It is often said that travel offers seven benefits. It improves mental and psychological well-being, breaking the monotony of daily life and providing an escape from stress and emotional strain. It opens doors to earning a living, seeking better livelihoods, and pursuing new employment opportunities in unfamiliar places.
Travel also refines moral character through interaction with other cultures, fostering understanding and allowing people to adopt positive and constructive values. It enables the formation of new friendships and the acquisition of social skills, strengthens family bonds through visits to relatives living abroad, and reinforces ties of kinship.
Travelling, particularly alone, builds self-confidence and sharpens problem-solving abilities. Finally, it facilitates the pursuit of knowledge by learning from other people’s experiences.
It may well be this last benefit, the pursuit of knowledge, that has driven today’s younger generation to seek education abroad. Yet, this raises important questions: does studying outside Egypt have a positive or negative impact on young people at this formative stage of life, beginning as early as the age of 16? And what skills should be acquired before embarking on such an experience?
Shaimaa Ashry, a business psychology practitioner, said that the desire to study abroad stems from young people’s aspiration for a better future and wider employment opportunities across different countries. While tuition fees at universities abroad may in some cases be lower than those of private and international institutions in Egypt, overseas education remains costly due to high living expenses, including accommodation, transportation, and food.
As a result, some families struggle to cover these costs, even resorting to selling personal assets or exhausting their savings to fulfil their children’s ambitions of travelling abroad in search of a better future.
Ashry added that parents must undertake careful preparation to equip their children for studying abroad and managing life independently. Adolescents up to the secondary school stage can lack the depth required to make life-altering decisions, making parental guidance essential until the age of 21.
Accordingly, families must train their children from an early age in decision-making, self-reliance, and the development of personality and identity. Without these attributes, a so-called “glass generation” may emerge of young people who are fragile and ill-prepared to cope with real challenges when travelling abroad.
Ashry said that building a strong sense of identity, whether religious, spiritual, natural, or otherwise, is critically important, as identity serves as a compass that guides individuals through life. She stressed that appreciating the value of family and strong family bonds encourages young people to return to their families for guidance in various matters and helps them preserve their identity.
Equally essential is training in critical thinking: being open to others’ opinions while discussing them thoughtfully, without necessarily accepting them unquestioningly or being led by them without reflection.
DECISIONS: Sedra Ahmed, a student at a university in France, believes that her decision to travel and study abroad was not driven by the quality of education alone.
She noted that there are universities in Egypt comparable to those in Europe, but she was determined to study in Paris because her schooling in Egypt had been conducted in French. More importantly, she sought the experience of assuming responsibility, becoming self-reliant, and making decisions independently, without interference from family or friends. Her father supported her decision despite his anxiety about the experience and fear for her well-being.
Ahmed said that assertiveness and the ability to confront challenges were the most important qualities she acquired while living abroad. In Egypt, she was shy and tended to avoid confrontation; living on her own, however, forced her to face difficult situations.
She considers herself fortunate, as she lived in the same accommodation in France with two friends from her school in Egypt. In addition, a large group of male and female friends from the same school provided mutual support, making the experience easier and encouraging them to persevere in their studies abroad.
Camilia Wael, a graduate of a European university, said that studying abroad may be academically more demanding than in Egypt in terms of curricula, but the experience of independent living is immensely valuable. Given the chance to go back in time, she would choose to repeat the experience without hesitation, she said.
Wael said that the most difficult phase of studying abroad is the first year, when students may feel scattered and unable to set clear priorities. During that period, she found herself preoccupied with day-to-day living tasks such as cooking, laundry, and cleaning, which consumed much of her time and negatively affected her studies.
Laila Abu Allam, a recent graduate of a university in France, noted that one of the most distinctive aspects of studying abroad is exposure to a new culture. She said that in France the state provides support to students up to the age of 26, including free access to museums and libraries, as well as high-quality basic education. This can help bridge social class divides, creating common ground and fostering respect and appreciation for others regardless of their profession or economic status.
Abu Allam pointed to simple yet telling signs of civility that caught her attention, such as respecting queues without supervision and standing on the right side of escalators to allow others to pass if they are in a hurry. In her view, these everyday practices reflect respect for the rights of others.
She also stressed that carefully choosing new friends is among the most important factors for success when studying abroad. French universities host students from a wide range of nationalities, and consequently from diverse cultures and beliefs, making the process of social selection potentially confusing. In such an environment, it is essential to form friendships that provide support and help one navigate this stage of life, without judgement, whether one differs or agrees in faith or culture.
Ahmed, Wael, and Abu Allam agreed that forming new friendships abroad, despite differences in customs, traditions, and behaviour, was not difficult. They noted that their friends from different nationalities respected their customs and traditions, and that none criticised their behaviour even when it appeared unfamiliar or attempted to pressure them into changing it.
CHOICES: Sara Awad, a graduate of a Canadian university, said that success or failure in studying abroad depends largely on the student’s personality, as well as on the choice of university and host country.
Everyone arrives in a new place with limited life experience and little prior exposure to full independence. Those who are able to adapt and persevere succeed, while those who cannot endure the challenges may fail, she added.
Awad said that studying abroad helped her gain a deeper understanding of herself, her abilities, and her limits. It also opened new professional horizons. After graduating, she initially worked in Egypt for a salary that she felt did not reflect her qualifications. She then returned to Canada, where she secured a higher income.
Awad said that one of the major advantages of studying abroad is that it can be more affordable than private and international universities in Egypt, especially in a country like Canada. She said that one of the greatest obstacles faced by those returning to work in Egypt is the difference between the Egyptian work environment and that in many foreign countries where working hours are strictly dedicated to work.
Nevine Ahmed, a lecturer at a private university in Egypt, believes that educational curricula abroad may be more advanced than in Egypt, offering graduates broader employment opportunities. However, she stressed that this ultimately depends on the student’s academic ability and noted that some Egyptian public universities offer academic programmes in cooperation with international universities, with curricula that are no less rigorous than those in foreign countries.
She said that some graduates who studied abroad may face difficulties finding suitable employment in Egypt, either because there are no positions aligned with their fields of study or because they feel entitled to higher positions and financial compensation in return for the education they received.
According to Ahmed, while self-reliance and independence are valuable, students returning from abroad often may feel that they no longer fit in and have lost touch with their friends and families.
Doaa Mustafa, the mother of a student studying in Europe, explained that every experience has its pros and cons. While education abroad can be highly beneficial in shaping young people’s personalities and strengthening their self-confidence and independence, it could also lead to psychological pressure that might affect mental well-being.
She added that prolonged independence might also result in emotional distance from the family and a reduced willingness to accept advice or differing opinions, an outcome that may be undesirable within the norms of Egyptian society. She stressed the importance of sustained communication between families and children abroad, as well as regular visits whenever possible.
When visits are not feasible, modern communication platforms make regular contact easy, she added.
On the other hand, some young people who are accustomed to a comfortable life in Egypt may suffer a shock when confronted with the realities of life abroad. They may not be able to adapt to these and may even return home prematurely.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 15 January, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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