But with the skyrocketing tuition in upscale universities and colleges in the country, studying abroad has become more attractive to families calculating cost versus returns.
Czarra Platon considers the cost of a year’s tuition at a Swiss school value for money. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Resort Management (HRRM) from the Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM), a partner school of the Swiss Education Group (SEG), and an honors degree in Business Management from Northwood University in the United States.
“The tuition included everything I needed—permits, health insurance, books, uniforms, full board meals (buffet or fine dining) that were great, hotel-like accommodations in school, housekeeping and even excursions and activities. I only spent for minimal stuff like toiletries,” she says.
In actual figures, and depending on the course or program, “it costs about P1.2 million a year to study in a Swiss school,” Platon says.
The cost of a culinary course at a top-notch college in Bonifacio Global City is about half a million pesos a year, including dormitory fees.
Not just cost
But cost is not the only consideration for studying abroad, says the Maria Montessori Foundation alumna. The quality of education matters most of all, she says.
At HIM, a year’s classes is divided into six months classroom learning and six months practicum or internship. Paid internship, Platon says, has allowed her to become financially independent so she does not have to ask for money from home.
HIM, she adds, specializes in Hospitality courses and uses an American business style of instruction.
Traveling is a big plus, of course. “I wanted to be in a new country where I could explore other cultures and Switzerland is such a melting pot of diverse cultures. Plus, it is in the heart of Europe so, at any time, when I had the resources to do so, I could take the train and be in Milan, Paris, London, Berlin or Athens,” she says.
There are also life lessons. “I learned a lot about myself and my limits, how to be independent and to work very hard. Coming from an Asian country with a non-EU (European Union) passport, you have to excel and prove yourself,” she says.
Safety and security were overriding concerns for her mother, Platon says. “But [after] she and I took a trip together and she saw how safe it was for me, it was easier for her to let go … plus, she found a great reason to travel back to visit me!”
In recent years, when developed countries realized that foreign students could become lucrative revenue sources, they began sponsoring education fairs to showcase what their schools had to offer and how reasonable the admission requirements were.
“In Switzerland, it’s pretty straightforward. The school requirements for college include a high school diploma and a certification that you can speak a level of English,” Platon says.
Year-round enrollment
Enrollment is flexible, she adds. Schools under the SEG have a starting date or school opening at any season, Platon says.
Like most students studying abroad for the first time, Platon had some adjusting to do, never having lived away from home.
“I was initially shocked at some of the laws in Switzerland, like no noise after 10 p.m., and most shops close very early and on Sundays,” she says.
Aside from cultural differences, language was initially a problem, Platon says. “The curriculum is taught in English but Switzerland has four official languages—Swiss French, Swiss German, Swiss Italian and Romansch. It was pretty cool. Some locals can speak English, too. You just have to know how to approach them and not assume everyone speaks English because that’s just rude.”
The world-class recognition is definitely a plus, she says. “I was lucky enough to be able to work abroad and felt (being given) preference when I was interviewing with companies because they knew the reputation of Swiss-trained students. Work prospects in Manila are also good because big companies recognize the quality of a Swiss education and its tradition of hospitality.”
Describing herself as an entrepreneur and business development specialist, Platon says her studies abroad helped her a lot in being a hospitality consultant for local and international clients.
Platon, aside from helping run the family corporation that deals with security services, also contributes articles and photographs to local magazines and international sites.
Overall, she says, “studying abroad was one of the best experiences of my life.”