Planning to pursue your education abroad but don't know how to go about it?

Get Ahead's overseas education expert Karan Gupta answers your queries on studying abroad.

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I have done my B Sc (IT) from D G Ruparel College, Mumbai. I want to pursue a Master's in information systems from a reputed university abroad. I had already applied to the University of Melbourne and have an offer for Master's in business and information technology.

I want to know how good is the university. How are the job prospects in Australia after completing the Master's there, as there is no point coming back to India after spending so much. Also, I am interested in applying to some Canadian universities. Am I eligible for the same? I have completed 12 + 3.

-- Manish gaikwad

The University of Melbourne is among the top universities of Australia. Getting jobs in Australia after you graduate are not easy. However, if you qualify for PR (Permanent Residency), you may be able to get a job after you graduate.

Canadian universities require candidates to have 16 years of education. Hence, with a three year Bachelor's degree, you will not be able to apply for a Master's programme in Canada [Images].

I am a final year student of English literature from Delhi University. I am planning to study abroad for a Master's degree in english literature or a degree in creative writing or print journalism.

i. As I am already doing a course in English, do I still need to give a test as a proof?

ii. How can I ascertain that I get a fully funded scholarship-based admission (do I get admission in a college first or apply for a scholarship?)

iii. Which colleges/ universities would you recommend for these courses? I have personally selected Nottingham University.

-- Abha Agarwal

Even if you are studying English, you will need to appear for the TOEFL or the IELTS (depending on the country you apply to). Scholarships are based on your academic performance and life experiences and there is no way to be sure that you will be fully funded.

You will only know if you have been awarded a scholarship after you apply to the university.

Birkbeck College, University of London [Images]; Royal Holloway, University of London; University of Liverpool and so on offer graduate study opportunities in English Literature.

I am a final year computer-engineering student of KJ Somaiya College of Engineering. I wanted to get your opinion on my chances for MS in the US for fall 2006.

~ I scored  61 percent till my sixth semester

~ GRE score: 1,300 (730 Quant and 570 Verbal)

~ TOEFL range: 230-287

For which stream of computer science do I have a chance in the top 30 universities?

Also, are my chances for getting admission bound to increase if I mention the desired area of specialisation within computer science during my application phase?

Or do they reduce since they have a limited number of seats?

-- Shashank Karnik

Since your academics are above 60 percent you do stand a chance in some top 30 universities such as University of Southern California, New York University and so on.

Your chances of admission do not increase or decrease if you change your specialisation. You should state the specialisation that you actually want to study and not change it because of admission chances.

My education qualification is B Sc. I have also done my IATA foundation course. I am willing to do my MBA from Cyprus. I don't know how to go about it. What are the fees? Please guide me.

-- Aslam Juvale

The Cyprus International Institute of Management is probably the best MBA institute in Cyprus. You can find more information on the university's programme and fees at http://www.ciim.ac.cy/.

To apply for an MBA to CIIM you need to have at least two to three years of full-time work experience and a good GMAT score.

I am doing my final year Bachelor's in microbiology in Kerala [Images]. I am planning to do my post-graduation in medical microbiology.

I would like to know about the scholarships available connected to my course in USA, UK, Canada and Australia and also about the essential requirements. I would be grateful to you if, you could help me. 

-- Hema

There are usually no scholarships available for graduate degrees in medical microbiology. However, once you identify the universities you would like to apply to, you can contact them and ask them if there are any special scholarships available for international students.

For scholarships to UK universities you can contact the British Council. For admission, you will need to take the TOEFL or the IELTS (depending on the country you apply to).

Got a question for Karan? Please write to us!

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Illustration: Dominic Xavier