There are over 90,000 Master’s programmes listed on Mastersportal. While having so many options to choose from is great, it can also be intimidating, especially when you’re already stressed about studying abroad.
Don’t worry! We’ve thought about this and to make things easier, we’ve created the BestFit tool. By answering a few simple questions, you can see how well you match (or not) the requirements of a certain study programme.
What is the BestFit tool?
The BestFit tool is one of the most useful features on our portal, allowing future international students to narrow down their search for a Master’s degree. All you have to do is answer several questions related to your academic interests and budget.
Afterwards, the BestFit tool will use complex algorithms to determine how well your preferences match the entry requirements of various courses. To make sure that these algorithms provide accurate results and useful information, we’ve developed them in collaboration with experts in international higher education admission.
When you visit the Mastersportal website, you’ll see the BestFit widget on the top left side. All you have to do is click it, and in less than 2 minutes you’ll be able to see which study programmes are best suited for you.
Here are the questions you’ll need to answer while using BestFit:
1. What degree have you already graduated?
Most Master’s programmes abroad will require students to have a Bachelor’s (undergraduate) degree. Some disciplines will demand that the Bachelor’s is in a subject related to your Master’s option; others will accept all students with an undergraduate diploma from an accredited university or college.
2. Where did you graduate your last degree?
This is relevant for the validation of your previous studies. If you graduated a Bachelor’s at a European institution, it will normally be recognised by all universities in other European states.
Things can be different for non-EU/EEA students, who might need to take an entry exam or enrol in a pre-Master’s programme in order to meet the admission requirements for their Master’s.
3. What discipline have you studied before?
Not a lot to explain here. You can choose from dozens of disciplines and subdisciplines abroad. But for some degrees, you can only apply if your previous studies are relevant or related to what you plan to learn abroad.
4. What are your previous academic results?
Your previous academic scores are often one of the most important criteria during the university application process. These scores might be measured as an overall grade, a GPA (grade point average), a percentage, or as different types of Honours degrees (in the UK).
You can use one of the grading systems from our list. If you cannot find yours, you can self-assess your performance. When you’ll submit your diploma and/or transcript of records to the university, they will convert your grades and establish if you meet the admission requirements.
5. Do you have any relevant work experience?
Relevant work experience is required for certain Master’s programmes. For example, many MBA degrees require that students have at least 2 or 3 years of experience in Business & Management. This requirement varies from one Master’s type/university to another, and there is no general rule or standard.
6. What is your current English level?
Native speakers don’t have to worry about it, but for all the other students, proof of English proficiency is necessary to study abroad. The most popular English tests are IELTS Academic, TOEFL® iBT, and PTE Academic.
If you haven’t passed one of these English tests yet, you can estimate your level. However, you’ll still have to take a test and meet the minimum English language requirements for your Master’s programme.
Learn more about IELTS vs TOEFL® vs PTE.
7. What is your budget for tuition fees?
Tuition fees vary a lot based on different factors, such as:
- The country where you want to study
- The discipline you’ve chosen
- The length of your Master’s programme (it’s usually 1-2 years, but some disciplines require 4 years or more)
- Your nationality (in many countries, non-EU/EEA students pay higher degrees than EU/EEA citizens)
You can also check out the Studyportals Scholarship to get some help on financing your studies abroad.
8. What is your budget for monthly living costs?
Same story here. Living costs are higher in some nations (e.g. the UK, the Scandinavian countries) and lower in others (e.g. Portugal, the Czech Republic, Poland). Capital cities are also more expensive.
Of course, your costs of living also depend on personal habits. If you go out a lot, travel around, and don’t enjoy cooking, expect to pay more. Keep that in mind when you estimate a budget for your living costs.
What’s next after answering the BestFit questions?
See how easy it was? Now, to discover how well you match the Master’s degrees on our portal, you’ll need to create an account (unless you already have one). The account is free, and it won’t cost you anything; just like using Mastersportal.
You can create a Studyportals account here or use the BestFit pop-up that appears at the end.
Where can I check my BestFit results?
After answering the questions and creating your account, your compatibility results will be displayed automatically for each programme, in front of the blue BestFit icon.
Please keep in mind that by default, Mastersportal will show all the programmes unfiltered. What does this mean?
Let’s say that during BestFit, you chose to study Psychology in the UK. After you complete BestFit, the website will display all Master’s courses; it will not filter “Masters in Psychology in the UK”. You’ll have to do that yourself.
Luckily, it’s super simple and convenient. All you need to do is use the filters which are easily accessible on the left side of the page.
You can learn more about your compatibility by clicking the blue BestFit icon. It will open a new window, which will give you more details about how well you meet the requirements and what you can do to improve your scores.
Where can I change my BestFit answers?
“What if I want to study in another country, or maybe I’ve changed my mind regarding what I want to study?” No problem! You can change your answers as well as other personal information in the Studyportals account. To access it, go to your username in the top right, then click “My profile”.
This will open a page where you can change your name, nationality, date of birth, as well as all the answers from BestFit:
Ready to start studying abroad?
There you have it! Now you know what the BestFit tool is and how you can use it to your advantage. After all, this is the purpose of technology: to make our life easier, our choices simpler, and to help us compare options and learn which is the right one for us. Have a great study experience abroad!