Tuvalu

Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a sovereign country situated in the west-central region of the Pacific Ocean, consisting of nine relatively small coral islands that form a chain lying over a distance of about 420 miles: Nanumea, Nukufetau, Nui, Nukulaelae, Funafuti, Niutao, Nanumanga, Vaitupu, and Niulakita. The de facto capital of Tuvalu is Vaiaku, a comparatively small village on the Islet of Fongafale that is a part of the Funafuti Atoll. Tuvalu’s total land area is 9.9 square miles and the total population is 10,500 as of 2019.

At a glance, Tuvalu would appear to be an unsuitable location to study abroad due to its comparatively small total land area and location. However, the country can serve as a stepping stone in attaining higher education and obtaining an academic degree. To begin with, while the country does a have limited list of institutions of higher education such as the Maritime Training Institute and the University of South Pacific, it does offer in-depth training on a variety of fields of study such as Law, Environmental Studies, Ecology, Business, Technology, Science, Education, and others. In addition, the country is a suitable location to practice foreign languages such as English and Tuvaluan as these are among the commonly spoken languages in the country. Furthermore, tuition fees in the country tend to be relatively less costly, and there are opportunities to participate in internship and volunteer programs, especially in the fields of Environmental Studies and Education.