There are around 150 countries in the world. Some countries offer excellent education opportunities for undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.D. programs. 's. Taking undergrad into consideration, the top countries for education are the USA, UK, New Zealand, Singapore, and Australia. These countries offer courses that are different from each other, from their tuition costs to their social life, cultural diversity, job and internship opportunities, and how it suits the student for their kind of lifestyle. 

Taking the United States of America into consideration, it has the third-highest average cost of education and is ranked highest for its quality of education in the world. The USA offers three kinds of colleges to opt for, ranging from a community college with a very low cost of living to private universities which have a very high cost of living. The average annual cost of a student, including tuition, boarding, and other expenses, is around $18000. The same for a public university in the states is $43000 and for a private university is $53000. The quality of education increases with the increase in the cost of education.

INTERNSHIP

It takes considerable time and effort to find a suitable internship in the USA. The internships in the USA require around 20 hours a week that increases up to 40 hours during the summer. Internships are provided on two different occasions. The F1 visa that of a student visa that allows students to intern for about 20 hours weekly The J1 visa is a special kind of visa given to interns that is exclusive for internships and is provided only until the internship lasts. 

JOB

Students get up to 60 days to work in the USA after the completion of their education. To work longer, bumping it up to a year can happen through OPT. OPT (Optional Practical Training)allows students to work in the country for a year under normal conditions or 2 years if they have opted for STEM. After this, if the student wish to work in the country, they must opt for a work visa which needs to be renewed every sixyears. 

STEM

STEAM Education is an approach to teaching and learning that combines science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math to guide student inquiry, discussion, and problem-solving. Education experts say STEAM education is about more than developing practical skills alone

As the education world explores strategies to equip students with the skills and knowledge they’ll need to be successful innovators in a 21st century workforce, there has been a growing emphasis on STEAM — the educational discipline that engages students around the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math.

Many education experts regard STEAM (and its predecessor STEM) as an essential component of 21st century education. Why? According to the U.S. Department of Education, “In an ever-changing, increasingly complex world, it’s more important than ever that our nation’s youth are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make decisions.” Enhancing such skills lies at the heart of STEM and STEAM education.

UK

The UK comes in second position for the quality of education it provides. The average cost of education, including the necessities, is approx. 20k pounds or $27k. It is around half of the cost of education in the United States. Internships in the UK are similar to that of the USA. Students have to put in 20 hours weekly. Only undergrads can intern during the summer. Students cannot be self-employed while studying and can work until their visa is over, which may range anywhere from four to six months. Jobs have a higher timeline in the UK allowing the student to stay there for two years after course completion to work or look for employment. Of course, STEM has an advantage among the international students in the UK. 

Canada

Canada attracts a lot of students for education since it is an affordable option than the United States and has similar quality of education. The approximate cost of education involving necessities is around 43 CAD per annum for an Indian student, excluding the travel costs from India to Canada and vica versa. Internships are a requirement for a degree in Canada. Their requirements in terms of work and hours are the same to the USA. But in Canada, a work permit is required from the university or externally. The process for jobs is similar to internship. A work permit is required to work after completion of the program.  The student is only permitted to apply for it if their course was of minimum eight months. 

New Zealand

Although New Zealand is a small country compared to the US and Canada. it has become a hotspot for students because of its vast and rich lifestyle, high quality of education, and high research opportunities. New Zealand has an average cost of living of around  NZ$ 50. It is pretty reasonable compared to other countries without a drop in the quality of education. Internships in NZ don't have any restrictions, but self-employment isn't allowed, and the course of education should be two years. This is only applicable if internships are required to do so for the degree otherwise, the visa mentions the work permit or not. A post-study visa in NZ can last up to three years of work depending on the field of education the student has pursued. 

Singapore

The FINE CITY – Singapore is a great hub for international students. The average cost of living of a student in Singapore is around 25K SGD per annum which involves tuition, lodge, and necessities. Singapore offers a good quality of life and a great social background for anyone who studies there. Internships in Singapore have similar needs but would require a pass that allows undergraduates to work during holidays or part-time during their education. Jobs are allotted a year-time to find and work after undergrad and need a work pass to avoid legal issues. Singapore offers tuition grants to students. Students can work in Singapore for the next three years. 

Australia

Australia is the most expensive country for education. It does not have such a good quality of education compared to the states. It does have its benefits, which revolve around the social network and the improved quality of life. The average cost of living in Australia is around AUD 65K per annum which is EXPENSIVE. For internships, a special student visa is required to permit working while studying. When it comes to working after graduation, Australia requires a work visa which allows students to work for 18 months in the country after minimum 2-year course. The process after that is very smooth towards immigration of the country since the country welcomes foreign immigrants. 

I believe that the best country to study is the United States since the quality of education is the best. It is a student’s personal choice considering their situation involving expenses, family, suitability, etc.