What You Should Know Before Studying Abroad

Written by: Dr Paul Watson
Assigned medical reviewer: Dr Han Simpson
Published: September 21, 2026
Medical review date: Not yet recorded
Evidence searched through: Not yet recorded
Next review due: After the first completed review
Intended audience: General Readers & Patients
Geographic scope: Worldwide
Conflicts of interest: None declared.
Funding: Website Owner
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Medical disclaimer: Read the medical disclaimer

A student interested in medicine might imagine working in a hospital, lab or GP surgery. There are also jobs in the offices where health budgets, international partnerships and access to healthcare are discussed.

Study abroad gives you the opportunity to observe how healthcare is organised in another country. You will also be able to draw comparisons with how you know it to be organised at home. When studying abroad, however, it is essential that you understand what type of education you want. Providing treatment to patients, analysing health-related data and making agreements for healthcare policy all require different types of education.

A student interested in global health policy or health diplomacy may want to consider an international relations course. It does not provide a medical qualification or permission to practise as a clinician.

Look Beyond the Name of the Program

Begin by reviewing the courses being offered. A college or university may offer several degrees titled “international” but these programmes may have limited coursework relating specifically to health.

An international relations course can provide a way to explore cooperation during emergencies, negotiations over foreign aid priorities or how politics affects access to medicines. Review each course description to determine how much time and space you will have to pursue those same issues.

Schiller lists a 12-month accelerated master’s with research methods, international organisations, human rights, conflict and peace strategies, diplomacy workshops and an optional internship. It also offers opportunities to transfer between its international campuses. Students comparing international relations master’s programs can use those topics as a starting point and ask whether supervision for a health policy research project would be available.

You cannot assume that a broad diplomacy course contains modules in epidemiology, biostatistics or health economics. As such, request the details of each module so that you can compare them to public health graduate programmes and the relevant academic requirements needed in this field.

International Exposure Changes How You Learn

When considering study abroad, attempt to develop a specific healthcare issue that you wish to address. For example, how does someone sign up with a local doctor? Who pays for prescription medication? If someone needs an interpreter for a medical appointment, how would they arrange that service?

This approach allows you to focus on something tangible while exploring the workings of a healthcare system beyond a mere perception of whether that particular system appears adequate. Review literature describing the way a system is intended to function, and pay attention to people who use that system.

Your classmates may have had very different experiences of accessing care, making appointments or caring for family members. These personal stories can challenge your own assumptions. One individual’s story should never represent an entire nation’s healthcare system.

If transferring between campuses interests you, ask how this process would relate to completing a research project or placement. Transferring between campuses only makes sense if it fits into your work.

Practical Experience Should Matter as Much as Theory

A student interested in healthcare should find out exactly what a placement involves. “International experience” tells you little about the tasks, supervision or learning involved.

Some possible types of projects could include:

Comparing health policies.
Helping a charity review its public information.
Researching barriers to healthcare access.

Also find out who will be supervising you and what you should have created by the time the placement ends.

A short policy brief could give you a manageable assignment with a useful outcome.

For example, imagine a community clinic is proposed, but questions remain about whether it would reach the intended patients. Identify the gaps in the current evidence. Explain what other questions need to be asked locally to get better answers.

Any clinical experience you do will need to be evaluated separately. Before you agree to participate in anything with patients, make sure you clarify with both the host organisation and your university what you will be allowed to do while participating, what kind of supervision will occur, what kinds of consent agreements will be in place and if you are covered under liability insurance.

Policy studies or an overseas placement cannot replace the clinical training required to treat patients.

Know Which Skills Employers Actually Need

Review job postings before selecting a course. Collect several listings that interest you and compare their requirements.

For a position working in health policy, for example, you may need to summarise results of studies to individuals without a medical background. Programme work may involve budgets, reporting and coordination. For research involving complex statistics, check whether you would need training beyond a general international relations course.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, political scientists generally need to obtain a master’s degree in political science or public administration or related fields. This is guidance about one career path and should not be treated as the entry requirement for every global health role.

Consider what skills employers want candidates to show. Can you evaluate sources, describe uncertainty and recommend something based on evidence? These are questions you can use during a university open day.

Think About Your Career Before Graduation

Take advantage of your college years to develop some expertise in a global health issue. Possible topics include maternal health policy, access to medicines, migrant healthcare and the organisation of primary care.

Connect your course assignments as well as possible. One paper could analyse policies and another could evaluate funding decisions or communication with affected communities. Take that work into an interview and explain how your line of reasoning evolved.

Find people doing the jobs you’re considering. Ask them what they spend their typical week doing and what skills they feel like they missed developing earlier in their careers. A role with an impressive title may involve more administrative work, data collection or fundraising than anticipated.

Learning a new language can have a practical purpose. The ability to read relevant government policy documents or attend meetings could aid in your research. However, patient-facing interactions require great care and proper language assistance.

Budget for More Than Tuition

Base your budget on the whole period away, including any time spent on a placement or research project.

Alongside tuition, allow for housing deposits, local transport, food, health insurance, visa costs and travel home. Ask whether an internship is paid, where it takes place and whether it would require additional accommodation.

When taking an accelerated programme, determine if there is enough time left in your schedule to earn money through paid work. Request a written breakdown of the total fees for your campus and study plan, including optional activities.

Think about your own healthcare arrangements while abroad. Check what your insurance covers, how you would obtain routine care and how you would manage existing prescriptions. If you are receiving ongoing treatment, contact your current healthcare provider prior to leaving your home country to discuss logistical issues that relate to your care.

Understand Immigration and Work Rules Early

Seek guidance regarding your intended study and placement plans prior to committing financially.

Do not assume that being accepted by a university automatically resolves questions concerning working opportunities or spending time in a foreign country. Contact the international office at the university you are planning to attend to get clarification as to which official regulations apply to your individual situation and intended experiences.

When considering studying in the United States, use the Study in the States resource sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security as a starting point for gathering information about the rules surrounding student visas and employment. In addition, consult with the university’s designated school official (DSO) regarding any proposed practical training.

If your plans include clinical work, check the professional registration requirements separately with the relevant regulator. Admission to a university does not necessarily mean that you are eligible to work clinically. There are three separate issues here: academic eligibility for acceptance into the university; the relevant immigration permissions; and eligibility to provide patient care.

Decide What You Want From the Experience

Before applying, list the jobs you would like to do after graduation and the skills you still need.

Someone interested in negotiating agreements between governments may find a diplomacy course relevant. Similarly, someone who wishes to identify patterns of diseases must search for courses offering epidemiology and statistical training. An aspiring clinician needs an appropriate clinical qualification and a recognised route to registration.

Compare each programme with the list of skills and jobs you have created. Request examples of supervised projects, speak with recent graduates, and ask what placement support involves.

Studying abroad is more useful when the experience answers specific questions about your future work. For a career in global health, aim to leave with a better understanding of healthcare decisions and examples of the work you can contribute.