How to use ChatGPT for study abroad advice

If you are planning to study abroad, you know it’s easy to get overwhelmed by having too many choices! Thankfully, you can use the power of ChatGPT and other AI platforms like Google’s Bard to speed up the process, provide you with tips for studying abroad and eliminate an overload of choices.

Among the many use-cases of AI-powered chatbots, they are also powerful companions in your hunt for the best study destinations to consider. It’s no wonder Bard, Bing and ChatGPT are so popular.

Instead of browsing endlessly through Wikipedia or pouring through volumes of travel guides, you can research smarter. AI chatbots allow you to ask specific questions to get answers that are tailored to your needs and concerns.

In this article, we will guide you through the best ways to use artificial intelligence to research your dream study destination. Be sure to note down the prompts that you can use to speed up your search tenfold!

Study abroad advice: how to use AI for your study destination research

1. Investigate the countries friendly towards international students

If you are travelling abroad to study, you probably want to make sure your destination is friendly towards international students. It’s time to use the power of AI to figure out the best countries to study abroad in.

Instead of pouring through boring surveys, let’s just ask ChatGPT to shortlist for us the ideal countries!

For example, we used the prompt: “Which country is most friendly towards international students?”

And ChatGPT delivered a fabulous selection of countries to consider.

But if you're looking for some real-life indication of what people there are really like, just consulting AI might pit you against a brick wall. You’ll still end up best talking to people who have been living and studying in those same countries for a holistic perspective.

Best of all, you can narrow down the countries depending on your needs. Let’s say you are a Chinese student deciding between Canada and Australia. You can refine your query with a more specific prompt:

“Between Australia and Canada, which country has a bigger Chinese community and student population? Tell me the benefits of each”

ChatGPT allows you to drill down into specific questions you might have for each country. Here are a few more suggestive prompts you can use:

• “Which country offers more scholarships for international students? Suggest some options that suit someone interested in nursing”
• “Which country offers free healthcare to international students? Tell me the pros and cons of the options”

It’s important to use this information to inspire you but be sure to check with education experts and counsellors to get the latest updates.

2. Investigate further into the cost of living for your country of interest

As a student, the cost of living is perhaps one of the top concerns you might have. How much does it cost to study abroad in a particular country? This factors greatly into your decision when choosing your dream study destination.

ChatGPT can be used to help you understand if a certain country is within your budget or if another location might be more realistic.

Using the prompt: “How much must I budget as an international student living in London?”

We get a response that dives deep into the individual cost of living by categories a student needs to factor into their budget.

In fact, there are many other ways to narrow down your search by being more specific.

You could always compare the different university towns or cities in a given country.

For example, you can help your decision-making with a prompt like “Is it more affordable to study in Nottingham or London as an international student?”

3. Research careers with growing demand for a future-proof career

Studying abroad also means selecting the right course, especially if you intend to work overseas.

This is where ChatGPT can help you research the right careers with growing demand in your study destination.

We use this specific prompt: “Which industry has a growing demand for workers in Canada?” to better understand the sectors to consider if we were to pursue a degree in that particular country.

With the help of ChatGPT, we quickly discover two industries in Canada that potentially have significant demand and job growth in the economy.

This allows students to better identify potential courses to pursue. In this case, studying computing and biotechnology might be options to consider for a career in Canada.

4. Dive deep into a specific course (which country has the best reputation for that)

Now that you have an idea of the courses to pursue, you can use ChatGPT to help you identify which universities to enroll in.

To accomplish this, we fed this prompt to the chatbot: “Which are the top 10 universities in the UK to study computer science?”

Almost immediately, we get a collection of the top universities in the UK with a reputation for their computer science degrees.

Using the chatbot’s responses, we can immediately narrow down our search to just these 10 institutions. This helps students to save valuable time and conduct a more detailed investigation in the right direction.

However, while ChatGPT presents facts and figures, all it does is give you suggestions that can be rather clinical. There are clear limitations to using the AI-powered chatbot that you need to be aware of.

Limitations of using ChatGPT

1. Its answers may not be up to date

While ChatGPT can help you get a leg up in your research, their data is only limited up to September 2021. As the world moves fast, you could be relying on outdated information, especially when you’re looking for the latest in university rankings.

2. Doesn’t draw into human experience

Anecdotal advice is valuable, something that you can’t authentically generate from ChatGPT or other AI platforms. Stories and personal experiences provide key pieces of information that transcend facts and figures. By speaking to an actual person, you get to view the study destination from the perspective of someone who has experienced it first-hand.

3. Does not take your personality into deep consideration

ChatGPT doesn’t factor in your personality traits, which can drastically shift the outcome of your final decision. While London might be home to many top universities, you might not fancy city life if you are more of an introvert. Instead, smaller university towns like Oxford might be the more suitable choice for you.

Just like how you won’t let a robot decide your next meal, it’s best to get help from real-world people with human experiences. 

Discover your ideal study destination with IDP

Using AI like ChatGPT might be a good first step, but you need more. You need to speak to a living, breathing subject expert who knows the latest news, labour market conditions and potential of various professions out there. Nothing beats professional study abroad counselling from the experts!

At IDP, our education counsellors know what it’s like to be in your shoes. They understand your queries, and are trained and equipped to help you choose the best study destination to fit your needs.

Ready to embark on your study abroad adventure?

Get in touch with an education counsellor today! Enquire with us or hit the message button to drop us a question!