How to have a successful journey in academia as an international student 

Abantika Ghosh has navigated the ups and downs of an academic career across three countries — from her undergraduate degree in India to her master’s at the University of Oxford, UK and now Texas A&M University, US.

Her experience reflects years of learning, adapting, and growing through each stage of her academic path. Ghosh is very much involved in the world of academia, which is the environment or community concerned with the pursuit of research, education, and scholarship.

An avid creator on LinkedIn, Ghosh shares advice for other students, especially those furthering their academic career. On a call with Study International, she divulges a little more about her top tips. 

Here’s how to be the best international student you can be.  

1. Don’t spend too much 

Academia is not cheap. Don’t forget about the application fees before you even get to your (possibly jaw-dropping) tuition. 

Ghosh learnt early on that studying abroad can get expensive, and advises students to think carefully about costs. and the return on investment.

“I know like some of the places where it’s really competitive, so when you get in, you don’t want to let go of that opportunity,” Ghosh says. “In those cases, I would say people can also look at 0% interest loans.”

To her, it just doesn’t make sense to drop all the money you don’t have just to study abroad. So, make sure to work on scholarship statements, as well as explore other options, just in case studying abroad doesn’t work out.

Ghosh has also discovered ways to save US$800 in application costs by requesting and securing application fee waivers. 

You can check your target university or programme’s website for webinar announcements, as many schools offer application fee waivers if you attend such events. According to Ghosh, some schools also host special “Application Fee Waiver Weeks,” especially at the start of the cycle. 

Don’t be shy to reach out, either. You can directly email the programme coordinator or director and politely express your interest, then ask if a fee waiver is available. 

Once you do make it abroad, it’s likely you might continue to be super budget-conscious. This is a good thing, unless you go overboard. Ghosh tried to save up by skimping on meals, but it always impacted her negatively. 

“Budget very smartly, but you don’t have to budget so much that you hamper your own health or your well-being in the longer run,” she says. 

Ghosh is a Master of Science in Immunology graduate from the University of Oxford. Source: Abantika Ghosh

2. Recommendation letters are crucial 

To Ghosh, the one thing that holds immense power during college applications is recommendation letters. Both quantity and quality matter a lot. 

It really helps to build genuine relationships with professors who can write meaningfully about your strengths. Not just a line or a paragraph, but a rich recommendation letter that explains why you deserve a spot.

Getting those professors to give real stories and metrics of your capabilities is really useful. For example, if they mention that you are one of their top five students, that’s quantifiable. 

You might feel compelled to get well-known professors to back you, but Ghosh believes that if they don’t know you, it’s not a good idea. 

When requesting a letter of recommendation, be clear that you’re looking for a strong one. Include your CV and mention what you want your professor to highlight. 

“Even if they have met you, it’s very likely that they would forget the smaller details. So just giving everything to them that they need to that perfect letter of recommendation,” Ghosh says. 

3. Balance academia and fun 

Once you do make it into university, you might feel compelled to focus on your academics. While that is important, especially if you’re on a scholarship, there’s no reason not to truly experience other aspects of student life. 

It’s also critical for your mental health to take a break sometimes, after all. Ghosh likes to carve out days where she just relaxes, or at least some hours to just do nothing. 

4. Network, network, network

Ghosh admits networking didn’t come naturally to her at first, but she believes it’s one of the best ways to make the most of any academic journey.

“If you are an introvert, it’s completely understandable that it’s very difficult to network in person so much. So social media is a good platform.”

For professional purposes, LinkedIn is always a good place to start. 

Reach out to people in your field, or those in whichever university you want to go to, or whatever lab you want to join. 

If you send a message to seven or eight people in a specific lab or programme, chances are at least two or three people would get back. That would be more than enough. 

“You wouldn’t get a better idea [about things] than talking to them. Your own research would not even match that. So talk to people, get their perspective.” 

Ghosh graduated from the University of Oxford with a distinction in dissertation and was awarded an overall Merit for the course. Source: Abantika Ghosh

5. Do it for you 

As with most things in life, you should only pursue an academic career and go abroad if you actually want to. Not because you see your peers following this path. Not because you think those who went abroad are “doing better.” “Because we all have different stories,” Ghosh says. “Honestly, what we post on social media is just a part of that story. It’s all the good things we are sharing, right? But there’s a lot of struggles.” 

So, don’t do it for the online glory, or because you fear that you’re missing out. Be clear about your intentions and what you hope to gain from that particular country and university.