Psychology gives students the ability to not only understand the human mind on a social scientific level, but to give people the tools they need to be more self-aware and even improve their quality of life. Studying psychology also provides a wealth of career options to choose from.

So what’s the best country for Sri Lankan Students to choose when it comes to studying psychology abroad? This guide will take you through the pros and cons of studying in the USA, the UK and Australia in terms of the costs, course options, length of required study, and more.

What opportunities does a degree in psychology mean for you?

An undergraduate degree in psychology can prepare you for a career in social work, community health care and rehabilitation, as well as other fields that accept a broad range of degree holding graduates, such as sales, media or business management.

Receiving a Master’s degree in psychology will give you the opportunity to purse any of the before mentioned careers as well as a career as a school psychologist, an industrial organisational psychologist or as a psychological assistant in a research setting.

A doctoral degree will prepare you for a career as a clinical psychologist or counsellor with the ability to open up your own practice.

Psychology in the USA

The United States is an excellent choice for pursuing a degree in psychology. There are many different schools with psychology programmes, giving you lots of choice. For a Bachelor’s degree in the United States, international students typically pay around the equivalent of 658,699.50 Indian rupees in US dollars per year. If you are pursuing a Master’s degree programme, the cost of tuition may be around the equivalent of 988,049.25 Indian rupees in US dollars per year; and if you are pursuing a doctorate, the cost may be up to the equivalent of 1,317,399.00 Indian rupees in USD per year.

The benefit of studying in the US is that the cost of living is less than it is in the UK or Australia, however, the length of time it takes to receive a degree in psychology is slightly longer than in the UK. If students wish to pursue a career in counselling, a doctoral degree is a requirement. Obtaining a doctoral degree takes several years. Four years are needed to complete the undergraduate Bachelor’s Degree, approximately two years are required to obtain a Master’s degree, and then anywhere from three to five additional years will be spent obtaining a doctoral degree depending on your area of specialisation.

Some of the best University for studying psychology in the USA are Stanford University in California, Harvard University in Massachusetts, and Yale University in Connecticut.

Click here for all psychology study options in the USA.
 

Psychology in the UK

Tuition in the UK for receiving a Bachelor’s degree in psychology will vary depending on which university you choose. You could be paying anywhere between the equivalent of 1,022,359.33 Indian rupees and 2,555,898.31 Indian rupees in English pounds per year depending on what school you are attending and what type of courses you are taking. Undergraduate and arts courses are at the cheaper end of the spectrum, while master, doctoral, and clinical courses are at the more expensive end of the spectrum. Costs for international students may also be on the higher end of the spectrum as well. Additionally, the cost of living in the UK is quite high. It’s more expensive to live in the UK than the US, however, the length of study is shorter.

Students can receive a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology in the UK in three years. After that, an additional three years of postgraduate studies will earn students a doctoral degree in psychology. A full doctoral degree in the UK can be done in a total of six years (including undergraduate schooling). In the US, it could take seven or more years to receive a doctorate.

The University of Cambridge, The University of Glasgow, and the University of Oxford each contain some of the best psychology programs in the UK.

Click here for all psychology study options in the UK.

Psychology in Australia

Pursuing a degree in Australia takes around the same amount of time as it takes in the United States. An Australian Bachelor’s degree takes four years to obtain. Masters degrees take two years and doctorate courses take at least four years.

In addition, the cost of living in Australia is also quite high, much higher than the UK and the USA. Tuition costs are also on the high end for international students. A Bachelor’s degree can cost between the equivalent of 705,853.51 Indian rupees and 1,882,276.01 Indian rupees in Australian dollars per year for international students depending on your university. A Master’s programme can cost between the equivalent of 941,138.01 Indian rupees and 1,882,276.01 Indian rupees in AUD per year.

The University of Melbourne is the number one rated school for studying psychology in Australia. Following that, The University of New South Wales, and the University of Queensland are the top choices for psychology students.

Click here for all psychology study options in Australia.

So which is the best place to study?

The United States has the lowest tuition prices and the most affordable cost of living of the three areas as well as many of the top rated schools in the world. However, the length of time that students spend in school may end up costing more in the long run. Australia has the second most affordable tuition cost, but the cost of living is the highest. The length of schooling is also equivalent to that of the United States. Therefore, it would be the most expensive place to receive your degree. The UK has the most expensive tuition fees. The cost of living is more expensive than that of the USA, but more affordable than that of Australia. However, due to the fact that receiving a degree in the UK takes the shortest amount of time, it may be your best option. It also has many of the world’s top ranked schools in psychology. In the long run, you may pay a little more for a degree from the UK, but it may be worth the shorter period of time you spend in school, and the excellence in education that you can expect.