More than a year ago, the world first heard about the coronavirus, which subsequently affected the lives of millions of people. In the field of education, the main challenge was ‘distance learning,’ and closed borders became a problem for those who planned to study abroad.
Qualified writer from essay writing service, Allen Rust looks at how the coronavirus has impacted study abroad.
How foreign universities approached the solution of the difficulties that arose
When quarantine was declared in most countries in the spring of 2020, it was not clear how long it would last, but it was already clear that the transition to a distance format was a big challenge for the education sector. Despite the epidemiological situation, study had to continue. This was a real challenge for both universities and students.
In addition to the technical transfer of sessions online, universities were faced with the need to completely reorganise the processes of knowledge testing and student support. Students, in turn, had to get used to a new life and study through the screen. Not everyone succeeded in the latter.
A big obstacle on the way to distance education was the lack of technology and communication facilities. This problem is encountered everywhere.
According to the Council of Europe, the University of Strasbourg (University of Strasbourg, France) counted 160 students in early March who lacked computers and/or the ability to connect to the Internet. To solve the problem, an Emergency Fund was created at the university – and in less than a month they raised €61,000 and purchased more than 100 computers, which they distributed among the needy students.
Many students found themselves in a difficult financial situation, lost their jobs, and could no longer even provide for their basic needs. For foreigners, the situation was complicated by the need to return home during the quarantine period and, as a result, additional costs for flights and rental housing. However, in many countries, universities, foundations, and government agencies have tried to provide financial support to students.
In Germany, during the summer and winter semesters, the Ministry of Education and Research paid up to €500 monthly to all students who had financial problems. French students who lost their income due to the pandemic received a one-time payment of €200 from the state. The Institute for International Education in the United States created an Emergency Fund to support foreign students in need: they could receive $1,500 to cover the costs of studying and living. Besides, many universities, mainly in the US and UK, reduced their tuition fees during the pandemic.
It became more difficult for students to study. In addition to technical and financial difficulties, for each of them during the pandemic it was psychologically difficult, many noted an increase in the volume of distance learning. Some students were asked to write my essay, which helped them to cope with too many homework assignments.
According to the study of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), academic performance declined mainly among those who did not have a comfortable place to study, normal access to e-learning materials and the Internet, as well as faced with a lack of social support and emerging problems with mental health.
Universities began to create special psychological support services, prepare and disseminate information on how to independently organise study at a ‘remote location’.
Northwestern University, USA taught its students how to survive quarantine when an abusive environment prevails at home.
How the process of admission to foreign universities has changed
For those who were not afraid of the wide range of negative effects of the virus, going abroad this year has become a little easier. This can be explained both by a decrease in the total number of applicants (and, accordingly, competition) and by some forced measures taken by universities and examination centres.
Applicants could buy time. According to QS analytics, 29.7% of universities postponed the application deadline. For applicants who, for whatever reason, did not have time to prepare the required package of documents, the postponement of deadlines became a favourable factor.
Due to the ban on public events, some universities canceled entrance tests, and more than 1,500 universities have begun to take the Duolingo test to prove their English proficiency, in addition to the IELTS and TOEFL tests. Among them, for example, Harvard University, Stanford University, Yale University.
A number of formalities were abolished, without which it was impossible to apply for admission or for a scholarship before: transcripts of grades, letters of recommendation were accepted by some universities without seals, which simplified the collection of documents for both students and teachers.
To participate in the competition for the DAAD scholarship (Master’s degree in Germany) in 2020, it was possible not to provide a letter of recommendation, although it is usually a mandatory part of the application.
According to QS, the virus affected the plans of 70% of students who wanted to study abroad: they either postponed or canceled their studies. For the rest of the international applicants, the competition decreased accordingly (this does not apply to all countries and universities).
The tightening of border crossing measures in Canada, Australia, the United States led to the fact that the majority of English-speaking applicants chose the UK as an alternative, which continued to issue visas and did not close borders despite the pandemic. As a result, a record number of foreigners enrolled in undergraduate programmes at British universities in 2020 – their number exceeded the last year by 9%.
Education won’t be the same
The increase in student numbers in the UK is rather the exception. In general, the number of admissions in 2020 decreased, and forecasts for the current year are also disappointing. This means that most of the universities in the world will suffer financial losses. The biggest problem will be the decline in income from foreign students, who in many countries pay several times the tuition fees of local residents.
UK universities could face a £2.5 billion deficit in 2021 due to the projected drop in student numbers, according to London Economics. The financial loss associated with the outflow of international students could be even greater for American universities, where, according to According to the US Department of Commerce, educational services are in 4th place in terms of export volume, and in 2018 the contribution of foreign students to the country’s economy amounted to $45 billion.
It should also be understood that universities perform not only a teaching function, but also a research function, being large employers.
The Australian Academy of Sciences has warned that the pandemic could see the loss of 21,000 full-time jobs, including 7,000 in research, to the country’s universities.
Universities will have to get out of the crisis caused by Covid-19 for a long time, but, nevertheless, it is worth recognising that the pandemic has greatly accelerated the changes that would inevitably occur in the near future. This is why education will no longer be the same. Digitalisation was introduced urgently, now universities are thinking about how to use face-to-face meetings with students more effectively, how to develop online learning in the higher education system, what alternatives to offer instead of classical lectures.
The development of the Global Campus of the University of Arizona (USA) is an excellent example of how the virus has sparked innovation. In 2020, the global microcampus system was significantly expanded there, and today Global Campus students can receive American education locally (on 650+ campuses in 34 countries) or study completely online from anywhere in the world.
Current state of affairs
Online learning has become the main form of education in 2020. According to QS, by the end of the year, 55% of students were studying abroad completely online, 21% – mostly online with a small number of face-to-face classes. In the second wave of coronavirus, even those universities that announced full-time and hybrid forms of study at the beginning of the academic year were forced to switch to a completely distance learning format.
Despite the near-widespread quarantine, distance learning does not take away from students the opportunity to move to another country. Education is not tourism, most countries have not stopped issuing student visas. To go or not – everyone must decide for themselves.
The pandemic undoubtedly brought many negative aspects to the life of every person, but if we talk about education abroad, then in this situation, you can try to find positive aspects:
1) Low competition – more chances to enter foreign universities, in particular, top programmes;
2) Fewer students now – fewer graduates in a few years, which means that there will be an advantage in the labour market and additional career opportunities after graduation;
3) Reduced cost, discounts, scholarships – there is an opportunity to save a lot.
Online learning is an obvious vector of development in the field of education. The pandemic has given impetus to global changes that cannot be stopped, but they should not be feared, they must be used wisely.
