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[Dark One]

This year I graduated forestry technical with pretty high grades and a technician certificate, as well as several courses (farming chemistry with allowance to use highly toxic chemicals, indusrtial lifts operator (all kinds of forklifts and stuff), timber quality and measurement classification, VLOS MR pilot (drone pilotting course). Planned a tractor driver's licence but this can wait (I'm like a year after taking a course, all I need to do is remind myself all the stuff and take exams).

I also have a TOEFL Junior certificate with rank Superior (my score was 850/900) and now I'm considering taking a TOEFL iBT test that might well increase my chance of moving out of Poland and study abroad. I'm considering countries of western europe, since I rather won't afford flying to other continents. Currently I'm waiting for my Matura exam results, but might take the test in the meanwhile.

Can anyone give me some advice on studying abroad? What are good universities out there, how expensive it is, any job perspectives?

[martinuzz]

I know the Dutch city of Wageningen has a highly regarded agricultural (and biochemistry) university, including agricultural drone tech research. ALthough for the biomchemstry specializations you could perhaps better go to Utrecht University. Leiden is the place to go for botanical studies, or Amsterdam, but Amsterdam is expensive (rent).

Here's a link to their websites I'm sure you can find info on prices and more there:
 https://www.wur.nl/en.htm
https://www.uu.nl/en
https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en
http://www.uva.nl/en/home

As for job opportunities, don't know. Dutch university graduates are highly regarded in the world though. Our universities are on par with Oxford or Princeton. I do know a lot of Polish people work seasonal labour in our agricultural sector, so you speaking native Polish could be a plus there for management funcions.

Oh, learning Dutch helps, but is not required. Most if not all your lectures and books will be in english.

[Sheb]

Frankly, flying is going to be a tiny portion of the costs compared to Uni fees/rent etc etc, so I wouldn't let that discourage you. That being said, Western Europeans unis are good, relatively cheap and moving there is easier, so those are all good reasons.

Frankly it'd help if we knew exactly what you want to study. But yeah, generally Wageningen is excellent for all thinks biotechnological and agricultural.

[Dark One]

I thought about continuing forestry or veterinary, but going for anything biology/botanics related would work since I'm already quite familiar with them. Thanks for the links, I'll check them.

[martinuzz]

Forget veterinary studies in the Netherlands. There's a numerus fixus. I think there's only room for about 150-200 students per year, and it's a popular choice for highschool graduates. Me myself failed the lottery twice. Wanted to become a vet since I was like 6 years old. Had to settle for biology instead.

However, I do believe that the university of Antwerp does not have a numerus fixus for vetrinary studies, so for that you could consider Belgium.

[Sheb]

Yeah, we don't have that in Belgium (so we're flooded with French students). BTW, I didn't know you were a biologist too Martinuzz.

[Dark One]

We have some good universities in Poland, especially forestry studies. Though there are rumors that retards in current government plan to mess with universities... Not sure about it, there's been a lot of exaggeration and stupid ideas lately. So for veterinary I'll have to check Belgium universities in the web. Agricultural and biotechnological in Dutch cities. Always good to have several options and plans.

[ChairmanPoo]

I kind of think that you should consider costs, if you haven't. As the others said, travel expenses are a drop of piss in the ocean compared to the cost of living and uni fees.

[Sheb]

For Belgium, fees are usually about 800 euros per year (although you might get discount depending on your parents' income). Keep in mind the language requirement though. A quick check tells me that none of the Belgian universities offer English-language bachelor's in veterinary science, so be ready to learn Dutch or French.

[Dark One]

I'm well aware that it'd take a lot of effort to go studying abroad. I'll have to work three months to afford renting a flat in Poland and furnish it (being minimalist helps cut the costs), let alone go abroad and rent anything there. As for my parents' income... by local law it equals 0. They're both unable to work (mother has genetic illness - a hole in spinal cord, father damaged his spine during years of carpentry works) and they get money from government which doesn't count to income.

I learn languages quick, especially through practice. If I decide to study veterinary in Belgium I'd learn Dutch, as I hate French for some reason.

[Sheb]

Having a quick look at Flemish univeristies, they seems to require Dutch proficiency before you can sign up. So you'd either need to learn it very quickly, or plan on spending a year in Flanders/Netherlands before, maybe getting a job to stockpile money?

[Dark One]

If I planned to stockpile money before college I'd rather choose Switzerland or Germany since my siblings work there and would help me find a job quicker (I know that brother can get me a job in Switzerland from get go). But I'd rather make quick money during remaining three months and go to college than spend a year on stockpiling. And that's assuming that I pass matura exam, it was exceptionally hard this year, especially maths.

[Sheb]

Beware of Switzerland, they're quite annoying with foreigners.

I guess uni in Germany would be a good option too, but I don't know what uni would be good for Ag. Sciences.

[Dark One]

There's a lot of paperwork and stuff for Switzerland. Might check germany unis, I'll have easier time there since I know German a bit and ill have a place to stay there. Adding to long list of plans..

[martinuzz]

Taking a year 'off' before going to uni, not only to work and earn your college tuition, but perhaps also to travel a bit and research possible studies can be quite worth it. There's most certainly no shame in doing so. At least over here, it's even encouraged. A year of travel / introspection can make a nice addition to your application portfolio, if you're smart about it.
Society is so much about pressure to move up the social ladder, and work work work nowadays, this might be the last chance you get in a while to experience life without shackles.
If you believe you can earn your tuition and rent in the coming three months, it should be easy enough to do it in a year, with spare time to spend (which could help you with your long list of plans).