The Grass is Greener Where You Grow It.
A deep dive into what studying abroad is really like at present. We interview four creatives who went through the great turmoil of taking this decision and letting their experiences dictate their career paths. Unsurprisingly, there is no ‘one right answer’, only that which works for you.
Interviewed & Written by Anush Nadkarni
Went abroad and didn’t look back: Akshita Chandra
As a fledgling designer about to embark on a master’s abroad, I sat with Akshita to make sense of what it means to stay or leave, to get stuck or move forward.
Akshita works as an Art Director at The Atlantic, at the intersection of journalism and visual design, shaping narratives with space, typography, and imagery.
She moved to the U.S. in 2019 to pursue her master’s degree at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), expecting to return to India soon after her OPT. But life, as life does, had other plans — COVID-19, career opportunities, and personal commitments led her to stay.
“I never planned for this long-term,” she says. “But as things unfolded, my priorities shifted. I had to reassess where I wanted to be at this stage in my life.”
The transition from student to professional felt natural for her, “It’s very practice-based — there’s no rote learning, no textbook-heavy curriculum,” she explains.“A master’s is an opportunity to explore and experiment. It’s the time to do the kind of work you may never get to do in the industry.”
What really struck me after interviewing her was the stark differences in work structures between the U.S. and India- both in terms of what you do and who you do it for.
The Specialization Shift: From Generalist to Expert
“In India, you’re often expected to wear multiple hats — branding, illustration, motion design, sometimes even UI/UX — all rolled into one,” she says. “Here, the industry is far more specialized. You’re a brand designer, a motion designer, or an editorial designer. There’s a distinct focus on honing a particular craft.”
This isn’t just a difference in job titles; it changes the way work is structured; the nature of projects, the way teams function, and even the expectations placed on designers. “In India, versatility is the norm — you juggle disciplines. In the U.S., depth takes priority. You carve out a niche and become an expert in it.”
Who you design for changes as well, “Clients here tend to have a more evolved understanding of design,” she notes. “They know why they’re hiring you, and there’s an inherent trust in your expertise.”
That doesn’t mean every client is a dream to work with. “Difficult clients exist everywhere,” she laughs. “But there’s a general culture of valuing design as a profession rather than just a service.”
Breaking In: The Job Hunt Reality Check
Landing a job straight out of grad school is no cakewalk — especially when you’re an immigrant. Akshita was lucky to step into a role at Pentagram right after MICA, but she doesn’t sugarcoat the hustle it took to get there.
“You have to be your own loudest advocate,” she says. “No one is going to hand you an opportunity — you have to chase it down.” Networking isn’t just helpful; it’s everything. Seniors, alumni, professors, classmates — every connection counts. MICA’s strong industry ties gave her a leg up, but her persistence, or being “ridiculously proactive” is what set her apart.
“It’s not just about having a killer portfolio. It’s about showing up, staying visible, and making sure the right people know your name.”
The Reality of Staying Back
While the decision to stay abroad for work seems like a natural progression, it brings with it excess baggage like visa struggles and emotional stress.
“As an immigrant, it’s extremely difficult,” she says. “The process is long, expensive, and mentally exhausting. A lot of companies won’t even consider hiring you if you need visa sponsorship.”
As if getting a job isn’t tough enough, try being in a far-off country away from family.
“Being away from home isn’t easy. The initial thrill of being in a new country fades, and you start to miss the familiarity of India — family, comfort, even the way people communicate.”
“It all comes down to your priorities at that stage of life. If your goal is to work at a specific company, or experience a particular work culture, then it might be worth it. But if you’re looking for general career growth, you might be able to do that remotely from India too.”
Staying long-term is a difficult choice based on career as well as personal goals. She understands why many choose to return. “There’s no right answer — it’s all about what you value most at any given time.”
Her experiences are an indication that moving abroad is a lot more than just a career move — it’s a choice of the type of life you want to have.
Studied in Singapore, working in India: Ananya Saraf
Ananya’s journey into design wasn’t a straight road — it was more of an unexpected turn. Growing up creative, Ananya had never considered design as a field of study, until a cousin’s admission to UAL.
What followed was an intense deep dive — pouring over curriculums, figuring out what felt right, and searching for a program that aligned with how she thought, not just what she wanted to do. That search led her to LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, where she pursued a B.A. (Honours) in Design Communication from 2021 to 2024.
Diversity in Age, Culture, and Thought
Something that stood out to me during our conversation was her experience when she actually arrived at her institute. None of her classmates seemed fresh out of high school.
“I was easily one of the youngest in the room,” she recalls. “Everyone else had already spent three years doing a design diploma, which is super common in Singapore.” This meant that they already had an edge over Ananya, having spent years working in design, before they even stepped into LASALLE.
“It was intimidating at first,” she admits. “Everyone just seemed so ahead — older, more skilled, and so sure of themselves.”
But was there a way to harness this diversity around her? “Being around people with varying expertise, cultural backgrounds, and completely different ways of thinking pushed me to grow faster’’, she says. “It wasn’t just about learning design — it was about unlearning assumptions and seeing how many different ways there are to approach the same problem.”
Returning to a Whole New Design Landscape
“After three years in Singapore, coming back to India felt like stepping into an entirely different creative ecosystem,” Ananya says. It wasn’t just a shift in geography — it was a shift in mindset.
Her formative years and her design instincts shaped in an international setting, she wasn’t sure how she’d fit in the Indian industry. “I found myself referencing ideas and methodologies that weren’t as commonly explored in Indian studios,” she says. She would pull from Singaporean and Southeast Asian design sensibilities, weaving in more experimental techniques she had seen abroad. Instead of feeling out of place, she started realizing she could bring something new to the table — a bridge between global influences and local design thinking.
Making the Right Call for Yourself
When asked if she has any regrets, she doesn’t hesitate. “Honestly? No,” she says. “But I don’t think my journey is a formula for anyone else either.”
The decision to study abroad, she emphasizes, isn’t about prestige or ticking off a checklist — it’s about fit. “There’s no universal right or wrong choice. It’s just about what works for you.”
What shaped her most wasn’t just the coursework or the degree — it was the people she met, the perspectives she absorbed, the new ways of thinking she was exposed to. “At the end of the day, that’s what truly transformed me as a designer. The curriculum is just the structure — the real learning happens in the spaces between.”
Found his footing in a studio after a stint at Kolding, Denmark: Jaivardhan Singh Channey
Jai always knew he wanted to start his own company — the question was when. “I wanted to learn a lot more before I took that leap,” he tells me.
With one foot in technology and another in play, his search for a master’s program led him straight to Design School Kolding, Denmark. A scholarship was non-negotiable for him, “The plan was always dependent on that,” he says. “Luckily, Kolding ticked all the boxes.”
Staying, Leaving, and the Art of the Backup Plan
Coming back to India after his masters was never really in the plan. “It all came down to whether I could repay my loan,” Jai admits. If he couldn’t, he’d return. If he could, he’d stay.
At Kolding, he turned to freelancing. Not just to pay the bills, but also for confidence and creative freedom. “That freelance work made me realize I didn’t have to rush into a job or move back — I could just keep learning the nitty-gritties of running a business until I was ready to start my own.”
Jai seems to have everything planned out, when things didn’t work out as planned he always had a fallback and one after that.
The Butterfly Effect
Moving and studying abroad before starting his own company changed a lot for Jai.
“It wasn’t just the college education,” he says. “Being surrounded by classmates from 14 different countries makes you start seeing how different you are, but also how similar. Your awareness of the world just explodes. As a designer, that shift in perspective is everything.”
His biggest realization? Play is universal. The way a joke lands in Denmark isn’t that different from how it lands in India. Laughter, curiosity, wonder — these things don’t need translation. That’s how he landed on the name Studio Mesmer. “I kept coming back to this idea of mesmerizing moments — something that captures attention and sparks joy, no matter where you are.”
Building a Life of Exploration
This mindset continued even during personal travel, where Jai and his partner set up meetings with designers and clients when possible.
The goal? To understand the design culture, market trends, and client expectations in different parts of the world. “And if there’s a chance to collaborate on a project? Even better.”
Jai’s Hot Take
What stayed with me beyond the interview was this particular insight.
“You can take an online course from your house, you don’t need to go abroad to study design. But if you do, don’t make it just about college. Make it about the experience.”
He’s seen it too many times — Indians moving abroad only to stick with other Indians. “That’s probably the worst thing you could do to yourself,” he says. Instead, immerse yourself. Learn the local language. Make friends that last a lifetime. Try every single local dish, even the weird ones.
“Talk to people from everywhere. You’ll realize how different you are, and yet, how alike.”
A taste of work life before taking the master’s plunge: Kaashvi Kothari
Some people follow a rigid roadmap in life. Kaashvi isn’t one of them. For her, every decision — whether it was working before her master’s, choosing data design, or moving abroad — wasn’t about a formula. It was about intuition, clarity, and constant recalibration.
“I don’t believe in the ‘right time’ to do something,” she tells me. “I just do what feels natural. If I sense a shift is needed, I make that shift.”
Work as a Compass
Graduating in 2020 from MIT Pune, Kaashvi spent two years immersing herself in studios and freelancing. “That phase was everything,” she says. “It wasn’t just about skill-building — it helped me figure out exactly what I liked, what I didn’t, and what I wanted next.”
Her interest in data design didn’t strike like lightning; it built up over time, layer by layer. When she finally made the call, it felt undeniably right — so she packed her bags and headed to Elisava, Barcelona to pursue it.
When Work Becomes a Loop
But Kaashvi’s decision to study further wasn’t just about passion for data design — it was about breaking out of monotony.
“There was a point where I felt like I was just opening my laptop every day and repeating the same motions,” she admits. “I missed being out in the world, talking to people, experiencing design rather than just executing it.”
That contrast — between the stagnation of routine and the energy of hands-on learning — made her think where she wanted to go next. And that’s when she decided it was time for another pivot.
The Student Hustle (and Its Trade-Offs)
The decision to go back to school came naturally. The transition itself wasn’t so smooth. No stable income, financial uncertainty, and the struggle of balancing freelance with coursework — all hit hard.
“At first, I thought I could juggle both,” she says. “But soon, I was prioritizing client work over my actual coursework. I was trying to do everything, and in the process, I wasn’t fully committing to anything.”
Eventually, she realized that if she was going to invest in this education, she needed to go all in.
No Fixed Plans, Just Conscious Choices
While Kaashvi makes her decisions sound effortless, it’s not about blindly ‘going with the flow’. It’s about being deeply aware of where that flow is taking her — and having the courage to adjust course when needed.
She took up a job before her master’s because that felt right. She quit to study again because that felt right. And she’ll make her next move with the same self-assured clarity.
“I don’t overthink the ‘perfect’ path,” she says. “I just make the move that makes the most sense right now.”
