Your one-stop solution for studying abroad
Mentors' Study Abroad, an initiative of Mentors', has been working for the past 16 years to help students in Bangladesh find the right opportunities to pursue their higher education abroad. The unique element that Mentors' brings to the table is a holistic system that offers a wide range of services for local students in their pursuits to get accepted into foreign universities.
Taking the form of a one-stop solution, Mentors' offers prep courses for IELTS, SATs, and equivalent English proficiency tests, as well as application support, statement of purpose (SOP) feedback, visa processing support, and other assistance while also boasting a wide range of university affiliations.
Mentors' Study Abroad is affiliated with more than 150 institutions in over five study destinations including USA, Canada, Australia, UK, and Malaysia. Some notable partners include Macquarie University in Australia; University of Manitoba and Ryerson University in Canada; University of Chester and University of South Wales in the UK; Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and University of Massachusetts Boston in USA; and, finally, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Taylor's University in Malaysia.
After students finish their HSC or A Levels, they often feel confused and overwhelmed about applying to universities, both local and foreign. It can be hard for someone between the ages of 18 and 20 to figure out what they want to study and which universities they can apply to. This process becomes even more daunting when students decide to apply to foreign universities. Application processes, test requirements, scholarships, and other tasks all become additional factors that one has to keep in mind.
This is exactly where Mentors' Study Abroad comes in.
"A student who doesn't know anything about studying abroad can come to us, talk to our counsellors, take a free initial counselling session, and determine what tests they need to take. Then, these students can both register for these international tests through Mentors' and join our prep courses to better prepare for the exams. Throughout the process, they can keep consulting their Mentors' Study Abroad counsellor, shortlist a few universities that would be right for them, and start applying. We offer them support from step one till they join their university," said Anindya Chowdhury, the CEO and managing partner of Mentors' Study Abroad.
Mentors' offers its study abroad services in six locations in Dhaka, with one in Chattogram and one in Rangpur.
Throughout the initial counselling session, Mentors' determines a student's academic background, language proficiency, and their financial capabilities. Once they create a student's profile, Mentors' counsellors match these students with their affiliated universities. A full list of options is provided to the student to enable them to make the best choice possible. Throughout the process, students are informed of the approximate costs for the universities in question in terms of application fees, tuition, and accommodations and living expenses. Additionally, counsellors give students ideas about different part-time job opportunities they can take advantage of to supplement their incomes. The end goal, as reiterated by Anindya Chowdhury, is to ensure that if a student applies to three universities, they at least receive offer letters from two.
When planning to study abroad, a student should primarily focus on what subject or major they want to pursue. After this, they should prioritise the location where they want to study. Determining if a city is student-friendly, has sufficient job opportunities, and is home to comfortable weather are all key to ensuring a satisfactory experience.
Once students have determined the above matters, they should establish how much their parents can invest in terms of finances. When dealing with finances, students should also keep in mind that they should not just apply to the most affordable universities, but instead should apply to ones within their budget that have a high quality of education and a good graduate employability rate. Mentors' counsellors can help provide all of this information to students.
When asked about some of the challenges students face when applying abroad, Anindya Chowdhury said, "Time management is one of the key factors. Students often come to us a week before application deadlines. Planning ahead is the best way to succeed in the process of applying abroad, and students should not wait till the last minute to finish their applications. Another challenge is that sometimes scammers and middlemen approach students with offers to get them visas or help them bypass tests such as the IELTS. We try our best to explain to students that these are fraudulent claims, and no one can guarantee a visa for any amount of money, but such activities still continue to this day."
Over the years, Mentors' Study Abroad has sent many students on a journey to pursuing their higher education abroad. While the volume of Mentors' success stories cannot be encapsulated in just one page, two recent stories were brought to our attention.
Falaqun Noor Tunazzina signed up for the IELTS course at Mentors', and after finishing her prep course, sat for the exams and scored an 8.0. Now she is in the process of applying abroad with the support of Mentors' Study Abroad. Hopefully, she will soon receive an acceptance letter from her first-choice university, Monash University in Australia.
Afsana Aziz Merina recently received her Canadian student visa and will soon be starting her journey as a student pursuing a Master's in Global Health and Human Services Administration at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Her husband, Mahafozur Rahman, is also accompanying her with an Open Work Permit (OWP). After talking to multiple educational consultancy agencies, Merina and Mahafozur learned about Mentors' Study Abroad through their friends are now on their way to their dream study destination.
Find more information at mentors.com.bd