Has a Swiss university education been worth it for me?

I will miss my running path when I return to India. Nature is never far away in Switzerland, even in cities. Devendra Shintre

In his final blog post, Devendra assesses his Swiss university experience and reflects on whether he made the right decision.

There are enormous differences between Indian and Swiss cultures. This means an Indian student might feel lonely in the beginning. As we don’t want to offend others, we are usually incredibly careful with our behaviour when we come here. It goes both ways and can thus hinder communication. However, once you manage to overcome the initial communication barrier, you realise that people here are not that different from your friends back home. If you take a step forward, others will most likely take two, but you must gather the courage to initiate. Otherwise even in student accommodation, typical interactions would be limited to awkward greetings devoid of any real exchange. From a social point of view, I think that studying in Zurich was worthwhile. I have made a few wonderful and hopefully lifelong friends. I have also become a humbler and more respectful person. 

I have also gained a few important skill sets like cooking. My culinary portfolio now includes a few European dishes as well. 

On a bit of a negative note, I have faced hundreds of rejections during my search for accommodation and a job. The experience has taught me to accept rejection. My downgrade in status from an Indian middle-class professional to a poor international student forced me to get out of my comfort zone. I have learned to ask for and accept help. 

Studying in Switzerland was not a great decision from a financial stability perspective. A master’s degree in Switzerland is definitely cheaper than in the US or even when compared to the cost of an Indian MBA. Nevertheless, it is extremely difficult to land a Swiss job as an Indian student. 

However, one can find motivation in the midst of desperation. In India, being part of a startup company was too risky for me. Frankly speaking I am a risk averse guy and don’t have an entrepreneurial mindset.  However, I am currently in the process of developing a startup in Switzerland. 

Another new experience for me was blogging. My languages skills are adequate at best, and creativity is not my forte. I would even categorise myself as a private person. And here I am, writing blogs about my struggle to pay the rent. I have become more outgoing in the process and improved my communication skills. 

To summarise, if you have a comfortable job in India you should think twice before quitting to study in Switzerland. Chances of a getting a job are much brighter back home, life is easier and the future is less uncertain. I personally don’t regret the decision to study here, as I don’t have to financially support anyone but myself. The experiences I gained and the friends I have made have made it worthwhile. Money is cheap, and people are priceless. From academic and career perspective though, I am not so sure!

For more blog posts and information on studying in Switzerland visit our dedicated page Education Swiss Made.