How to Travel While Studying Abroad

One of the best parts about studying abroad is the opportunity to travel. You can easily become a jetsetter and take off to another country for the weekend, or you can hop on a train to a nearby city!

First thing you need to know is how to travel while studying abroad. Before going abroad, make sure to set aside a travel fund to help pay for your adventures. Some educational trips are usually included in your program. However, if you want to do any traveling on your own or with your friends, then you will need to create your own study abroad travel budget.

Did you know most study abroad providers and/or universities encourage students to travel in their free time? It’s true! Going out on your own and immersing yourself in a new culture is what studying abroad is all about. Weekend student adventures are almost always encouraged!

What kind of study abroad travel budget do I need?

Your study abroad travel budget is different from your general study abroad budget. If you intend to travel outside your program, you will need to save some money for your adventures. Think of what you spend money on the most during vacations and estimate how much money you are willing to spend for your study abroad trips.

For instance, you will need to figure out how to get to your destination. Sometimes a flight is cheaper and quicker than a train ride, so you may need to research to find the best deals. Also, don’t forget to budget for transportation within your host city once you arrive.

Whether you’ll be getting around by bus, train, or taxi, you’ll need to consider the expenses.

Another large expense to consider is food and drinks. Crunch the numbers on how much you usually spend and how much you are willing to spend on excursions, and then add that amount to your travel fund.

Booking accommodations does not have to be expensive. Staying at hostels and/or splitting an AirBnB with your friends on study abroad weekend trips can help you save money on a place to stay. Check out HostelWorld.com for great deals and reviews on hostels!

Finally, the most exciting part of your budget is for experiences! Going to museums, taking cooking classes, going to theme parks, taking exercise classes, shopping, and going on tours can get pricey. Make sure to consider the costs of experiences that you do not want to miss out on while on your study abroad weekend trip.

READ: 6 Tips for Creating & Sticking to Your Study Abroad Budget

Am I allowed to travel during study abroad?

Yes, you absolutely can travel during your study abroad semester! However, before you jet off, there are a couple of rules you should keep in mind. First off, remember that this experience is study abroad, not a vacation. You need to make sure you are prioritizing your schoolwork and attending classes regularly.

Depending on your type of study abroad program, you may or may not have permission to travel on your own for weekend student adventures. Make sure you check in with your study abroad program leaders about traveling outside the group before you plan and book a getaway for the weekend.

14 best tips for study abroad weekend trips

Are you ready to get to planning for your adventurous weekends away? Here are our best tips for making your excursions as successful as possible.

1. Plan trips sooner rather than later.

As soon as your study abroad trip is confirmed, it’s time to start researching!

Rule number one of how to travel while studying abroad is to plan ASAP. Planning ahead for study abroad weekend trips will allow you to take full advantage of all your weekends abroad. Also, you will get better deals on bookings when you book ahead of time as opposed to last-minute bookings for your study abroad travel trips.

Planning may not seem fun at first, but you can easily make it fun! Get your study abroad friends together and scroll through social media, books, videos, and so on to find typical and not-so-typical activities to do abroad.

2. Pick your top 10 cities/countries you want to visit.

Make a list of cities and/or countries you want to travel to during your study abroad stay. Then narrow it down to the top 10 (or less, depending on how many weekends you have abroad!). Creating this type of list will help you figure out which trips you want to prioritize. Also, ask around! Find out where your friends or family members have traveled, or ask program alumni about their own experiences, to figure out what you might be interested in.

3. Plan with your class schedule.

If you have the chance to take Mondays or Fridays off, do it. That will give you three-day weekends every week while you’re abroad. You can go on a variety of trips on these days! Day trips, two day trips, and three days trips are all options.

This will give you more time to immerse yourself in a new culture. Also, this is a great way to take advantage of your time while studying and living abroad.

4. Find a tour.

A planned tour will take some responsibility off your shoulders.

Did you know there are dedicated tours that take students and young people on tours? It's true, and tours are very popular with young people who are studying abroad. Tours give you the chance to relax because you don’t have to plan all the tiny details and logistics of your trip. Simply follow the plan and listen to the tour guides.

Also, tours give you the opportunity to meet new people from all over the world and make potential new life-long friends!

5. Research upcoming holidays and events.

A quick Google search and some time scrolling through social media will help you find holidays, events, and cultural festivities that you can participate in and attend while traveling abroad.

For instance, you could plan to visit Munich, Germany during the Oktoberfest festivities or maybe fly to Dublin, Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations! Seeking out and going to events like these will help you completely immerse yourself into a culture while having a blast.

6. Plan for spontaneity.

Even the most organized and thought-out plans can fail. You can’t always plan everything, and that’s why it's important to plan for spontaneity. Sure, it’s a great idea to have a couple of activities and experiences planned while abroad. However, you may need to throw away the detailed schedule once in a while. This may seem frustrating or challenging at first, but it could force you out of your comfort zone and you never know what you might find or experience otherwise!

7. Plan inexpensive or free activities.

Hiking is almost always an inexpensive way to see your study abroad surroundings.

There are free activities in every destination! Take a hike in Brazil or climb a volcano in Japan. Go sightseeing and take a peak at churches, temples, cathedrals, shrines, and more! There are many activities that you can do and see for very little money or none at all.

For ideas on what to do, look on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Pinterest. Look for photos and videos for inspiration on what people are doing in your local area. Need more? Scroll through websites like Time Out, Buzzfeed, or Travel & Leisure.

8. Avoid chains.

Now is your chance to try local cuisine and support small businesses! Skip on McDonald's and Starbucks while traveling. Go venture out and try local cafes, restaurants, and bars that you won’t be able to try anywhere else.

Of course, sometimes you might "need" that iced coffee to get through your day, so do what you must. However, you should try to push yourself to try something different and local. You may not have another chance to try it!

9. Use student discounts.

Bring your student I.D. with you wherever you go. Seriously, everywhere. Showing your student I.D. can give you discounted rates on SO many experiences. Concerts, theater shows, movies, shopping, beauty treatments, museum tickets, and more could be available to you.

This will stretch your money and allow you to see and do more in the city you’re traveling to! If you’re nervous you might forget it, take a photo of it and store it on your phone. Then you can easily whip it out and still get your student discount.

10. Learn some local phrases.

A simple “please” and “thank you” in the local language can go a long way. Show the locals that you’re trying to experience the culture by speaking frequently used phrases in the country’s language. Find a book or look online for basic phrases that will help you with your trip. If you want to go more in-depth with the local culture and language, you can always look into language programs.

11. Pack light.

Pack strategically for your weekends away to save money on luggage fees.

This may be difficult for some and easy for others, but try not to pack too much. You can avoid hefty fees from airlines if you pack a light carry on and/or pack up one personal item like a backpack. This will save you time and money when traveling on the weekends. If you overpack or bring a checked bag, you will most likely be charged an extra fee, and no one wants that.

12. Dress like the locals.

When packing for your weekend getaway, make sure to pack a wardrobe that fits in with the local culture. It will probably be hard (if not impossible) to fit in in some places, but you need to make an effort to understand and respect local customs, because you are a guest in their country or city. For example, in some locations like churches, mosques, and cathedrals, knees must be covered and/or you may need to cover your head to enter.

13. Find a balance between style and comfort.

You do not necessarily have to choose between one or the other. Make sure to dress weather appropriately and comfortably. For example, the chances are that you will be doing a lot of walking while traveling. Make sure to pack comfortable shoes and clothing for your adventures. If you’re traveling in the winter and expecting snow and rain, make sure to pack snow boots or rainboots so you aren't walking around in water soaked shoes all weekend.

14. Create a travel budget.

This step is crucial. Make sure you create a separate budget for traveling on weekends and in your free time. Keep this separate from your daily study abroad life during the week. Do not forget to save money for accommodations, entertainment, cultural experiences, food, drinks, and so on. Think of ways to keep your costs low by going with a friend and splitting costs or going on a shorter trip that doesn't require you to arrange accommodations.

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Double your adventure with study abroad weekend trips!

Use your weekends to get to know your host country even better.

When studying abroad, make sure to take advantage of your close proximity to new cultures, cities, and countries. Who knows when you will again be a short two-hour plane ride away from Argentina or Scotland or South Korea? Travel on the weekends during your study abroad adventure and experience other cultures!

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