So, you’ve gotten the wild idea in your head to study abroad and have come in search of guidance? No, you’re not crazy and you’re most certainly not alone. We’re here to hold your hand and talk you through how the whole rollercoaster works for a year leading up to your big day (your departure at the airport, that is, not your wedding).
You’re going to be super chill and ready to take off with these tips!
If you’re one to get particularly anxious during New Year Eve countdowns or the days leading up to your birthday, take a massive breath and buckle in. As with prepping to volunteer abroad, the process leading up to study abroad can be lengthy, but it’s all for good reason. With a quarter spent figuring out bureaucracy, half spent squealing and dreaming, and another quarter of the year invested in getting all your academic paperwork ducks in a row, there’s a ton that comes into play during the year before studying abroad.
Whether it’s your first time studying abroad or leaving the comforting borders of your hometown, there’s nothing to be freaking out about--in the bad way at least. Take this whopping 12 month plan and packing list, look at yourself in the mirror, and tell yourself that preparing to study abroad isn’t so bad after all.
The very comprehensive, detailed 12-month plan on how to prepare for study abroad
Meh, maybe the thought passed your head to run off to a faraway, exotic land someday far into the future. But, hey, you’re a freshman in college and you’ve still got ligh-tyears left in your college career, right? NOPE. Thinking of studying abroad? You’ve got a bit of homework to do, starting now.
12 months
That strike of inspiration you experience a year out is a call to action. Trapezing around the beach with penguins in South Africa sounds like a dream, but why not make it reality? This starting point is your time to decide to move the wild, far-fetched idea from the “hopes and dreams” bucket into the “I’m actually doing this” bucket.
Study abroad as a concept sounds nice, but how do you familiarize yourself a bit more with how it plays out in reality? Get comfortable with having your YouTube account covered by every study abroad vlog imaginable, bookmark interesting blogs of current and past participants and read all the program reviews you can.
11 months
You’ve now initiated OPERATION: STUDY ABROAD! We transition into the more realistic side of how to prepare for studying abroad, which includes bureaucracy and seeing how it all fits into your academic goals. At this point you need to meet with your institution's academic advisor to see how and where a study abroad program fits in. Perhaps your major is very structured and you’ll have to travel in summer. Maybe an academic year abroad is a better fit .
Regardless of the study abroad program that you have in mind, your university will bring the process into perspective. Many universities will already have a formal study abroad process and designated office in place. If not, you may need to do a bit more digging to get all the approvals you need. Of course, if you can get academic credit for your time abroad, that’s best case!
10 months
There must be a reason you want to study abroad beyond the hope to travel and eat nice things. Otherwise, you could zip around the world during spring break with a lot less paperwork!
Before throwing a dart at a world map and deciding on a program, establish a set of personal, professional and academic goals to help guide you in how to prepare for studying abroad. Program types exist on a wide spectrum, so whether you want to do service work or get an immersive language experience while abroad will affect which program you should choose.
What kind of program best aligns with what you’re trying to do and your previous travel experience? More structure and guidance could be a good choice for first-time international travelers.
9 months
Once you have a grasp on which kind of program you would like to pursue, you’re ready to hash out the details of finances and budgets. Despite the myths floating around that study abroad is an exorbitant luxury, it’s actually quite affordable when you plan ahead and play your funding cards right. Study abroad funding ranges from scholarships galore to creative fundraising tactics. Look into scholarship options and deadlines during this time to plan ahead.
If you haven’t already, this is also a prime time to sell the idea of study abroad to your parents or guardians. Families have every right to be concerned about shipping their precious babies off across the world, but there are plenty of resources to address your family’s study abroad concerns and make sure they’re on the same page as you. You should have ample information by now to give a high-level overview of what’s involved.
8 months
The obvious part of how to prepare for study abroad is the application process! Program deadlines vary widely between program providers, academic term, and destination, so it’s best to start the application early so you’re not missing out on any opportunities. Apply for a passport, gather required documents for your application (transcripts, bank records, approval signatures, etc.), and start writing study abroad essays and personal statements.
7 months
Now it’s time to send off that application and buckle down for the moment of acceptance truth. Your school’s process and the program provider determine when you’ll hear back, so check in with your point of contact to have an idea of when you should be taking the next proactive steps. After submitting, you may need to turn in additional documents as well.
6 months
What, only 6 more months to go?! While you wait, look more into financing options to see if there are any scholarships or grants you missed before. If you’re accepted by now, you can also start applying for a visa of the destination country, which may or may not be required prior to arrival. Typically, shorter term programs over the summer or winter allow you to stay on a tourist visa, so it may not be necessary. Again, it depends! Your study abroad advisor or program contact will know best.
5 months
Let’s talk about safety! Blegh, boring, you say? No, sit back down and pay good attention. Accidents and danger can’t always be anticipated, but you can certainly take the necessary steps while preparing to study abroad to safeguard your once-in-a-lifetime stint. Nothing can rain harder on a study abroad parade than safety risks. Just like in everyday life, things are bound to happen--it’s a matter of how prepared you are.
Health insurance abroad is a minimum necessity for any study abroad program, regardless of duration. While most organized programs will have insurance built in, you should still look into what’s included in case your personal situation requires additional coverage. It’s also a good idea to inform yourself of common safety risks in the countries and cities you’ll be visiting.
Aaaand it must be said: Be responsible about alcohol and drugs. Even if they’re legal in a host country, even if they’re allowed by your program provider, and even if the local culture encourages it...be aware of the health and social risks you’ll be putting yourself in by participating. Never forget that study abroad is still a part of the real world and many of the same dangers of home still apply!
Now back to the fun part of how to prepare for study abroad…
4 months
With just four months to go, the countdown begins for cramming as much information about weird local holidays, survival phrases, and culinary delicacies made of ingredients you would normally consider to be inedible at your destination. Bring on the YouTube videos, Travel Channel, and eccentric blogs. Create a list of ridiculously awesome places to go and things to do during your time abroad.
Do all the hard research now, because the only thing that’s worse is discovering 1,000 awesome things after your program ends and not being able to do anything about it! It’s okay to obsess about travel and culture. We support.
3 months
You may have been asking yourself this whole time how to prepare for studying abroad without having booked flights. The best practice is to start shopping around for flights around three months out until about a month before your departure. Some proven tactics to help you save on your airfare include signing up for travel alerts for the best deals, using travel credit cards to redeem and accrue miles, and taking advantage of student discounts.
Around this time it’s also a good idea to start thinking about how you’re going to record the wonderful memories you make on this journey. Keeping track of your study abroad feelings, language progress, or just day-to-day events in a vlog, blog, or journal give you the best of souvenirs once it’s all said and done. Starting to document early also gives you a chance to track the preparation period and how you feel prior to departure.
2 months
These final months are for taking care of last minute business, picking up travel essentials, and tying some loose ends with the bank. Get copies of your important documents together, collect emergency contact information, and of course gather up addresses of some VIPs to send postcards to.
You’ll want to notify your bank at home that you’ll be out of country for a period of time so that they can put travel alerts on your credit/debit cards. Be sure you can use your cards abroad to withdraw money or in case of emergencies. You should also do some research into cell phone plans abroad and whether your current home plan can be used globally.
Some rad travel items to look into before you start packing your life away include:
- Lightweight, durable suitcase with 360 spin
- Spacious backpack
- Medication or first-aid supplies (even over the counter painkillers are useful to have on-hand)
- Refillable water bottle
- Stationary
- External storage with lots of gigabytes for photos, documents, and videos
- Packing cubes and vacuum packs
- Travel pillow
- Convertible, multifunctional clothes (layers!)
- Passport, emergency contact information, and copies of any important document
Some items may seem like unnecessary luxuries, but you’ll be thanking yourself for investing in quality gear when you’re hauling 50-100 pounds of stuff across the world.
1 month
And just like that, the months become days and the big day is right around the corner! Packing for study abroad is certainly an art form, especially when it comes to packing light and figuring out exactly what to take in preparing to study abroad. Packing Tetris starts with the golden rule of gathering what you think you’ll need, then slashing that amount in half. Toiletries and smaller things like socks and underwear can always be obtained abroad, so make sure you’re taking the essentials and leaving the replaceable stuff at home.
Remember to let everyone know how cool your life is about to get. Give them contact information of where you’ll be staying if you have it already. Kiss your mom on the cheek, take a deep breath, and board the plane to a time and place you’ll never be able to forget.
Pat your pup on the head and run off into the foreign sunset
Spin the globe and figure out where to plant your feet! It’s time to go abroad!
If you’re still reading, then congratulations! Your mind has taken you through the one-year process on how to prepare for studying abroad. With images of essay writing and convincing the rents of extravagant adventures abroad flashing before your eyes, you’re now a planning pro. The next step is just to run off and check each month off as you do it for yourself.
Seems like a lot? It’s well worth it, we promise!
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