Seed Educational Consulting - one of the top Study Abroad agencies in Nigeria

You’ve selected a fantastic study abroad program, gotten accepted, and are now looking forward to beginning your experience. Congratulations! It’s now simply a matter of getting ready for the big trip. What should you bring with you to study abroad? Is travel insurance required? When traveling abroad, how should you handle money and phones?

A passport can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to obtain, so start working on it as soon as possible.

Don’t worry; everyone on the Seed Educational Consulting team has considered — and answered — these issues before. Continue reading for our best advice on how to get ready to study abroad.

1. Make an application for a passport.

To study abroad, you may need a visa in addition to a passport. Varying countries have different visa requirements, so check the State Department’s website for your desired study abroad destination’s laws. You can also inquire about visa requirements and any particular travel restrictions by contacting the nearest embassy or consulate of the country you intend to visit. Visa applications, like passport applications, can take many months to process, so don’t wait!

You may not require a visa if your study abroad trip is during the summer or for less than three months. On a tourist visa, most nations will allow students to stay for up to 90 days. However, this is not true for all countries, so double-check and triple-check what kind of visa (if any) you’ll require.

2. See a Travel Physician

Before you go, make an appointment with your doctor for a physical to verify your health. In case of an emergency while traveling abroad, bring a copy of your medical records with you.

It’s also crucial to learn about the host country’s vaccine regulations and be well informed before leaving. Most programs will advise you on the types of immunizations you’ll need (if any) while abroad, but you may also contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most up-to-date disease information.

Also, if you have a serious medical condition that necessitates the use of prescription drugs, you should bring enough to last the duration of your trip (if possible). To avoid being confused for illegal drugs, prescription medications must be transported in properly labeled containers. It’s also a good idea to carry a signed prescription or note from your doctor.

3. Purchase travel insurance.

While studying abroad, it’s critical to have a dependable health and accident insurance policy, as well as coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation (but hopefully not!).

Although your health insurance provider may cover you when traveling (not all do), there are a few things that travel insurance will cover that health insurance will not. For instance:

• If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you’ll be covered.
• Luggage goes missing
• Personal belongings taken
• In the event of a medical emergency or a natural disaster, evacuation is required.

4. Purchase an airline ticket

Finding cheap plane tickets has become a game of time and luck these days. Fares vary significantly depending on when you want to fly and where you purchase your ticket. 

We also advise arriving no more than a couple days before the commencement of your program. While the extra days may help with acclimating to the new surroundings or recovering from jet lag, arriving early may cause issues with immigration.

5. Learn about the customs, culture, and people of your destination.

Take some time to learn more about the country where you’ll be studying. Knowing the culture, history, geography, economy, and government of your soon-to-be home — everything! Your study abroad experience will be enhanced, and the time you spend there will be more meaningful.

Talk to people who have visited the nation and look for opportunities to view movies and learn more about the culture. It would also help to prevent offending foreigner follies (such pointing with your thumb or not slurping your noodles at supper!)

Knowing even the most basic phrases in the local language can make all the difference in getting through those first few days of adjustment.

6. Brush up on your language abilities

Knowing even the most basic phrases in the local language can make all the difference in getting through those first few days of adjustment. Enroll in lessons, seek assistance from fluent friends, or download programs like Duolingo and podcasts to listen to on your daily commute to school — anything helps!

7. Cash

Before leaving, there are a few financial considerations to make:

Make sure you have an online bank account if you don’t already have one. It’s traveling abroad.

Take some extra cash with you.

8. Start packing now

Two words: don’t overpack! To avoid fines, double-check with your airline about their luggage allowances. Personally, I’d only bring the following items:

One luggage was checked.

• As a carry-on, bring one daybag (e.g., a backpack).
• A single personal object, such as a purse.

Seriously, checking two bags will simply add to your weight (literally) and make your end-of-study-abroad trip unnecessarily difficult. 

Other packing suggestions include:

• Bring enough travel-sized toiletries to last the first two weeks, then stock up when you arrive.
• Instead of wasting room on towels and linens, buy them when you arrive.
• Limit yourself to three pairs of shoes, or four if necessary.
• Bring your electronics’ power adapters.

To assist overcome homesickness, bring a few mementos from home.

Remember to bring photos, recipes, and other memories from home to help you cope with homesickness. Bring a journal or notebook to write in and reflect on your study abroad experience. Small mementos from your previous life make excellent gifts for new acquaintances or host families.

9. Cell Phones and Maintaining Contact with Family

How else will you be able to tell your family and friends about how much fun you’re having?! The majority of students communicate with friends and family by cell phone or laptop.