Study Abroad FAQs

Costs vary widely by destination. Tuition in Germany's public universities can be almost nothing beyond a small semester fee, while the UK typically runs £12,000–£20,000 a year and the USA more still. Hungary, Cyprus, Latvia and Malaysia sit at the affordable end, and living costs matter as much as tuition. In your free counselling session we build a realistic total budget — tuition, living costs, visa fees and flights — for the countries you are considering, so there are no surprises later.

No. Your first counselling session is completely free, with no obligation. We are an authorised representative of the universities we work with, which is how our service is funded. You will always be told clearly and in advance if any third-party cost applies, such as an embassy visa fee or an English test booking.

There is no single best country — only the best fit for your grades, budget and career plans. Students seeking a one-year master's often choose the UK; those wanting a route to permanent residency look at Canada or Australia; budget-conscious students do well in Hungary, Malaysia or Germany; and those wanting to stay close to home consider Dubai, Turkey or Georgia. We help you compare honestly rather than pushing one destination.

Most undergraduate programmes ask for IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 overall, and master's programmes 6.5 to 7.0, usually with a minimum in each band. Some universities accept PTE or TOEFL instead, and a number of our partner institutions accept a Medium of Instruction letter or their own English test in place of IELTS. Tell us your situation and we will find programmes that match what you already have.

Once you hold an offer and have paid your deposit, UK student visa decisions commonly arrive within three weeks, and priority services can be faster. Canada and Australia usually take longer, often one to three months. Working backwards from your intake date, we recommend beginning the whole process six to nine months ahead so nothing is rushed.

In most of our destinations, yes. The UK allows 20 hours per week during term time for degree students, Canada and Australia have similar arrangements, and several countries let you work full-time during holidays. Rules change, so treat part-time work as help with living costs rather than a way to fund your tuition — visa applications require you to prove you can afford your studies without working.

It depends on the country and the level of study. Dependants are generally permitted for research and doctoral programmes and for certain postgraduate courses, and rules have tightened in some destinations in recent years. Bring this up in your first session — it can change which country and course we recommend, so it is better discussed at the start than after you have applied.

Most universities have a September or autumn intake as the main entry point, with a January or February intake at many institutions and a smaller May intake at some. Popular courses fill early, so we advise starting eight to twelve months before your intended intake — early applicants get better scholarship offers and a calmer visa timeline.

Yes. We identify the merit, need-based and country-specific awards you are genuinely eligible for — including Stipendium Hungaricum for Hungary, DAAD for Germany, and university-specific scholarships across our network — and help you build an application that presents your profile at its strongest.

Yes. DTS holds official recruitment rights for 922 institutions across 42 countries, and our full list is published openly on our Partner Universities page. This means we can submit your application directly to any of them, and it is why we can advise on entry requirements with confidence.