Study Abroad Checklist

If this talk of your finances has got you worrying, you may want to consider looking at international student scholarships to find out whether you are eligible to receive additional funding for your studies.

Your first call should be to your new university’s website, where information on all of their available student scholarships, grants and bursaries can be found. Many of these awards are subject-specific and/or needs-based, and sometimes exclusive to high-achieving or minority students. If your school doesn’t offer anything you are eligible for, outside funding is also an option. Companies such as International Scholarships provide comprehensive lists of externally funded student scholarships around the world.

All student scholarships are heavily subscribed to, however, so make sure to research scholarships well in advance of leaving for university. You’ll need to work hard on your application, and pay close attention to application deadlines.

Here at QS we also offer a number of student scholarships for postgraduate international students; for more information see the full list here.

The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) should be on every international student’s study abroad checklist, as it offers discounts on products and services around the world. Check online to see whether the International Student Identity Card would be useful to you, and discover discounts for public transport, travel insurance, international calling cards and a number of other useful things, from phone repairs to Segway tours!

The International Student Travel Confederation, the organization behind the International Student Identity Card (ISIC), has offices in 106 countries worldwide and can offer help with many travel-related issues you may face as an international student.

It might just look like an unnecessary cost, but, in reality, travel insurance is essential. For a small, one-off payment, travel insurance will cover you if anything happens to you during your studies – be this illness, injury or theft – and will make sure you don’t spend your entire life savings on a trip to the doctor’s! In many countries, health insurance is also a requirement for international students, and you may be asked to prove you have sufficient cover.

To make sure you’re fighting fit before leaving home, it’s wise to visit your doctor for a full medical check-up and to make sure you’ve had all the vaccinations you may need for your chosen study destination. For far-off countries, these vaccinations will come at a price, but rest assured your doctor will tell you if they are completely necessary.

If you need ongoing care while you’re away, make sure your doctor sends a copy of your medical records abroad. Foreign prescriptions are not always honored so it is advised that you allow yourself extra time to collect your prescription before your medication runs out.

If you have chosen to study abroad in a country in which you do not speak the local language, fear not! Often, in many European countries as well as much of Asia, you’ll find that the locals speak at least a little bit of English. Regardless of this, you should consider taking some lessons in the local language before you depart, in order to fully interact with and immerse yourself in the culture of your study abroad country.

While learning a language used to mean taking an evening course or reading/listening to a number of ‘teach yourself’ products, nowadays smartphone apps such as Duolingo offer comprehensive language learning methods for you to pick up in your own time, with a mixture of listening, speaking and writing to help you develop a more rounded knowledge before you leave.

Should you leave your smartphone behind however, make sure to pack a phrasebook. Being able to converse with locals politely will no doubt be extremely useful, especially if lost in a new town or city!

First and foremost on every student’s study abroad checklist should be the means and knowledge to be able to get around and explore your new country and its culture. In order to be able to travel on a budget, not only will you have to book your initial tickets (including your return!) before you travel, but also you should consider researching means of travel for you to use once in the country.

The internet is a great tool for this, allowing you to compare prices of transport all over the world. You may also find that buying a railcard will come in handy if you plan on doing a lot of travelling by train, the same with bus or coach cards. Purchasing deals such as this before leaving home will ensure you don’t have to dig into your travel money once out there. Make sure, however, that you only buy what you’ll definitely need!