There are several ways that allow a young compatriot to become a student at a Western university. Study IN tells about three typical trajectories, each of which can lead you to your intended goal.
First trajectory. From a low start
The basic requirement imposed on applicants by all universities of the world without exception is the presence of a document of complete secondary education corresponding to the educational standard of that country. This is where the main obstacle lies that makes it difficult for graduates of our schools to directly enter universities in the UK, Canada, France, Germany and other developed countries. Our secondary education is designed for 11 years of study, whereas in the vast majority of countries of the world the full secondary school course lasts 12 years. Therefore, our certificate does not reach the world average standard at least by this formal criterion (while we note that the quality of school preparation of our applicants is rated quite highly).
So, in order to have a certificate of maturity that is unconditionally recognized by the university you intend to enter, the most logical thing is to finish secondary school in the same country. Foreign students are willingly accepted for study by private boarding schools, which use teaching methods proven by years of experience. Requirements for 'newcomers' usually come down to presenting a school report for previous years of study (preferably with no C's) and a basic knowledge of the language in which instruction is conducted. The advantages of this path are undoubted: the future student adapts in advance to life in a foreign country, its language becomes a second native language for him, and he assimilates terminology from various fields of knowledge gradually and organically. In addition, parents who sent their child to a boarding school can be completely calm about him: these educational institutions provide not only high-quality teaching of school subjects, but also organization of leisure activities for students. Most of them have a well-developed infrastructure, including the widest opportunities for sports and development of personal talents of everyone.
The disadvantages of this path include its high cost, as well as the need to part with the child for a long time. But the result is guaranteed - as practice shows, almost 100% of graduates of private boarding schools enter the most prestigious universities in the world.
Second trajectory. Stayers on the distance
Another reliable way to 'break through' to a Western university is to complete its Foundation preparatory department. This structure was created specifically for foreigners. Foundation accepts graduates of foreign secondary schools, who are then prepared for admission to a chosen faculty. The preparation program includes intensive language classes, revision of a number of subjects of the school curriculum, as well as a special subject - mastering academic skills. This includes training in the ability to take notes, write essays, write abstracts and give oral presentations. Successful passing of the final exams can be considered a guarantee of enrollment in the first year of the university. If you fail to take this height right away, it's also not a big deal: the preparatory year can be repeated.
The advantages of entering through Foundation include lower financial costs - in the optimal case, parents will have to pay for only one year of study on the program, as well as its high reliability. There are also disadvantages: to enroll in Foundation, you need to pass one of the international language exams, that is, preliminary language preparation must be quite serious. In addition, studying on Foundation somewhat narrows the possible range of choice of the future alma mater, in other words, this choice must be made in advance.
Third trajectory. The finish is near
Did the idea of obtaining a diploma from a foreign university occur to you when you had not only finished school but also successfully entered a university? You have lost nothing. There remains a quite reliable path before you, by the way, already tested by many of our compatriots. So, if you are quite satisfied with your chosen specialty, you need to determine in which university of which country you would like to complete your higher education, and apply to this university with a request for enrollment, though with the loss of a year.
You will be required to provide a certificate of academic performance, a transcript of attended and passed courses, as well as a certificate of passing a language exam. If you are studying in one of the final years, the most reasonable thing is to finish your education at home and then prepare for admission to a master's program abroad. In this case, your trump cards will be a bachelor's or specialist diploma and the same certificate of passing a language test. In most countries, admission to business and economics programs also requires a GMAT certificate.
As for the advantages of this path, they are obvious: you save a significant amount on tuition, and in the end you get a diploma of a higher level, willingly recognized by employers in all developed countries of the world. You can further reduce expenses by trying to get a scholarship for study - as experience shows, most of the scholarships allocated to foreign students go specifically to master's program students. In this case, you will not be able to change your specialty, but you can choose any of the many offered specializations, so this is also rather a plus than a minus.
The only difficulty awaiting you on this path lies in the need for thorough preliminary preparation both in mastering a foreign language and in studying the subjects of your specialty, but it would be absurd to classify such personal achievements as disadvantages. The described trajectory has become especially attractive in recent years, since today it is not necessary to go abroad to take the necessary exams. All negotiations with the university can be conducted remotely, by e-mail.