Is there an age limit to study abroad?

“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” 
― Albert Einstein

Sometime back in 2016, there was some news of a girl named Malvika Raj Joshi from Dadar who got admission to the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in the USA, after being rejected by eminent institutions in India. She was home-tutored by her father till XII grade. But that didn’t stop her from being a winner of the Programming Olympiad. It is fascinating that you can achieve great heights even at the age of 17!

If you would like to explore other institutions in the USA, head to our site.

On the other end of the spectrum, you’ll find ample responses on Quora from people who studied abroad in their late twenties or thirties and enjoyed every bit of it. Age didn’t seem to limit them either.

These stories will give you an idea of where we are heading with this.

Age doesn't always determine your grades or your future. There is no age limit to studying abroad. If studying abroad is what you want, you should simply go ahead with it. Countless times, you must have heard people say, 'age is just a number' and 'there is no age for acquiring knowledge'. However, many of us hesitate to follow these words in real life.

In the Indian context, most people believe that 19 to 24 is the crucial time to pursue higher education. By the age of 30, they are expected to have a well-paid job, and get settled with a family of their own.

Whether to study in India or abroad is a question that confuses many. Some of you might wish to study abroad in your 30s or 40s. But you will hesitate to make the first move in the right direction, if you continue paying attention to your apprehensions and demotivating comments from others. Of course, there could be very valid reasons like financial constraints, family responsibilities etc that hold you back. But age should never be a factor. Once you finally reach your study abroad destination, you’ll realise that there is nothing surprising in pursuing higher education at a later stage in life.

Coming back to the question - ‘Is there an age limit to study abroad?’

We would like to start by sharing some statistics:

In 2008, a survey performed by the National Centre for Education Statistics said that the average age of graduate students in an MS or an MBA programme in the USA was 33 years.

Why do people study abroad late in their lives?

Have you given a thought as to why some people study abroad late in their life? The reasons could be many, such as:

• Lack of opportunities when young
• Lack of mentors or elders to give proper guidance
• Financial difficulties in the family
• Lack of inspiring and motivating people around
• Lack of self-confidence in their ability to think independently and act maturely
• Fear of making life-changing decisions

Some people continue to nurture this dream within them, and kick start their study abroad journey late in their life when:

• They are in a better place financially and mentally
• Their careers no longer consume a lot of their time
• They might be feeling unfulfilled or bored with life and want to find something new to focus on
• They finally feel confident enough to pursue their dream of studying abroad
• They found exciting course options abroad

So, if you are still in a dilemma about studying abroad, you should perhaps pat yourself on the back for daring to dream big. Studying abroad is not an easy decision to make. But remind yourself that age shouldn’t be the limiting factor.

Keep in mind that several institutions abroad have a minimum age requirement. You should be 18 years or older to enrol in several universities abroad.

It would still be good to know if there are pros and cons of studying abroad early in life and late in life, right? Well, we’ve put together the information for you. Read ahead to find out.

Pros and cons of studying abroad early in life

Pros

1. You may catch up on things fast.
2. Find it interesting to mix with people from different countries.
3. Ready to embrace changes
4. Have opportunities to develop unique skills.
5. Be more cosmopolite

Cons

1. Difficulty adjusting to the culture shock
2. You may find it difficult to live alone and manage life on your own
3. You may find it hard to cope with the academic system abroad.
4. You may feel homesick
5. Top performers might find it difficult to accept that they are not the only smart person in the room

Pros and cons of studying abroad late in life

Pros

1. Managing life on your own might come to you easy. You will not be thrown off guard.
2. Your life experiences will come in handy in dealing with day-to-day life.
3. Chances are you may turn out to be the teacher of the class. People will count on your guidance and extensive lessons before the exams.
4. You may sync well with the professors abroad due to the reduced age gap.
5. You may bring a lot of value to the classroom and the people around you.

Cons

1. College events might not be as fun for you as for the younger group.
2. You may feel lonely in classrooms if all the other students are youngsters.
3. You may find it difficult to make friends.
4. You may find it difficult to catch up with the youngsters’ way of life.

The idea behind starting early or late to study abroad is purely personal. You might have valid reasons. The day you know you are ready; you should go for it instead of thinking too much. For the people who are beyond 30, they must remember – better late than never!

Youngsters – It is always a good idea to consult with your parents or guardian to know what they think about your study abroad decision.

However, if you have a good offer in hand and have a mindset to travel abroad, irrespective of your age, then you should just stop thinking too much and grab the opportunity.

Let us know if you got a chance to study abroad late in your life. Share your experience with us. If you are unsure about how to begin this exciting venture, get in touch with us for expert guidance.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in November 2016. Our content writer Roshna Mohan has edited it to include up-to-date information and made it comprehensive.