Broaden your horizons: why you should study design abroad

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Working in the creative industries is undeniably inspiring. However that doesn't mean designers are exempt from creative block or not subject to the daily grind of life. When it comes to keeping your creative mojo, life experiences can provide huge amounts of inspiration, and so just imagine the impact upping sticks and moving to a different country to study could have on your creativity. 

This may seem like a wild idea, which could potentially take you massively out of your comfort zone. But what if we told you the opportunity to do short-term study in some of the most creative cities in the world was not only possible, but easy and affordable. 

Shillington offers three month (full time) and nine month (part time) graphic design courses in London, Manchester, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and New York. Fast-paced and industry-focussed, the short-term study on offer will arm you with a polished portfolio and all the skills to hit the design industry running. 

And it's a cinch to apply. There are lots of visa options that allow you to study design abroad. Research your options – it’s probably easier and more affordable than you think. "I studied on the Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417), which allows you to enrol in a program for up to three months and work up to a year – it made perfect sense for the full time course, " says Lenny Kai Yang who left his home in Toronto to study at Shillington in Brisbane. 

Design student Lenny Kai Yang struggling with his decision to study in Brisbane

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity 

So it's super-easy to do and affordable, so what's holding you back? If it's taking that leap off faith and heading off to a destination unknown, we get it. It's a scary and daunting prospect. But so much more than that it's hugely exciting and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help you become a professional, world-savvy creative. 

“Jump in and go for it. I believe anyone will benefit from studying abroad. It is a great experience to step out of your comfort zone and be surrounded by new people and new adventures. You will learn so much about yourself and it is a real opportunity to rethink your priorities and where you want to go in life!” says Henriette van Baren, a former student who left Amsterdam for a three-month course at Shillington New York.

Speaking of New York, Chrystal Christie is another student who decided to leave sunny Sydney and get a student visa to study design for three months full-time at Shillington's Big Apple campus. Here's a snapshot of her adventure and how the city's vibrancy inspired her as a student of design. 

If all of this isn't enough to give you itchy feet (are you a robot?), these interviews with past students who have studied abroad will have you planning your own epic adventure in no time. 

Shillington student Robyn Hunt was initially apprehensive when she took the decision to move from Cape Town to study in Sydney. "If I think of my Shillington class, we were a super weird mixture of people, so much so that on the first day I panicked a little bit to be honest," she says. "But after a week we’d all become such great friends and it was truly the most supportive and encouraging class you could ever wish for.”

Babeth Olde Hanter, who moved from the Netherlands to study in Manchester had a similarly positive experience. "At Shillington I could combine living abroad with an intensive three-month course that would prepare me for a job in the creative industry. I have fantastic memories of my time in Manchester, and it changed my career!"

To find out more about studying abroad, head over to the Shillington website, it could be the best creative career decision you ever make. 

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