Tonga

Tonga (Fakatuʿiʿo Tonga/the Friendly Islands/the Kingdom of Tonga) is an independent country situated in the southwestern region of the Pacific Ocean. It is comprised of about 170 islands clustered into three main groups, namely the Tongatapu, Haʿapai, and Vavaʿu, as well as several isolated islands: Niuatoputapu, Niuafoʿou, Tafahi and ʿAta, with the total land area amounting to 289 square miles. Nukuʿalofa is the capital of the sovereign state and can be found on Tongatapu. The Kingdom of Tonga is a member of several organizations including the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations.

Tonga, at a glance, would appear to be an unsuitable location to study abroad due to its location. However, the country can serve as a stepping stone in attaining higher education and obtaining an academic degree. To begin with, the country does have a limited list of accredited institutions of higher education including the Tonga Institute of Higher Education and the Atenisi Institute. However, it does compensate by providing in-depth training on a variety of subjects such as Accounting, Arts, Philosophy, Humanities, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Psychology, Information Technologies, Agriculture, Tourism, Journalism and others. In addition, the country is a suitable location to practice English as this tongue is one of the sovereign state’s official languages in addition to the institutions of higher education using this tongue during tuition. Furthermore, tuition fees in the country tend to be less costly compared to sovereign states such as Australia. There are also many opportunities to participate in volunteer and internship programs, especially in the fields of Ecology, Environmental Studies, Journalism, Hospitality, Education, and Arts.