Students interested in applying to graduate schools abroad learned what to expect at the annual “Overview of American, British, and Canadian Universities” event hosted by the Deree College Office of Career Services.

Nicholas Tourides of the Fulbright Foundation, Kathy Angelopoulou of the Canadian Embassy and Katerina Fegarou from the British Council provided information and advice. They discussed everything from academics to living expenses while studying abroad.

“Canadian universities have the lowest tuition fees in the English speaking world,” said Angelopoulou. She continued, one of the best things about going to Canada to study is that “you see people literally from all over the world, on campus, in students, and in faculty.”

The Canadian Embassy’s education adviser, Angelopoulou, added that there are 93 state funded universities in Canada that provide 10,000 graduate degree programs. ” Canada is an official multicultural country, anyone and everyone is welcome,” she said.

Tourides emphasized the positive qualities of American universities. “Universities in the States are known for their high quality,” said Tourides. By attending a graduate degree program in the United States, “You are investing in your future,” he continued, “A graduate degree from the U.S. will give you the opportunity to boost your career.”

But wherever students choose to go, he added, they are in a position to promote their country and culture. “You are ambassadors to the world,” Tourides told students.

“Greeks make up the largest foreign student segment in the U.K., apart from Chinese students,” said Fegarou, marketing manager for education at the British Council. She also pointed out, teachers in the United Kingdom “teach you how to think, not what to think.”

The attractions of a U.K. university master’s program include only one year of study and proximity to home. Students have the advantage of going abroad, yet still being close to home and family.

Deree student Stella Markaki said the graduate programs seminar was worthwhile. Like many of her peers, she plans to apply to a school abroad. “I will apply to schools in the U.K.,” she said. “It’s closer, and I have relatives there.”

The Office of Career Services recommends that students check out the rankings of the top U.S. and other worldwide programs in magazines such as Business Week and The Financial Times. It is also important to talk to professors and other professionals in the field of study being pursued.