Are you considering joining a study abroad program but feeling hesitant? Have you ever wished you could ask a current or former student with experience studying abroad how it went for them? Well, look no further! As someone who has studied abroad five separate times and in four different countries, I am confident I can answer every single one of your questions and help alleviate some of your anxiety.
Should I study abroad?
The simple answer is ‘yes’, but you should not go into it blindly. You must have the necessary funds to study abroad, and this will vary greatly depending on the location and sometimes the program. If you want to study in Paris, France, you will need a higher budget for food and excursions. If you want to study in Mexico City, chances are you could set a lower budget. If you want to study abroad at an affiliated university with your home university, this would be a more affordable option than, say, doing a Semester at Sea, which is one of the most expensive study abroad programs.
As a (US) undergraduate college student, you will also have to research whether your foreign classes will transfer equally back to your home college or university. If you are a psychology major, then it is probably best that you prioritize the foreign college/university that offers psychology classes that are part of your curriculum over your preferred destination. However, if you have uncompleted ‘General Education Requirements’ (aka required electives) that are not part of your major, then you could take these courses abroad and have a wider pool of foreign destinations to choose from.
And, finally, you will have to decide the duration of your study abroad program. This could range from a month or so to up to a full school year. My first study abroad experience was one month in London and it was the right choice for me at the time.
If you have the opportunity and funds to study abroad while in college, take it! Studying abroad is literally one of the most enriching experiences you will ever have. It is truly an adventure in and of itself!
How long does my passport need to be active?
Some countries may require you to have at least six months left on your passport before it expires to enter the country, and some might require more. Just have a couple of years left on it and you’ll be fine.
What kind of visa will I need to study abroad?
This is something that your home university/college should guide you on. Generally, though, you will need to apply for a student visa a minimum of three months ahead of departure (although it is possible to expedite a visa for an extra charge) and you absolutely must check the MULTIPLE ENTRIES box when applying for the visa!!! This is so you can enter and exit the country multiple times! Otherwise, you will not be allowed to travel outside the country and you will not be allowed to visit home and return to the foreign country without acquiring a new student visa. Also, you should have several pages left in your passport, including an entirely blank page for your student visa.
Did you have to learn the country’s language?
Nope, but it would be disrespectful not to learn at least some of the language. I always try to learn ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’, ‘please’, ‘thank you’, ‘good morning’, ‘good evening’, ‘check, please’, and ‘you’re welcome’ in the language of whichever country I am traveling to. People will speak English in most of Europe, but most will appreciate it if you try to learn a little bit of their language. Do not be discouraged if they glare at you and switch to English (as some of the French will do in my experience). Keep trying and keep learning! I’m not sponsored by them, but Duolingo is a great free language-learning app for beginners. I also recommend you download the app Google Translate and download the needed language so you can access it even without WIFI or using your data plan.
What about unfamiliar local customs?
You should always be mindful and respectful of local customs! For instance, ‘tipping’ might not be necessary in your study abroad country or it could even be offensive, like it is in Japan. In Japan and some other countries, there are further customs on how you use chopsticks, how you eat, how you hand and take things from people, wearing shoes in your accommodations or not, bowing and how far you should bow, whether or not you can speak aloud in a train, and even when it’s appropriate to smile (something that North Americans tend to do a lot).
Basically, always research the local customs of a foreign country before you travel there! But don’t be upset if something catches you off guard. Learning and adapting to local customs is all part of the “Culture Shock” experience. If you have further questions relating to culture or really anything else, then it’s best to ask a local, like one of your teachers or one of the local students. And don’t be surprised if they’ve got questions for you in return.
Did you miss your family and friends?
I missed my cat most of all. I set out for my first study abroad to London in 2009 at the tender age of nineteen. I was able to Skype (aka video chat) with my Mom or anyone else every day and that was sufficient. But this was not the case with my cat and it won’t be for any of your furbaby’s. You won’t be able to play with them or cuddle with them when you’re feeling stressed and that will be crushing. Also, your parents and/or friends might come to visit you during your breaks. My best friend came to visit me when I was studying in Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. Together, my parents came to visit me a few times and my Mom came to visit me several times when I was studying for my master’s degree at Leiden University in the Netherlands.
Should I have an international phone plan or purchase a SIM card or e-SIM while doing my study abroad?
Always purchase a SIM card or e-SIM abroad! Your phone plan provider will charge you exponentially more for an international plan than if you were to purchase a plan abroad. If you are heading to the European Union (EU), you will want to purchase a SIM card that can be used throughout the EU. Just remember, if you are traveling to a Schengen Zone country (like Switzerland) that is not part of the EU, you will have to keep your phone on Airplane Mode in such countries or you will be charged hundreds of euros!
If you use an e-SIM, I recommend you consider purchasing a plan from Saily, which has e-SIM plans for nearly the entire world. (I’m not sponsored by them, but I still personally recommend them.) Just know that Saily only offers data plans, meaning you will not be able to call a landline. If this is a concern for you, then I have read that using the Google Voice app is a good alternative as it will give you the means to make international and landline calls.
Also, if you need to video call or message someone while using your data plan, only use WhatsApp for this! This is especially true in Europe! Using something like FaceTime to video chat requires a lot of bandwidth and will use up your GBs in no time unless you are using WiFi.
Will I need any vaccines to study abroad ?
You may very well need a new vaccine or a booster. For instance, you might need a Yellow Fever vaccine if you will be studying or traveling to parts of South America (mostly the Amazon River Basin) or Central Africa. Malaria is also a concern for these regions and there are different types of medications that you should take to help prevent contracting this mosquito-borne and life-long disease. Guidance on these matters can be found on the Centers for Disease Control website.
The Packing Situation for Every Study Abroad Student
What should I bring?
- In your carry-on luggage, always pack at least one pair of clothing, at least one foreign adapter, one phone charger, and all your prescription medication. This is just a precaution in case your checked luggage is “lost”. My luggage was lost on the way to studying abroad in Rome and I had to spend several days without an extra pair of underwear and the wrong adapter. Fun times!
- In your carry-on luggage, bring a digital and printed copy of your passport!!! This is in case you lose your passport and must visit your nation’s embassy to have a temporary one issued.
- Bring one warm-down coat and tie it around your waist on the plane. Never pack these in your luggage because they take up too much space. You can wear as much clothing on your body on a plane as you want, which is exactly what I do whenever I fly; I even tie an extra pair of shoes to the handle of my backpack to save space in my luggage.
- Bring a laundry bag. I have a small laundry bag that I travel with everywhere. It has a drawstring on it, which makes it easy to hang on a doorknob and effective at sealing off the dirty clothes from the clean while it’s packed in my suitcase.
- If you will be heading somewhere rainy, invest in a pair of comfortable hiking boots and/or walking shoes and waterproof them before you go! There are waterproof sprays that you can put on your shoes that work very well. My personal favorite brand for walking shoes is Hoka and Merrel for hiking boots. My Merrel’s are maybe eight years old now and are still looking and feeling great!
- Bring a pair of wide-rimmed sandals or flip-flops. I’m not sponsored by them, but I have loved Teva’s Mush flip-flops since I was a teenager and only recently transitioned to their Voya flip-flops, which are even more durable.
- Even if you are heading somewhere cold and do not plan on wearing your sandals or flip-flops outside, you should still wear them in your accommodations. Otherwise you will be risking jamming or wrapping a toe around an unfamiliar chair leg or bed post. Ask me how I know the consequences of ignoring this recommendation! Spoiler alert – it involves a broken bone and a lot of pain!
- If you are heading somewhere cold, invest in thermal underwear or silk to wear underneath your clothing. Silk products are lightweight, take up hardly any space in your luggage, and come in different strengths of warmth. Of, if you prefer, you can also wear a pair of skin-tight leggings underneath a pair of jeans or waterproof pants.
- If you will be studying in a destination that is humid and/or hot, invest in clothing that is moisture-wicking. I’m not sponsored by any of them, but REI, Columbia, Patagonia and other major brands carry moisture-wicking clothing, otherwise, you could find more affordable options on Amazon. Or, if you’re heading to Europe, you can easily purchase such clothing and so much more for incredibly affordable prices at your local Decathlon, aka my favorite department store.
- Also, this is especially true for anyone studying abroad in Australia or South Asia, take care of your skin! Wear sunscreen with zinc oxide (I’m not sponsored by them, but my favorite brand is Blue Lizard) in it or keep your skin covered. You can bring light-weight long sleeve shirts or buttoned jacket shirts to protect your arms. Just one severe sunburn significantly increases your long-term risk of developing skin cancer! And there is no such thing as a ‘healthy tan’. Any tan is just a sign of skin damage.
Protocol for Traveling with Prescription Medications
If you are traveling with prescribed controlled substances (like Adderall), you may need to apply for a waiver to bring them abroad if they are generally illegal in your study abroad location. Please research if this is the case for your location! (For instance, I know this is the case in Singapore.) If you have any concerns about any medications you take, then you should research it yourself and/or ask the advisor for your specific study abroad program.
Regardless, you will always need to bring a printed letter from your prescribing doctor stating how much of ANY prescribed medication you are traveling with, why you need that amount, and what you take it for! To emphasize my point, if you bring four months’ worth of Adderall, that will look suspicious to any airport security officer unless you have a legal waiver and/or letter from your doctor! Do not take any chances!!!
What NOT to Bring
- Never pack more than two weeks’ worth of clothing, regardless of your study abroad destination! You do not need to make a fashion statement, but you might like to have some space in your luggage to purchase a couple of cute outfits from abroad.
- Do not pack a blow dryer or electric shaver. This is because the voltage might differ from your home country and you do not want to risk shutting the power down in your building. If any of these products are necessary for your survival, you can purchase them abroad.
- Do not bring any shampoo or conditioner or other hair or skin products unless they are prescribed to you by your doctor (like a prescription acne lotion). An exception can be for anyone with ‘kinky’, ‘coily’, or ‘Afro’ hair because such hair care products can be ridiculously hard to find abroad.
- Do not bring any more toothpaste or mouthwash than a small travel-size tube or bottle. You can find oral care products pretty much anywhere.
- I hope this is obvious, but do not bring any clothing that may say or show something offensive.
- Do not bring pepper spray or any kind of defense taser because these might be illegal in your destination!
- Do NOT bring any kind of sex product. If you insist on bringing your favorite vibrator, research whether these are legal in your destination before you depart! Otherwise, you will be risking a heavy fine or even imprisonment.
- Do not bring any illegal drugs, even if they are legal in your destination! I know marijuana is legal in parts of the United States and in The Netherlands, but it is still illegal to travel with this substance between these two countries!
Have More Questions?
If you have any further questions regarding studying abroad, please email me at galgoneglobal16@gmail.com! This goes for you, too, parents! I understand how stressful it can be to send your kid halfway across the world. My own mother has been there too many times to count, and I know the worry she felt, which is why I made sure to video-chat with her every day while abroad. (Maybe it’s a condition you can set for your kid!)
Searching for similar content, how about you check out this article on the best travel apps that every study abroad student should know about.