MORE than 6,000 students from 150 secondary level schools attended an exposition showcasing 30 local and international tertiary institutions last week, according to the organisers' estimates.

The fifth and sixth formers learned about a range of courses on offer at universities and colleges in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean including Jamaica, at the Eduventures International Trade Fair, held last Wednesday and Thursday in Kingston, and on Friday in Montego Bay.

The Wigton wind farm.

But although the costs of studying abroad are high, Eduventures chairman Aldain Reid is encouraging students to consider overseas options, even if they are unable to meet all their expenses.

The harsh reality is that the majority of students will not be able to afford the tuition (to study overseas); however, many institutions have opportunities for students to work on campus and to apply for bursaries, grants and scholarships, Reid told Career & Education.

He urged the students to work hard and be assertive if they choose to go abroad to pursue their educational goals.

"You can't just lay back and say I can't afford it. From you are doing well you can apply for all kinds of grants. Many students who leave here are not rich, but they are focused and driven, and end up doing very well," he said.

Now in its fourth year, Eduventures has become a popular event on the calendars of high schools and tertiary institutions alike. The number of students from each school has been limited to 50 to allow as many schools as possible to participate.

The study options on view varied from schools such as St Georges University in Grenada for students wishing to do medicine; University of Waterloo in Canada which is strong on mathematics and computer science; Niagara College in Canada; and the Caribbean's own University of the West Indies which boasts a plethora of alternatives.

Carol Hart, public diplomacy and media officer at the Canadian High Commission, was on hand to support the 10 Canadian institutions on display, and inform students of visa requirements and work options.

She said because of a change in Canada's immigration laws, Jamaican students may work for two years in Canada following the completion of their studies.

She said while the Canadian government does not offer direct scholarships at this time, an exchange programme was available for students at Jamaican institutions to study in Canada for periods of six months to one year.

Students on this programme don't have to be concerned with factors such as expensive tuition, or being away from family for a long time, said Hart.

Kamella Emmanuel of the British High Commission said her booth, inclusive of the British Council, was kept busy by students enquiring about study options and the student visa process.

She said in 2007-08 nearly 200 students applied to study in the UK, but only about 40 per cent were successful. However, she said the refusal rate was down by 10 per cent from a year ago.

Most of them are postgraduate students or studying for national diplomas and certificates in the UK, Emmanuel disclosed.

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