Costs. How awesome is it that everything costs money?! Not… But hey, that’s life. So get your butt to saving for an incredible journey. You want not only save up for your program dues, but also for other fun stuff like weekend trips, hand-knit Icelandic sweaters, and sheep’s head, of course. Wanna start saving now? Set up a FundMyTravel account and see the cash begin to flow.

Accommodations. Get your life together before you set sail on your gap year in Iceland and find a place to live! Your program might have accommodations options for you to choose from like a host family, dorms, apartment, etc. If you ask what our fav is, it’s def the host family. They cook, clean, and give you the best culture experience… ever. Besides, not everyday you get to live with an actual Icelandic family, recreating Frozen. We mean, um…

Visas. Will you need one? Ahhhh, yeah. It’s a necessity. You can’t have a gap year in Iceland without one. There’s multiple types of visas out there, but please contact your program advisor to see what one you’ll need to apply online for. Once you’ve applied, head to your local Iceland embassy to finish the process in person. Yes, you have to go, no matter what country it is. Not sure where the closest one is? Check out the GoAbroad embassy directory.

Safety. Remember that gym lock you never use any more from your middle school gym class? Time to bust that bad boy out again and use it on your gap year in Iceland. Why? Pickpockets suck. That’s why. Once you leave your hostel or room for a long weekend or even for a few hours, lock up everything. Also, it’s best to invest in a money belt. It keeps your money hidden in your pants. Plus, don’t be carrying around hundreds of dollars in your pocket. It’s better to lose $5 than $500.