Happy Monday!  This is the third post in a series about getting started and planning your study abroad adventure.  What do you want to hear about next?  Let us know by leaving a comment below.

By this point you may have researched a destination, picked a program, met with your advisor, applied and been accepted...great, now what?  Here are a few items you should be thinking about at this point.

 

Flight

After you’ve been accepted, you’ll want to act quickly on buying your flights since they get more expensive as the days go by. In your acceptance package you should have received information about new student orientation or welcome week. Check with those dates to figure out the best time and date to arrive in your new country.

Passport

Make sure your passport is up-to-date. Renewing a passport, or ordering one for the first time can take about eight weeks. So make sure this is one of the first things you check off your list!  Check out more information on passports from the Department of State.

Visa

You may a student visa to study abroad. Visas are official documents issued by a country that allow you to travel abroad for a specific period of time. Each country’s visa has a different application and you will have to work with the embassy of the country you wish to visit to find out the details.  Here is a list of counties and visa requirements.(Just find a country and then click on Entry/Exit Requirements)

Discount Cards

If you’re planning on traveling while abroad or staying culturally up-to-date, which (hint) you should, then you should definitely invest in a discount card. This card can also serve as identification. Check out the ISIC (International Student Identity Card) or the ISE Card (International Student Exchange Card).

Housing

Sort out your housing as early as possible! If you want to live in a home stay, apartment, or dorm on campus you will need to fill out a few more forms. Your acceptance letter and package should include information to help with this process. Start to weigh the benefits of living in different housing situations early on – chat with your friends to see what their thoughts on this are.

Insurance

It is possible to acquire short-term medical insurance for travel which will include flight, luggage, and trip cancellation insurance. There are many different types of international travel insurance plans to cover you worldwide.

Prescriptions

If you have any prescriptions, have a conversation with your doctor before you head abroad about ordering multiple months of your prescription in advance. It’s a great idea to refill any prescriptions now that might run out while you are abroad – dealing with international health care and doctors can get complicated.

 

Did we forget anything?  Let us know by emailing blog@studyabroad.com.