So you know you want to study abroad, but you're 1) not able to travel to multiple countries to visit first, 2) not sure which out of the tens of thousands are right for you, and 3) how you'll be able to afford it. We have a solution for you: WebiFairs! 

In this blog, we'll discuss what a WebiFair is, how to make the most out of your experience, and what to do after a WebiFair event to assist in your decision-making process. 

What is a WebiFair?

Simply put, WebiFairs are free virtual higher education events to support students like yourself, looking ahead toward university, career, and beyond.

Remember pre-COVID when in-person visits from universities were happening at your school or in your city? WebiFairs are just like that, only virtual! During these events, you can meet one-on-one with university admissions officers live from around the world to ask your questions and learn about higher education options unique to your needs. You'll also have the ability to decide who you want to talk to and when, while hopping in and out of virtual rooms with the click of a button. You can also choose to attend webinars and presentations from experts in the higher education field on the same platform during the event. 

If you're wondering about scholarships for international students (<-this will link to my scholarship blog), come to a WebiFair. Questions about testing policies or admissions requirements? Come to a WebiFair. Our events can answer any question related to studying abroad! You can stop spending so much time Googling to find answers, and instead get them in real-time, directly from global university admissions representatives. Oh, and did we mention that the university representatives at WebiFairs are the same people who review admissions applications? So it's a great opportunity to come to the events, connect, and let them see your commitment and dedication — that could factor in when they're reviewing your application! Another thing to note is that each WebiFair event has different universities and is held in various timezones so that you can come to one or all of them! 

Preparing for a WebiFair

Now that you've signed up to come to a free WebiFair event, here are some useful tips to get you prepared and maximize your time there. 

• Figure out what is most important to you when deciding on a university (e.g., location, campus life, whether it has your major of choice, international student population, etc.)
• Once you figure out what's most important, jot all of that down in any format that is most comfortable and helpful for you (e.g., Excel, notebook, Word doc...) 
• From that list, decide the questions you need answers to, so you can easily shortlist university options — check out these ideas for potential questions to ask at a WebiFair event to get your list started
• Invite your parents and any friends you think would be interested and benefit from learning more about studying abroad 

In the same way you would prepare for an in-person event with your questions, concerns, and needs, approach these virtual events in the same way. Once registered for any of the upcoming events, click universities at the top of the page to see which universities are participating in that particular event you're attending, and make a note to visit their room and download their brochures for further insights and details after the event ends. 

What to do after a WebiFair 

Once a WebiFair event is over, you still have about a week to log back into the platform, look at university profiles, download brochures, and access all university information. Here are some other helpful tips once the event is over:

• Now that you've met with several universities or heard what they offer, shortlist the ones you're most excited about
• Make sure to have the university representative’s contact information for each of the universities you're interested in

• Reach out to these admissions representatives with any lingering questions, inquire about virtual tours, and ask about upcoming events to cover all your bases

• Make a list of upcoming deadlines for the universities you're interested in applying to (these can be found right on their website, or you can email them to ask!)
• Do more research on these universities (visit their social media pages, websites, any Facebook groups, YouTube) - get a holistic view of what life would be like as an international student there

Lastly, come to more WebiFairs! Remember, there are different universities at each event, so look at our schedule and get ready to revisit the colleges/universities that sparked your curiosity before, and make a note of new ones that pique your interest! 

Have more questions about WebiFairs or studying abroad? Make sure to sign up for our emails, and don't forget to follow us on Instagram for more insights and tips!