Folium: How to Prepare to Study Abroad via Lifehacker.com
Folium: How to Prepare to Study Abroad via Lifehacker.com
Folium: How to Prepare to Study Abroad via Lifehacker.com
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Have you ever had any interest in taking a little trip? Maybe outside of your home country? Perhaps studying abroad?
Well, if you do you not only have to research it but you also have to start planning eventually. Yes, you might just be getting interested in studying abroad now but it’s still good to keep in mind the steps that you will need to take before you’re off! Avoid all that stress of leaving your planning until the last minute!
One of the first things that you will need to prepare is all of your paperwork! It can take six to eight months to get it all together so you can’t leave it to that last week! If you’re studying abroad you’re definitely going to need to get a passport. You’ll have to make sure that your passport will remain valid for the entirety of your trips – and in some cases a few months after you return from your trip. You will also need to bring along a copy of your medical records, but the CDC has a list for that in the article that will give you a bit of help.
Study Abroad @ FLCC
The next step would be to get your finances in order. You’ll want to make sure that your credit card company knows that you’ll be studying abroad so that they don’t just assume that your credit card has been stolen. You should also come up with a budget so you don’t run out of money halfway through your trip. Plan ahead for housing and any trips that you may take while you’re in your host country, plus the souvenirs that you’ll want to buy along the way. Don’t forget to save an emergency fund for any emergencies that may pop up out of nowhere. You definitely want to be prepared.
Make sure you figure out a way to communicate back home – maybe with local phone plans. You don’t want to be unconnected – share those pictures and talk to your family and friends!
Don’t forget to research the culture of the area that you’ll be visiting! You don’t want to unintentionally offend someone!
You should also look into the local language a bit so you can communicate effectively with the people there. Look into the good and bad parts of the area to so you can plan for your own safety. Don’t forget to take a peek at local scams too! It wouldn’t do good to get scammed while you’re there!
Finally, you definitely need to figure out what you’re going to be bringing with you to your host country! Try to keep it to a minimum, don’t b ring things that you can buy there. Be aware of the weight limits for your luggage too! You don’t want to get hit with the overweight fees while you’re trying to board any planes.
Keep track of all of these things and I’m sure your experience studying abroad will be fantastic!
And don’t forget to read the main article!
Ashleigh Slater
LEAF Contributor
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