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You’ve been accepted into a program at the foreign institution of your choosing, and you’re getting ready to board a plane, boat, train, or car driven by your parents (well for us in Nigerian, it’s usually by plane) and embark on your new life as an international student. However, to make sure you’re as prepared as possible for your trip, you might want to use our study abroad checklist as you wait for term to start and the summer to end.
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It’s crucial that you consider the significant, formal matters, like travel insurance, that will help make your time abroad go as smoothly as possible, regardless of whether you intend to study abroad for a month, a semester, a complete academic year, or a full degree.
We are aware that you are not a fool. You won’t, of course, forget your passport. The validity of your passport for the duration of your travels, however, is something you may need to confirm in the lead-up to your study abroad program.
Make sure you account for your study time, any additional travel time, plus an additional six months because many countries, in visa applications and other situations, will want you to have at least six months extra on your passport once your studies are through.
If you do require a passport renewal, make sure to submit your application as soon as you can to prevent being without a passport at the beginning of the semester. Processing times differ from nation to nation, but frequently take six. And of course you know for us in Nigeria, passport application could take twice as long. Please apply as early as you can.
To be permitted to stay in the country for the entire duration of your studies, you may need to obtain a student visa depending on the country you have decided to study in. Frequently, if you’re applying to an accredited university for an undergraduate degree, the university will help you with the student visa application procedure. However, this is not always the case, so be careful to inquire. If no assistance is provided, immediately begin the process of obtaining your student visa on your own.
To accomplish this, get in touch with the embassy or consulate of the country where you plan to study, and you might need to show up for a meeting as part of your student visa application. A university letter of acceptance, the previously mentioned valid passport, evidence of money, and, on occasion, a return ticket for your trip home once your studies are complete will be requested of you at this point. To read more about applying for a student visa please read our other articles.
Oh yes, the big ‘M’.
Make sure you have money that is secure and available for the duration of your travels while thinking about your finances.
It is imperative to carry local currency, but you should avoid relying primarily on cash or taking out big sums at once. Make careful to exchange your money before traveling to the airport, when exchange rates are less favorable. You can frequently do this through your neighborhood bank, travel agencies, bureau de change, post office, some supermarkets, or even an online supplier with specialized services.
You should have a bank account that you can access when traveling with a cash card, credit card, local ATM, or an international bank branch in addition to cash. Although the majority of significant banks are known throughout the world, there is frequently a minor fee associated with each cash withdrawal or credit card purchase. Make sure your card is valid for the entire duration of your trip and notify your bank of your travel plans before departing to prevent your card from being blocked.
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Make a list of prices before you leave that includes everything from lodging costs to daily food and entertainment. Determine how much money you’ll need each week to survive, and if it isn’t enough, think about reducing your spending on non-essentials or looking into additional funding possibilities.
If all the previous talk about money scares you, you can rest a little. Scholarships are a great way to offset the cost of Studying abroad.
Your first contact should be to the website of your new university, where you can get details on all of the student grants, scholarships, and bursaries that are offered there. A lot of these awards are subject- or need-based, and occasionally they are only available to minority or high-achieving students. If your school doesn’t provide anything you qualify for, you can also look into outside funding.
However, because there is a high demand for all student scholarships, be sure to look into them well before you leave for college. You’ll need to put a lot of effort into your application and be very aware of the deadlines.
Every foreign student who plans to study abroad should have the International Student Identity Card (ISIC), as it provides discounts on goods and services all over the world. Check here to see if you qualify for the International Student Identity Card and to learn about savings for international phone cards, travel insurance, and a variety of other helpful items.
With offices in 106 nations, the International Student Travel Confederation, the company that created the International Student Identity Card (ISIC), can assist you with numerous travel-related problems that you can have as an international student.
I know in Nigeria, we are not big on insurance, but this should actually be considered.
Travel insurance may appear to be an unnecessary expense, but it is actually quite important. Travel insurance can protect you for a little, one-time fee in case anything occurs to you while you are studying, such as illness, injury, or theft, and will ensure that you don’t blow through all of your cash on a trip to the hospital! International students are frequently required to obtain health insurance, and you may be questioned about your level of coverage.
Other important items that should be on your checklist include, Language proficiency test and Medical fitness test.