Welcome to the guide for the Studyportals Comparison feature, an extension of your Wishlist.
We know that when it comes to picking the right degree, there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into account. To make the best decision, we offer you a way to compare 2 or more study programmes, and easily analyse a variety of factors you are interested in. But what are the criteria you will be comparing?
First thing first: our Comparison Tool shows the title and the university names of the programmes you are comparing. Next, you will see the individual criteria used to compare the programmes. These are:
- Time: programme duration
- Money: tuition fees and living costs
- Requirements: previous grades, language tests, and other criteria
- Location: where the programme is taught, country and city
- Rating: rankings and reviews by students
Here are more details about what each category will include:
TIME criteria
This section features everything time-related.
When you’re picking a programme, you always need to do so with a calendar at hand. When will you start? When do you need to submit your application? Do you have enough time to collect all your documents and put everything in order?
Well, by seeing them in a table, you will know exactly which option fits your schedule.
- Duration: 1 year, 2 years, 3, or 5? You’ll find out by comparing them.
- Application deadline: you have to apply & submit your documents before this date. Take into account that the deadline may vary depending on your country of origin.
- Start date: When does your study programme start?
MONEY criteria
Everything financial is important when selecting your degree. And, if you want to know what to expect when you start doing the math, then look no further than these two:
- Tuition fee: displayed either in currency per year or per credit; you will find out how much your degree will cost, so you can start planning accordingly.
- Living costs: find out how much you'll spend on a monthly basis to live in a certain city. Although data may not be available for every single city, you can always check another city in that country, to get a general idea of how much money you will need.
REQUIREMENTS criteria
There are no two programmes alike, so it comes as no surprise that admission requirements can also change and depend on a lot of factors. We make it easier for you to see the essential documents and grades you will need:
Language requirements
This section will display the language test required by the programme as well as the minimum passing grade you need to be accepted. Be careful, as some programmes might only accept a certain type of language test. The tests you will see in this list are:
Academic requirements
The academic requirements can either be a simple grade for your GPA, or they will be a certain type of previous study or work experiences. Where nothing is mentioned, it could mean that this point is not a requirement. Some of the most common admission requirements are:
- GPA or transcript of previous grades/marks
- Previous diploma(s): high-school, Bachelor's, or Master's
- Letter(s) of recommendation
- Personal essay or motivation letter
- CV and/or previous work experience
LOCATION criteria
Another straight-forward category, where the only things you will see are the countries and the cities of the programmes you select.
- Country
- City
RATING criteria
Last, but certainly not least, will be the rating criteria. Not only will you be able to see the international ranking of the university, but also how students rated their overall study experience.
University Ranking
See the highest place the university occupies in one of the four main international rankings: Times Higher Education, Shanghai Rankings, Top Universities Rankings, and U.S. News Ranking.
University Reviews
On a scale from 1 to 5 — with 1 being the lowest, 5 the highest — students voted how satisfied they were with their education at that university, by taking into account multiple studies-related questions. What students are asked to rate:
- overall satisfaction
- admission process
- students diversity
- career development
- quality of student life
- student-teacher interaction
Now that you understand how to use our Comparison feature, you’re ready to start your exciting journey of choosing a degree and studying abroad!