You want to study abroad for a semester or maybe even longer? That's fantastic!
It is such a great adventure that awaits you, but it also is going to need a bit of organisation at first. To make sure it will be as great as somehow possible, there are a few thigns you should pay attention to already in the first phase of your planning process: Deciding where to go!
There are plenty of possibilities and you need to take several factors into account to find your perfect one. But don't worry! Discover how easy this huge step is when following a few simple guidelines.
So, let`s directly start with the first point: You can sum it up with "money". There are plenty of things that cost money when you want to study abroad. Just think of the flights already, then you have the accommodation and usual cost of living. You might also have to pay admission or tuition fees, depending on which university you are going to. Also insurances, a new phone plan and visa costs may come up.
Okay, I know this all sounds quite intimidating right know. Is surely don`t want to scare you off of the idea of studying abroad though. On the contrary, I want to
show you how you can manage all those challenges in the best possible way!
For accommodation, you can always see if you university offers housing or you can go into a shared apartment, which then probably won`t cost more than it does in your home country.
In terms of flights, there is not too much to do unfortunately. Check my post on how to find cheap flights; this might help a little. Additionally you can try your luck in some lotteries of the big airplane companies where they sometimes offer discounts or even free tickets.
In case you don`t want to pay tuition fees, just choose one of the amazing universities that don`t charge them. In case this is not an option for you, you can consider working in advance and
while you are abroad as well as applying for a scholarship. There are surely organisations in your home country that offer some as well as your host university abroad might have them.
For insurances and so on, these only come up in specific areas, depending on where you come from. Before you book or buy anything, check with your phone company and insurance if they cover your time abroad. In case they don`t go for a prepais sim card abroad and cancel your phone plan in your home country to avoid additional costs. For your insurance compare them on the internet. Mostly you can get health insurance for abroad, which is pretty much the only one you need, from below 10 euros a month.
In terms of visas it is the same thing: For example when you come from a country in the EU, you don`t need a visa as long as you stay within the boundaries of the EU. Otherwise, student visas in
most countries do not cost anything luckily.
The most important thing is tostart and keep planning and organizing as early as possible to make sure you can find the best solutions for every problem. 6 months in advance is a good time to look for insurances, get your visa application ready (and check your passport validity!) and so on.
If you really don`t know where to do your semester abroad go by these categories: Think of which culture interests you or which one you feel comfortable with living in. Also think of the weather and climate conditions that you want to live in for the next half year. And the things around the possible university are of interest: Is there lots of nature to discover? Is it in the middle of a huge megacity? What do you like to do in your spare time and thus what do you expect from the surroudings?
Another point is language. You probably don`t want to be stuck in a country where you do not understand a single word. You can either go somewhere where you know the language already, or you decide early and do some course before you actually leave. This way you get a chance to perfectly learn a totally new language within a few months.
Furthermore you should pay attention to the political situation in some countries before you decide to go. There are regions on earth where political stability is not automatically given. Check your country`s foreign office recommendations.
One thing on the list is a very personal decision: this is about the distance you want to have between you and home. You can either go for very far away in case you have enough of your family and finally want to live independently. Or you have a boy/girlfriend at home and like to see your parents and friends very often. In this case you should stay somewhere "close", meaning maybe not 8 flying hours away. This decision is not to be taken easily! Think about how you feel on holiday, how easy it is for you not to see friends for while and also if you have already celebrated your birthday or christmas away from home and it wasn`t a big thing.
Lastly, think of your university. It probably has special partnerships with some institutions abroad in different countries, which might make the entire application and admission process much easier. Also, most universities have an International Office or Scholarship Counselling that surely will support you with some first info and during your entire application process.