There are many reasons to dislike the current educational system teaching is bad, technology is outdated, a lot of unnecessary information, etc. I used to think so too, and to one degree or another. That being said, there are many opportunities for students that they don’t even realize they have. In this article, I decided to collect tips that should come in handy for students during their studies with the title ‘Opportunities for Students You Didn’t Know’. Unfortunately, I learned a lot of things in my last year, or even after graduation.
So, let’s go!
ISIC
ISIC is an international student card that is valid worldwide. With it, you can get great discounts (up to 50%) on air and train tickets, discounts to libraries, museums, cinemas, stores, bars, restaurants, etc. Discounts can vary from 5% to 50%. It costs a penny to buy such a ticket, and you can get a big profit. As a rule, it is necessary when visiting foreign countries (in Ukraine ISIC works only in big cities).
It should be said that according to international standards Masters and Ph.D. students are also equated to students.
Software
Software developers are very fond of students – as a rule, in addition to commercial licenses vendors provide educational licenses for education completely free (usually) or with a significant discount (rarely).
For example, Microsoft provides a lot of software as part of the DreamSpark program – registration by ISIC or student ID.
Work Vacations
Many universities practice a la work and travel – work trips to work on vacation, to earn money, and at the same time to tighten foreign language. As a rule, such trips are perfectly safe, but it is better to check the entire “pedigree” of the employer before making the final decision.
Rewards
If you are active enough, you can get special awards. For example, Microsoft has the Microsoft Student Partners program to encourage active students, Opera has the Campus Crew program. I am sure if you google it, you will be able to find many such programs.
You need to be a member of the community – organize events, blog, etc.
Grants
If you try very hard, you can get a cash grant or the opportunity to further study abroad. At this point we can talk for a long time if it will be interesting – I will describe separately. For this, of course, you must have several ideas, learn to write business plans, and conduct presentations.
Conferences
Students have a lot of free time. If you are a student and think otherwise, you are a bad student. So, you have a lot of time, why not spend it on self-study? And one way is to go to various events, meet speakers and experts (they may even help you decide on the direction of your career). For example, when I needed to write my essay on some specific topic, I tried to find as much information about it as possible.
And, of course, you can get an internship – and it’s a whole other level. You’ll be able to gain real experience and by the time you graduate, you’ll wait. In a good way.