  Putting all the intermediate details aside, let me start with how my university hunt went. The details are most appropriate for computer science students seeking a Masters level course, though others would benefit too: There is an e-group named urlLink SaatFASE for Pakistanis who want to go abroad for higher education esp to EU states where education is considered a basic right and is free even for international students. You will find emails regarding admission processes and deadlines; help in finding an accommodation abroad; etc. The Options : I joined SaatFASE and from there came to know about one urlLink Rauf Agha of FAST Institute of Computer Science, Islamabad. He went to urlLink Chalmers, Sweden for urlLink Masters in Dependable Computer Systems in 2002. The course outline for this post-graduate program is excellent. I would say that Helsinki University, Finland (where Linux was born) and Chalmers, Sweden are very good universities (amongst others). And best of all, there is no tuition fee! There are living expenses though. Also, the chances of getting a job are quite scarce and most probably you will have to return to Pakistan after completing your education.
You will find details about Sweden on urlLink Rauf Agha's website . All the courses are in English but you will need to learn their language in order to find an odd job (with people interaction) or to live there after graduation. Approximately, the same applied to all EU states and their universities. Another university of high standard is urlLink National University of Singapore . NUS has faculty and student exchange programs with MIT and is perhaps one of the best universities in Asia.
NUS' urlLink Computer Science Graduate Program is also very good and most importantly the tuition fee is very low (perhaps, the lowest ones in foreign universities I know). However, admission is very very competitive. The quality of education and the tuition fee make me say that NUS must be given a serious thought. Then, two of my friends (Kamran Sheikh and Usman Iqbal) were selected for the urlLink University of New South Wales, Australia in 2003. The UNSW offers a 1 year Masters course ( urlLink MEngSc in Comp Sc ) for people with computer science background and work experience.
The UNSW is arguably the best university of Australia. Their program is relatively costly - about Rs. 800,000/- a year for tuition fee and at least Rs. 250,000/- a year for living expenses. You might find odd jobs to cover some of the living expenses but that's it. People do apply for Australian Immigration at the end of their course but the rules are being changed. How to Make a Choice : Before applying to any place, weigh your current standing and make a guideline for yourself. There is only one rule: Wherever you go, choose the best university of that place. The living expenses in developed countries are almost the same. The difference lies in their tuition fee. Amongst English speaking countries, Australia is much cheaper than the USA (where the average tuition fee is about Rs.
1,400,000 per year) or the UK. On the other hand, NUS has a very high standard and much lesser tuition fee. In my opinion your first priority should be NUS if you want to save money. [I am not doing any comparisons with Canada, simply because I don't know much about the education there. ] In case, you don't get admission or aren't interested in NUS, you can apply in some EU country or some other English speaking countries.
The only disadvantage of EU countries is that you will most probably have to return after graduation, which makes them excellent choice if you are "research-minded" person. In case of Australia, however, people do apply for immigration after completion of their course. I chose the UNSW simply because: . I wanted to study in an English speaking country . I couldn't afford the USA . An uncle of mine lives in Sydney . Two of my friends were already living in Sydney and taking the same course In the posts that follow, I will only discuss the UNSW and the related admission procedures. 
