s English defender Trent Alexander-Arnold wears analytical data headgear during a training session at their training ground in Liverpool. Source: AFP

What is data science and why should you care?

Now, you might be thinking, “I’m not trying to run a football club, why should this matter to me?”

Good question.

Data science is the ability to collect, understand, and use information to make better decisions. It’s not just for coders or statisticians. It’s a skill that’s becoming useful in every industry. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics show that employment in this field is expected to grow 36% from 2023 to 2033, much faster on average compared to other occupations. 

Here’s what data science involves:

• Finding patterns in large amounts of data
• Making predictions based on those patterns
• Using tools like Python, Excel, SQL, or AI models to analyse and present results

And it’s everywhere.  

In business, companies use it to understand what customers want and where to advertise. In healthcare, doctors use data to predict illness and improve treatments. In finance, banks use it to detect fraud or manage risks. In education, schools use data to track student progress and personalise learning.

And of course, in sports, it’s being used to transform everything from tactics to ticket pricing. No matter what career you aim for, understanding how to work with data will give you a competitive edge.

Data science is changing the way we solve problems by giving us clear answers from lots of complex numbers. Source: AFP

Where to study and build data skills

1. Choose a university with strong data-focused programmes

Look for universities that offer specialised degrees in Data Science, Business Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, or Computer Science. But even if your major is something else, check if your university offers data-related electives or modules.

Examples:

• Carnegie Mellon University (US): Offers interdisciplinary data science degrees, including a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Machine Learning, that mix tech, business, and social impact.
• National University of Singapore (NUS): Ranked among the top in Asia for data science and analytics programmes, such as Bachelor of Science (Honours) with Major in Data Science and Analytics.
• ETH Zurich (Switzerland): Offers a BSc in Computer Science with strong data science and AI components.
• Jheronimus Academy of Data Science (Netherlands): The BSc in Data Science takes a multidisciplinary approach, combining technical expertise with insights into the legal, social, ethical, and business dimensions of data.  

These universities also offer master’s programmes in data science.

2. Take online courses to build practical skills

Even if you’re not studying data science full-time, you can learn the basics online. Platforms like:

• Coursera – Data courses from Google, DeepLearning.AI, and IBM
• edX – Learn Python, Excel, or data visualisation for free or at low cost.
• Google Data Analytics Certificate – A beginner-friendly path with real-world tasks.
• Kaggle – Practice with real datasets and enter competitions.

These courses help you gain certificates to add to your CV or LinkedIn profile, and they are especially useful if you’re looking for internships or remote roles.

Picking up data skills now can open doors to many future careers and give students a strong advantage. Source: AFP

3. Join university clubs, hackathons, or student projects

You can apply your skills in:

• Case competitions (business, sustainability, sports, etc.)
• Hackathons (coding and analytics sprints — great for networking too)
• Student research projects (offer to help a professor with data collection or analysis)
• Clubs focused on data, tech, or entrepreneurship.

4. Learn the tools employers want

No matter what you study, get comfortable with these common tools:

• Excel – Still used in almost every job.
• Python / R – Great for data cleaning, analysis, and machine learning.
• SQL – Helps you pull and manage data from large databases.
• Power BI / Tableau – Tools for building interactive dashboards.
• Google Sheets & Forms – Handy for small-scale data collection and analysis.

Most of these have free student versions, so you can start practising anytime.

Data science can teach students how to think critically, ask the right questions, and find answers backed by facts. Source: AFP

Hear from students who’ve explored and applied data science

Haysam Shakeel, First Team Head Coach at the University of Liverpool Football Club

“Today, data is used everywhere: recruitment agencies, scouts, analysts — all rely on data. We also use a lot of data in performance analysis, which involves data visualisations and extensive data collection. For example, if we feel we’re weak at defending crosses, one week we’ll analyse from which areas of the pitch the crosses are delivered and how many come from each area.

We review the numbers, review visual data, and decide what to focus on in the next training sessions. That’s an example of how we use data. If you like numbers and data, I think that’s definitely a career path one should consider.”

Faw Ali, Founding Full Stack Engineer at Cleve.ai

“Everyone talks about AI and machine learning, but companies are struggling just to get their basic data infrastructure working. I see businesses with terabytes of information they can’t even access properly or make use of. The real opportunities are in building the pipelines that make data actually usable —data engineering.

Most of what companies collect is completely worthless without someone who knows how to dig and pull out what actually matters. The valuable data lives deep — transaction logs, user interaction patterns, sensor feeds — while everyone else makes decisions and fights over the surface-level datasets that are already cleaned and processed. Data engineering is becoming the hottest field in tech, and its unique skillset is exactly what companies are desperately seeking right now.”

Gülnaz Çavuşoğlu, Junior Data Analyst at 433

“I believe data analysts are becoming more involved in shaping user experiences, especially with the growing focus on personalisation, which is a hot topic right now. It’s no longer just about providing reports and dashboards; it’s more about collaborating with product and marketing teams to improve content and make smarter business decisions in real-time. I think that’s the direction data analysts are moving toward.”

Learning data skills is a great way to prepare for many different jobs and stay ahead in today’s world. Source: AFP

How data skills apply to every job

No matter what career path you’re pursuing, that data degree or elective you took can give you a serious advantage. You don’t need to become a full-time data analyst, but being able to read, interpret, and use data can help you make smarter decisions, impress employers, and stand out in a competitive job market.

Let’s break it down by field:

• Marketing: Data helps track which ads are working and which products customers love. You can use tools like Google Analytics or social media insights.
• Hospitality: Hotels and airlines use booking trends, guest reviews, and seasonal data to adjust prices and improve services.
• Engineering: Predict when machines will break down before they do. That’s called predictive maintenance, and it saves companies millions.
• Fashion: Brands use search trends and purchase data to plan collections and avoid overproduction.
• Entrepreneurship: You can test business ideas using customer feedback and sales data. It’s like having a compass instead of just guessing.

These are the same principles Liverpool used. Facts win, as should you in your future career.

Vu An Khanh, a Vietnamese student studying in Malaysia, knows this well.

At 14, she packed up her life and travelled 1,290 kilometres from home to follow her dad, a Vietnamese diplomat, to his new station in Malaysia.

Now 20 and having graduated from university, Vu recalls her initial apprehensions about studying abroad and how her mind has changed in the last six years.

“I thought being an international student would be a setback,” says Vu. “But I’m surrounded by such inspiring individuals that it has helped push myself further.”

Vu, holding a Vietnamese flag, at a student gathering at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia. Source: Vu An Khanh

How studying in Malaysia gave her a speed boost ahead of her Vietnamese peers 

Vu’s journey to studying in Malaysia starts at Sayfol International School, where she began her IGCSE journey in Year 9.

By the time she graduated from Year 11, she had scored 8 A*S and earned a Pearson Excellence Award, placing her among the Top 1,000 IGCSE Scores in the Asia Pacific for 2021.

Her academic achievements aside, undertaking the IGCSEs also meant that Vu was years ahead of her peers back in Vietnam — a common occurrence that happens when you attend an international school.

“When I finished Year 11, peers my age in Vietnam would still be in Year 9,” Vu says. “Right now, I’m in my final year of university, and they’re just getting started.”

That said, when the decision to choose where she’d pursue her university degree came about, Vu chose a
Foundation programme in arts and education at the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM), and upon completing that, she followed it with a bachelor’s degree in International Economics at the same university.

“I wanted to join the exchange programme with the UK campus,” says Vu. “UNM is part of a global university. You’ve got the Malaysian campus, the main one in the UK, and even a China campus. I chose to spend a semester at the UK campus in my second year, and it was amazing.”

Vu visiting the Malaysian Parliament with 17 student leaders of the University of Nottingham Malaysia for an educational visit to learn about Malaysia’s legislative process. Source: Vu An Khanh

The advantages and disadvantages of attending a branch campus vs the main campus

Studying at a university with multiple global campuses has its perks. You can experience different cultures and learning styles without switching schools or degrees pretty seamlessly — though some mishaps might happen.

In Vu’s case, however, there were four notable differences between studying at a branch campus and the university’s main campus.

The big difference in tuition fees

At the University of Nottingham’s UK campus, an undergraduate degree would cost between 23,000 to 30,750 pounds (US$29,587 to US$39,556) a year for international students in the 2025-2026 academic year. 

However, international students studying in Malaysia only need to pay 50,000 to 70,000 Malaysian ringgit (US$11,889 to US$16,644) a year, less than half the price of the UK campus.

Campus size

Another factor that international students choosing between a branch and main campuses should consider is the size of the university at these different locations. 

When Vu first stepped foot onto the UK campus, her first thought was, “The campus is humongous. It’s so big compared to the Malaysian one.”

“I was so surprised because it felt like a mini town,” shares Vu. “It had all the amenities you needed, and it would take 10 to 15 minutes to get from one class to another. The Malaysian campus was big, but it was in the middle of nowhere.”

Vu and her classmates participated in the “Program Temu Anwar Universiti Swasta,” a national-level dialogue session organised by the Ministry of Higher Education with Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Source: Vu An Khanh

Class size

Campus size aside, there’s another thing to pay attention to when choosing which campus to attend, and that’s the size of your classes. 

“In Malaysia, the classes are smaller, meaning you have more opportunities to ask the professor questions,” says Vu. “It’s also easier to interact with classmates and participate in group discussions.”

In the UK, however, it was the complete opposite.

“The classes are hosted in big auditoriums where you’ll sit and listen to your professors.” shares Vu. “There are tutorial sessions where you can discuss the topic, but it doesn’t feel as interactive as Malaysian classes.”

Classes in the UK gave Vu the impression that the UK education system encourages independent learning, while in Malaysia, professors encouraged students to study and collaborate with each other.

A different way to navigate social life

Last but not least — and perhaps something all international students can relate to — is the difference in the way you make friends when you’re abroad. 

Vu found it easier to befriend other exchange students in the UK through their shared experiences, like adjusting to a new country.

However, in Malaysia, despite the professors encouraging interactions between peers, it’s harder to make friends.

“In Malaysia, if you’re an international student, you have to put yourself out there,” says Vu. “Join societies and go to events. There are a lot of international students on campus, but you still need to make that effort to find your crowd.” 

Vu wearing an ao dai, a Vietnamese traditional dress. It’s a long silk tunic worn over fitted pants, and it’s often worn for special occasions like Tet (Vietnamese New Year). Source: Vu An Khanh

The struggle of getting an internship as an international student — and the solution to it

After her semester abroad in the UK, Vu returned to Malaysia to wrap up her final year. 

But something didn’t sit right. She felt like something was missing from her academic experience — namely, an internship.

Bagging internship opportunities as an international student studying in Malaysia — or anywhere, really —  isn’t a walk in the park.

In Vu’s case, Malaysian companies prefer candidates who speak the local languages of Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia, which many international students, like Vu, often don’t speak fluently.

She noticed that local students were prioritised for internship opportunities, and doors that seemed open initially would quietly shut when they found out she was an international student.

“To sum it up, being an international student has its drawbacks, especially when you’re looking for jobs or internship opportunities,” she shares. “Companies will prioritise local students, and will most often overlook international students.”

But here’s the thing — even local students like Jasmine Tan struggled to land internships, too.

Still, Vu wasn’t deterred — in fact, it made her work even harder.

“Watching my friends land internships made me want to push myself,” she says. “I started going to the gym and even approached the career office at UNM to ask for help. But at the time, there weren’t any.”

Since nothing was panning out in Malaysia, Vu looked for opportunities back home — and that’s where she finally got her foot in the door.

She landed a role as a Trade Finance Services Intern at a local bank in Hanoi, Vietnam. 

After completing her internship, Vu returned to Malaysia — this time, with experience and the motivation to try again. 

While she did not find a traditional internship, she stumbled upon something unexpected: a JobStreet Campus Ambassadorship. 

It wasn’t exactly what she had in mind, but it turned out to be a perfect fit. She applied and got it.

But it didn’t stop there. She started landing roles within UNM, including as a career influencer with the Career Advisory Service, the head of marketing for the International Student Bureau, secretary for Nottingham Economics Society, and Vietnamese Student Ambassador. 

So if you’re an international student who has been trying and failing to get an internship, don’t worry — there are many other options that’ll help you in your career journey — Vu’s story is proof of that.

“I strongly believe that to understand a new reality, it is necessary to start from the beginning,” says Guimaraes. She decided to make that leap: moving from her home in João Pessoa to the US city of Tallahassee to pursue the Master of Laws (LLM) in American Law for Foreign Lawyers at Florida State University.

Few schools can match the benefits of an FSU College of Law’s LLM. The programme is affordable with a high return on investment. Total tuition cost for a world-class education here is around US$32,000.  All students who apply are automatically considered for a merit based scholarship.

And when it comes to career opportunities for FSU LLM graduates, they are practically at FSU’s doorstep. Just minutes away from campus are the Florida Supreme Court and the State Capitol. In the capital of the US’s third-largest state, students also have access to numerous government agencies, more than 800 law firms, state and federal courts, and more.

Students get to design a curriculum that aligns with their legal career goals. Source: Florida State University

From Paraiba to Florida

Guimaraes’s journey to the 38th best law school in the nation started with an invitation from a high school friend, an FSU alumna. “It was the first school I visited in the US, and I have no other way to define it than ‘complete and immediate identification,’” she says. “The diverse and welcoming environment of the FSU campus just won me over.”

At first, being more than 5,000 miles away from home had its challenges. She was older than most students and from a different culture. Soon enough, however, she settled in – thanks to the great people she was surrounded by. “The exchange of experiences is quite enriching when you find people willing to teach, to learn, and above all, to respect differences,” she says.

Lucky for Guimaraes – she’s never alone in the FSU journey. From Ireland and Turkey to the Philippines, the LLM’s community is global. Although everyone came from unique backgrounds, they were committed to mastering the US legal system.

LLM students take two core classes: “Introduction to American Law” and “Legal Writing.” Then, they have the option to tailor their electives to their individual needs. Certain students would prefer a broad overview of the US legal system, while others choose to specialise in a particular field, whether in business, intellectual, or criminal law. With FSU’s close connections to legal professionals in Tallahassee, courses keep pace with industry needs.

“The in-class experience, with techniques like the Socratic method, can be new for many of our foreign students, as can things like the legal writing process,” says David Landau, Mason Ladd Professor and Associate Dean for International Programs. “We work to acclimate students to these differences through a series of events and workshops as they begin their studies, starting with a one-week orientation programme in August.”

Many LLM in American Law for Foreign Lawyers students progress to the Juris Doctor programme. Source: Florida State University

Building a global career in Tallahassee

When studying law in Tallahassee, the real world is simply across the road. The Career Services and Development Office helps FSU College of Law students leverage these opportunities to build practical know-how and a global career.

The team hosts major events throughout the year where students network with public defenders, state attorneys, members of the Federal Bench. “We also have an excellent programme and curriculum for bar exam support, for those LLM students who are interested and able to take the New York bar, or another US bar exam,” says Landau.

The results speak for themselves. The FSU College of Law was ranked #6 in the nation for employment prospects. In 2023, it held the #1 spot in Florida when it comes to the percentage of students employed in full-time roles 10 months after graduation. According to LSD.Law, 83% of FSU graduates pass the bar examination on the first try, with 57.4% of them heading straight to work in law firms after graduating.

For Guimaraes, her FSU journey isn’t over yet. “One of my main goals in earning LLM and JD degrees is the qualification to take the bar exam in Florida,” she says. “And to be able to apply the gained knowledge and experiences into making meaningful contributions to the exercise of my profession.”

Check out the LLM Programmes at the Florida State University College of Law today.

Follow the College of Law on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

“Learning the language of the country you’re in is not only to interact with others; it’s a way for you to build confidence to speak to a local and live life in the country you’re in,” says Jang Ji Woong, founder of the Korean language learning app TEUIDA.

Coming from someone who was once an international student himself, it’s safe to say Jang knows what he’s talking about. 

Jang is a political science graduate from the University of California, Berkeley. Source: Jang Ji Woong

‘Learn a new language is through exposure and interaction’

Born and raised in South Korea, Jang’s exposure to different languages was limited. It was only during his time in the country’s mandatory military service for men that he realised learning a new language —  specifically English — was the way to chase his dreams.

Jang’s time participating in the military service was marked by the many books about missionary work he read. Being a Christian himself, it sparked an interest in him.

“I wanted to participate in missionary work after leaving the military, but because of the challenges they face, I was a little hesitant,” he shares. 

“After more research, I noticed that the United Nations (UN) plays a role in the missionaries, so I decided to work for the UN or any international organisation to help people or societies in need.”

But to work for the UN or any international humanitarian organisation, Jang needed a degree in political science, and one taught in English.

Upon completing his military service, he moved to the US to pursue a BA in Political Science at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). After two years at SBCC, he transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, to complete the final year of his degree.

 

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A post shared by UC Berkeley (@ucberkeleyofficial)

Jang’s time abroad — in the US, no less — meant learning English happened on a daily. Still, it was no easy feat.

Learning a new or second language at an older age is considered more complex than learning it as a child. A study from MIT reports that children remain very skilled at learning the grammar of a new language until the age of 17 or 18, but it’s nearly impossible to achieve proficiency similar to that of a native speaker unless they start learning it by age 10.

Learning a new language is not solely determined by age but also by other factors, such as exposure to the language, motivation, and individual learning style, according to a 2024 study.

Jang’s story proves that the best way to learn a language is by actually living it.

“To improve your language skills, you’ll need to spend a significant amount of time studying abroad. At UC Berkeley, I was always behind on discussions in English, but thanks to the support I got at the university, I could get help,” he says. ”

“My English was not perfect, but my classmates were patient. I even had help from tutors to help me rephrase my sentences, which led me to build up my confidence in my English speaking skills.”

TEUIDA turned six years old in February 2025. Source: Jang Ji Woong

TEUIDA, the one-of-a-kind Korean language learning app

From January to June 2024, South Korea hit a record-breaking number of 204,000 international students, the Korea Tourism Data Lab reports. 

International student enrolment in Japan is also rising, at 279,274 in 2023, 20.8% from the previous year, according to the Japan Student Services Organisation.

In fact, there’s a growing number of students from abroad enrolling into universities in non-English speaking countries, particularly in regions like Asia and Europe.

If you were to ask Reddit or Quora if you need to learn the local language before moving to either of those countries, they’ll most probably say you don’t.

But in reality, it’s always best to learn the language before moving. You may learn it from YouTube, language learning apps, or even textbooks, but to Jang, nothing beats verbal interactions.

 

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A post shared by Teuida: that one app Duolingo hates (@teuidaapp)

“When I was looking at language learning apps, I noticed the way they’re teaching people is through vocabulary or by making learners practice sentence forming, but they do not help them with their speaking skills,” he says.

“And looking back to my time in the US, I acknowledge that conversing with native speakers is key to improving one’s speaking skills.”

With that, Jang founded TEUIDA, a one-of-a-kind Korean language learning app that helps learners learn the language while providing “experiences in talking with native speakers in everyday life.”

As a language isolate — meaning it has no known close relatives — Korean has unique linguistic characteristics and complex grammar rules, making learning difficult, especially for English speakers.

90 Day Korea writes, “If you’re studying the Korean language, then you’ll need to have your Korean grammar down.”

Sherry Osborne, a Canadian YouTuber and honorary reporter for the Korea.net believes that learning Korean grammar first before its vocabulary is important as it can help make your sentences complete.

This is where TEUIDA comes in handy.

TEUIDA is an app that offers first-person virtual conversations, allowing users to express their everyday thoughts in real-life scenarios. 

The app’s speech recognition system enables users to practise speaking and receive feedback on their pronunciation.

When using the app, you’ll get to pick the language you’re interested in learning and choose a lesson that aligns with your goals. The app will walk you through your first lesson and set a foundation for you. 

The next step is when the speech recognition system comes into play. You’ll participate in interactive learning with TEUIDA’s in-app tutor and be asked to repeat words and phrases. The tutor then gives you immediate feedback on your pronunciation. 

Today, TEUIDA has over two million users and offers two new languages, Spanish and Japanese.

Every university will claim that they welcome all students with open arms, but is that really true? Source: AFP

What does being welcomed at a university even mean?

It’s easy to feel like a fish out of water when you study abroad.

Not only are you on unfamiliar grounds, you’re also surrounded by thousands of people from different walks of life and circumstances, so any hesitation to dive straight into the student experience is excused.

That’s why being welcomed by a university can mean different things for individual international students.

For some, it could be as simple as a university sending you a care package before you even step foot into its halls; for others, it could be as all-encompassing as having a dedicated advisor help you with your visa applications to study abroad.

For others, it could be fearing discrimination.

You should never be made to feel uncomfortable in your own skin wherever you are. Source: AFP

Are the best Asian universities supportive of all students, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or ability?

Simply existing in a place should never be an issue, no matter where you choose to study. And while this should be the norm across all universities, not everyone states that explicitly.

Thailand’s Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), however, does. On their eligibility page, the university states that they provide equal academic opportunities to all applicants and students regardless of their national origin, gender or sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status or disability.

It might not sound like much to a majority of applicants, but for those who aren’t, that one line could be a game-changer.

That aside, some universities may shut down any discussion of topics they find unfavourable, finding an institution that allows its community to talk about these controversial subjects is a green flag.

For example, while Singapore has slowly turned towards a more liberal view of the queer community in recent years, a significant number remain undecided on such issues, reports a survey by market research firm Ipsos.

This, however, hasn’t stopped the National University of Singapore’s QueerNUS, a collective that stands for diversity and inclusion for the NUS community regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity, from being formed back in 2018 and remains very active to this day.

Another example is Japan’s University of Tsukuba’s dedication to providing support for students with disabilities.

Here, the university’s Centre for Diversity, Accessibility, and Career Development provides guidance and advice to Tsukuba’s various educational organisations regarding support methods for students with disabilities. They also look into ways to make the campus environment more accessible and work to create a system that will allow students to have equal access to services throughout the campus.

 

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Do Asian universities offer ample student support?

Any university can claim to provide student support, but the best Asian universities help you every step of the way.

At Tsinghua University, the International Students & Scholars Centre (ISSC) supports and serves international students and scholars throughout their time at the school. Here, you’ll find information and resources for immigration and visas, residency, university services, campus life, and cultural activities.

One exchange student wrote: “When I first arrived [at Tsinghua] I was super overwhelmed with the feelings of being in a new country and a new school. But when I arrived at the registration site, everyone was super friendly and helpful, which definitely helped calm my nerves. I could tell the staff was working as hard as they could to make things fast and efficient.”

The ISSC isn’t the only support students at Tsinghua can find; there’s the Centre for Student Learning and Development (CSLD) too. This is where the one-on-one free academic advising, drop-in tutoring for STEM courses, Chinese writing tutoring, workshops, lectures, and Buddy Plan (a platform for cooperative learning) take place – perhaps all you need and more for your time at the university. 

No two student experiences are alike, but at the best Asian universities, international students will definitely find common highs and lows together. Source: AFP

Being tolerant vs being inclusive: Knowing the difference

Again, it’s easy for a university to put words on its site and not stand by them. They could boast a huge international student body and amazing student support facilities, but at the end of the day, they (and their community) should be able to deliver their promises.

For Max Wiersma, trying to get involved in university activities while he was studying in the Netherlands required having to pierce through inner circles or depend on your personal connections. This was hardly the case when he joined South Korea’s Kyungpook National University for his second bachelor’s degree. 

“It’s really communal,” says Wiersma. “People wouldn’t care that I was an international student. They were always welcoming and happy to have me join, whether that was things organised by the major, or things organised by university campus clubs.”

It can feel really isolating and upsetting when you don’t get the right support. Source: AFP

Diversity vs inclusivity – breaking it down

The Cambridge Dictionary defines diversity as “the fact of many different types of things or people being included in something,” and inclusivity as “the fact of including all types of people, things or ideas and treating them all fairly and equally.”

The thing is, a university can be diverse without being inclusive, and vice versa.

So, how can you find out if their promotions of being diverse and inclusive are true or simply just something put out as a checklist? Let’s discuss. 

How to look at a university’s diversity metrics

The fastest and easiest way to find out how diverse a university is is by looking up how many international students make up the student body.

On the same note, some universities will also report the number of countries represented on campus, giving you a more in-depth idea of where these international students are coming from.

Most universities will have those numbers somewhere on their sites. For example, Malaysia’s Asia Pacific University (APU) boasts over 11,000 students from more than 110 countries, though you’ll want to take that with some salt as other sites state that the number is closer to a student population of over 14,000 students, 6,000 of which are international students from more than 130 countries.

The data for other universities, however, are less readily available. And while you can always comb your way through Google, QS offers a faster solution.

All it takes is signing up for an account on the site and heading to its World University Rankings (WUR) page. From there, you’ll find different categories on the university’s block, the first being Research & Discover, followed by Learning Experience, Employability, etc. What you’ll want to do is scroll to the end, to the More Info section, and you’ll find the Student Mix, giving you a percentage of the domestic and international student body found at the university.

Source: Screenshot from QS World University Rankings 2025

At a glance, the three best Asian universities with a higher percentage of international students are:

1. The City University of Hong Kong, #62 on QS WUR: 74%
2. The University of Hong Kong, #17 on QS WUR: 45%
3. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, #47 on QS WUR: 40%

Lastly, you’ll also want to look at how much of the university’s staff and faculty comprises international talent.

Like the international student numbers, some universities will publish the data on their websites. Take the City University of Hong Kong, for example, where 70% of its academic staff come from outside Hong Kong.

Again, you’ll also be able to find the International Faculty Ratio – that is, an indicator which looks at the ratio of international faculty staff to overall staff – on QS, this time under Global Engagement.

It’s not easy to make friends when you’re somewhere new, but some places are quicker to accept newbies than others. Source: AFP

How to tell if a university is actually inclusive

Unlike with the diversity metrics, it’s harder to put numbers on whether a university is actually inclusive. 

That said, there are some ways for you to look into this, and it starts with reading up on student testimonies of their time at the school, regardless of whether they were in the university for an exchange or a full programme.

This gives you a more organic look into what an international student’s life can look like – and it might even inspire you to give the university a chance too.

Take Phyo Thiri Lwin’s story, for example. 

As a second-year Burmese student at the University of Hong Kong, she first struggled with adjusting to a new culture and environment before finding her footing through participating in programmes offered by the university’s Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS).

Soon enough, she was giving back to the community, serving as a local connector and helping new students transition smoothly into university life herself.

Another example comes from Jenny Yeung, a student from the University of New South Wales, Australia, who participated in an exchange at NUS.

“Academic life in Singapore was rigorous, and nothing balanced this better than having a web of support,” Yeung writes in her testimony. “I met dining hall aunties at college who offered to help me with laundry when I complained about having too much work. And, I had classmates who offered to personally deliver hawker centre food they knew I had missed because I had stayed in to meet an assignment deadline.”

“People I have met have been extraordinary,” she continues. “I say with no exaggeration that they have made me a better, a more whole person.”

But if you don’t trust these written stories, one fool-proof way of discovering whether or not the best Asian universities will have their arms wide open to welcome you into their ranks is simply speaking to the current international students at the school.

Almost all universities will have some sort of international student network or country-specific cultural organisation that you can easily find online, so it’s simply a matter of gathering your courage and shooting them a message.