Is studying abroad worth it? Rethinking ROI, life choices, and optionality. It's a long-term asset rather than short-term investment. It takes time to reveal stronger networks and broader perspectives and not always immediate and financial.
Studying abroad is a long-term asset rather than a short-term investment. Its returns are not always immediate or financial. Sometimes they come in the form of stronger networks and broader perspectives—and often they take time to reveal.
Recently, during lunch with colleagues, an unexpected discussion emerged around a familiar question: Is studying abroad worth it?
Colleague A looked envious. In his point of view, earning a degree overseas would surely double one’s opportunities and career prospects after returning home. Unfortunately, his financial constraints made it seem out of reach.
Colleague B took the opposite stance. She dismissed the idea entirely, arguing that the return on investment (ROI) of studying abroad is extremely low. In her opinion, the money would be far better invested in ETFs.
As someone who studied abroad and later returned home—a member of the so-called “sea turtle” generation—I found myself reflecting on both perspectives. From my point of view, Colleague A imagines studying abroad too ideally, while Colleague B reduces it to an overly narrow financial calculation.
To be honest, when I was younger, my thinking was very similar to Colleague A’s. I believed that once I earned a degree from a prestigious university, a bright and effortless path would naturally open for me.
Looking back, that belief was rather naive! I was a young nerd, haha.
After returning home and joining a large organization, I quickly realized that an overseas degree does not allow you to skip the fundamental rules of working within an organization. Everyone still needs to learn how to collaborate across departments, navigate differing incentives, and manage complex relationships of responsibility and authority.
A foreign degree does not let you instantly “beat the career game.”
The difficulty level of the real world does not decrease. At best, it simply gives you a few additional abilities and perspectives.
So what exactly did studying abroad give me?
For me, studying abroad felt more like unlocking a new quest.
In this quest, you are forced out of your comfort zone. You experience friction, challenges, and growth. If everyday life in Taiwan comes with its share of frustrations, life abroad certainly does too—and often with additional language barriers and cultural differences.
Yet along the way, you gradually gain new language skills, build international networks, and develop different ways of thinking. These are the “loot drops” from the quest.
What they ultimately give you is not a guaranteed salary package increase, but more tools and capabilities that create additional options in your life.
The famous entrepreneur and philosopher, Naval Ravikant mentioned the idea of more choices in life, or life optionality for a person. I resonate deeply with that idea.
If your goal is purely maximizing salary ROI, then studying AI or engineering and joining top companies may indeed be one of the most efficient paths today.
But life is not defined by work and money alone.
In reality, life rarely follows the script we originally planned. Unexpected developments often appear along the way.
The film Soul reminds us that everyone is searching for their own “spark.”
We only live once.
For me, the experience of studying and living abroad allowed me to rethink different dimensions of life. It gave me the opportunity to rebalance my personal “life asset allocation”—between wealth, health, family, friendships, and vocation.
If you are like my Colleague A—dreaming of studying abroad but discouraged by the financial burden—there is something important to remember:
Studying abroad is a project that can be optimized.
If obtaining a foreign degree certificate is not essential for you, exchange programs between partner universities can also be an great way to gain international exposure.
Unless you pursue careers with extremely clear development paths—such as government positions or licensed professions—life is full of nonlinear possibilities.
The real value of studying abroad does not lie in the degree certificate itself. What matters is whether you learn how to use the assets gained from that experience to enrich your life map.
At the same time, not everyone needs to unlock the “study abroad quest.”
If you find yourself uncertain, ask yourself honestly:
Different priorities lead to different paths.
Whatever path you choose, as long as you have reflected honestly and thought it through carefully—Go for It!
