Studying abroad, how to plan your trip?

Erasmus, language courses, au pair… If you have decided to leave your country to study abroad, we recommend that you plan your trip in advance. In addition to buying flights and looking for accommodation, depending on your destination, you will need to arrange certain documents, such as a visa or passport, and purchase medical insurance to cover health care, which in some countries involves quite high costs. And you can check this paper writing service that has a bunch of recommendation essays about traveling.

9 tips for planning a study trip abroad

1. Get to know other experiences

Before coming to this post, you have probably already read many pages with recommendations for studying abroad, including information about the destination and the study center. But undoubtedly one of the best sources of information are the experiences of other students.

Information about practical aspects such as transportation, schedules, currency or customs will be of great help to organize your trip, but reading experiences of other students in forums, blogs and social networks will help you to solve many doubts and will allow you to know details of the destination that you would not find in travel guides. In these online channels, you will find groups created by other students who have already completed their stay or with whom you will be sharing a city or university.

2. Keep your documents up to date

Depending on the country where you are going to study, you will need one type of documentation or another to be able to enter. Therefore, keep your ID card and passport up to date, so that they do not expire a few days before you go abroad. You will need a visa in some countries, which we will discuss later. Find out on the website of your respective embassy about how to apply for it. This step needs to be done weeks in advance, as you may have to make an appointment, gather some documentation, attend an interview and wait for your visa to be processed.

Before leaving for your destination, it is advisable to register in the Travelers’ Registry and, once at your destination, contact the Consulate of your country to see if it is advisable to register as a temporary resident.

3. Take out travel medical insurance

The main incidents during study trips abroad are related to medical assistance in case of illness or accident, luggage theft and civil liability.

As a member of the European Union, you can receive medical assistance in public health care centers and hospitals throughout Europe, under the same conditions as a resident upon presentation of the European Health Insurance Card. This, however, does not necessarily mean that the care received is completely free, as there are differences in the legislation of the EU member countries and there may be certain treatments that are either not included or are subject to co-payment.

To cope with these possible payments in the public health system, as well as to receive assistance in private centers, it is advisable to contract an insurance to study abroad that has a high limit of medical expenses and hospitalization, offers 24-hour assistance, avoids reimbursements and also has coverage for medical transport and repatriation, not covered by the European Health Insurance Card.

4. Get up to date with your money and bank accounts

Confirm with your bank that your debit or credit card will be accepted abroad. Not only in your country of destination, but also in other countries, since it is common to take advantage of study stays to travel to other nearby places or with economic flights. Therefore, find out about the commissions for withdrawing money from the ATM, for transferring money and the exchange value of the currency where you are going to study.

If you find it convenient, consider opening a new current account directly at your destination and find out what required documents.

5. Prepare your hand luggage and suitcase correctly

Among the tips for preparing your trip to study abroad, it is important to know what to pack in your suitcase. You have to take into account what to bring, but also what not to bring. Think that, although it is a long stay, often the cost of excess baggage and the physical effort of transporting it are not worth it. Avoid overpacking if you can buy what you need directly at your destination. Another more convenient option is to send it to you by mail or courier, or ask your family and friends to bring it when they visit you.

If you are traveling by plane, carry all your valuables in your hand luggage or in your purse or backpack and a small toiletry bag in case your suitcase gets lost. Always consider the measurements and the maximum weight of the luggage the airline allows.

Take a small first aid kit with some analgesic or anti-inflammatory, antihistamines if you have allergies, etc.

Do not forget to pack chargers, batteries and cables for your electronic devices. Check if the country you are traveling to requires a plug adapter.

Make a hard copy or scanned copy of all important documents for your trip (Visa, passport and ID, medical and travel insurance, registration or study plan, Erasmus letter, current account, etc.) and save them in a safe place, for example, in the cloud.

6. Do some research about where you should stay

As for where you are going to stay, you have several options. You will meet people from other cultures in student residences and it will be easier to integrate. If you choose this option, you should make your reservation in advance because there are destinations where, although they are plentiful, they tend to run out of places soon. In others, these residences are scarce, so you will have to consider living in a shared apartment. There are groups and forums, for example Erasmus by country, where it will be easy for you to contact potential roommates and get information about the best areas to live in.

If you prefer to look for a room once at your destination, in addition to searching on websites to rent apartments, ask at the university or look directly at the bulletin board. In addition, in the first few days you will likely meet other Erasmus students who are also looking for an apartment. As a tip, try to find an apartment near the university to save time and transportation. While you are looking for accommodation, you can stay in a hotel or hostel.

7. Get information about transportation and driving

You can also get information about how to get around in the city where you are going to study in those online channels we have already mentioned. You will probably have passes and discounts on public transportation and transportation systems such as bicycles or rental cars to move around the city.

If you find it necessary to drive at your destination, find out in advance about the validity of your driver’s license in the destination country and about the traffic regulations to avoid penalties. You will be surprised to see that within the European Union, there are rules as different as having to carry a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher in Belgium and Poland or even a disposable breathalyzer in France. And if you are traveling with your own vehicle, find out what documentation you must carry.

8. Stay connected!

Check with your cell phone company to find out if your voice and data tariff has roaming activated by default or if you have to activate it, as well as their prices and charging methods. Some companies charge per day and not per call, SMS or data usage. You may want to purchase a terminal, SIM, or prepaid card in the destination country.

9. Find out about your destination

Each country has its own particularities that you may not have been aware of before considering traveling to study abroad.

For example, you will need a specific visa to study in the United States, Canada or Australia. To carry out certain official procedures in Italy you will need to obtain a “codice fiscale”.

You will need to bring a power adapter to Italy, Ireland, UK, Mexico, USA, Canada or Australia.

There are countries where not tipping is frowned upon, as in the United States or the Czech Republic, or it is mandatory, as it is included in the bill, as for example in the United Kingdom.

Also find out about the customs and social customs of your destination. Not all countries eat at the same time, have the same school schedules or greet each other in the same way. Good luck!