Study Abroad vs Local Education: A Reality Check on Return on Investment (Part I)

Every parent aspires to secure the best possible future for their children — yet when it comes to university choices, “the best” cannot be defined solely by rankings or starting salaries.

After conducting in-depth conversations with students, working professionals, and parents from Hong Kong, China, Japan, South Korea, India, and Singapore, who have experienced both local and overseas education pathways, it is clear that their real-life stories reveal truths that rankings alone fail to capture. 

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Take Nanette from King’s College London, for example. She shared that her command of Chinese actually improved while studying abroad:

“Being away from home made me cherish my cultural roots even more. My heritage and language are now an inseparable part of who I am — something I would never want to lose.” 

Sachin from India, meanwhile, found that living overseas taught him true life skills: 

“At local universities, so much was taken care of for us. Studying abroad forced me to learn how to genuinely fend for myself.” 

From these interviews, we identified six key areas that have a direct impact on return on investment (ROI). These are not isolated experiences, but widely shared value domains: global perspective, career development, independence, networks, academic quality, and English proficiency. 

Immersion in a multicultural environment encourages students to interact daily with peers from all over the world, naturally broadening their mindset and fostering greater openness.

“It’s not just about travel—you learn to view issues through different cultural lenses.” (Student from Japan)

“Your cultural intelligence will be challenged—and improved.” (Student at Tufts University)

Studying abroad enhances cultural adaptability, significantly increasing employability with international firms. When combined with native language skills, students often become valuable assets for companies looking to expand into local markets. 

“During my internship in London, I learnt how Europeans and Americans provide feedback differently — critical for building an international career.” (Student at the University of Cambridge) 

“You quickly realise that a joke that works in one culture might fall completely flat in another.” (Film major) 

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Leaving home to live independently marks a crucial stage in personal development. 

“I moved from relying on tutors to managing my own study and work schedules.” (Student at the University of Pennsylvania) 

“Learning to cook, manage finances, and adapt to a new environment — these are resilience skills you can’t pick up from a textbook.” (Student at UCLA) 

“It was probably the first time in life I was allowed to make mistakes and actually grow from them.” (Student at Johns Hopkins University) 

This is often underestimated. Based on my own experience with undergraduate and postgraduate alumni networks, many internship and job opportunities — especially overseas — come through personal connections.

According to Jobvite research, referrals account for nearly 30% of hires, compared to just a 7% success rate through standard applications.

Overseas universities offer a broader and more diverse range of degree programmes, including many disciplines that are not available at local universities. This allows students to explore subjects more closely aligned with their interests and long-term career aspirations.

“In India, we were mainly memorising textbooks. At my UK university, the focus was on solving real-world problems.” (Postgraduate student at UCL)

Moreover, for those aiming to pursue doctoral degrees, American and British universities offer superior academic environments, research funding, and scholarship opportunities, providing stronger foundations for advanced academic careers.

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Although often overlooked, English remains a vital tool — spoken in 186 countries by more than 1.52 billion people worldwide — especially critical for global careers.

“My job requires me to work with international clients all the time; strong English skills are absolutely essential.” (Korean graduate from the University of Illinois)

How do these six areas ultimately influence the return on investment in education?

Stay tuned for Part II of this series!