Studying abroad it a costly idea, that's undeniable. But that doesn't mean you can't do it if your parents pay for you or you happen to have a lot of money laying around. There are obviously many ways to do it, from working in advance and at your destination to choosing a programme that is as cheap as possible. However, there is one way that allows for all the freedom you want and involves only little effort: Apply for some scholarship! I myself got 5 for my study abroad time and then couldn't even use all of them. So no matter what you are planning, give this a try!
Why go for a scholarship?
Most people simply don't even consider trying to get one. They think their marks aren't good enough, they don't do as much volunatry work as others or they simply believe it's too much work. Yes, you will need to put a bit of time into it, if you seriously are trying to get one, but it's not as bad as it seems. Once you have your documents together, you mostly can send them to any institution, with only minor changes to make. So at first it seems like the task is far to big, but once you go on to your second or third application, you have everything available already.
One other great thing about scholarships is that usually they don't have to be paid back and they are available for everyone. Sure, there are some for specific destinations, study fields, genders or even ages only, but there definitely are some that fit for you. Now, these are some bad news I've got: You'll have to fight through this jungle of endless possibilities to find those scholarships that are just right for you. Luckily, nowadays there are databases and websites that support you on this step of the way.
How do I apply?
Every instiution obviously has different requirements and as such a different application process. Most likely though, they are going to need a CV, a filled application form, a language certificate (we are talking scholarships for abroad right now), an immatriculation certificate and maybe your current grades. Additionally, some might ask for certificates and proof for volunteering, your A-Level results or a study plan. The latter is a description of what you want to do abraod, so basically just to make sure you have thought well about the university and place you choose to go to (in terms of subjects etc.) and don't just want to go partying.
Some institutions also ask for a reference letter. This is nothing scary, you simply have to ask one of your profesors to fill out the form or right a short text. Simply send them an email, most profesors have even done this before and are happy to support you in your process.
Once you have all your documents together, make sure they are saved as .pdf files. That is the most commonly accepted file format and make sure the documents look as intended once opened by the institution. Sometimes you might have to join some documents together, but there are free online tools available to do that with.
What about the interview?
After this first application round and when they have looked at all your paperwork, the insititutions often want to speak to you personally before they decide on anything. Most of them are not just looking at the grades, but really want to support someone with a great character. Don't be afraid of this interview! You can easily prepare for it, by training answers for the most common questions. Things like "Why should we choose ou for this scholarship?", "How did you find our intsititution?" or "Why have you decided to go for this specific university/programme abroad?" will almost always be asked. Having a rough idea what you can include in your answers here will absolutely be a plus!
Then, depending on the scholarship you are going for, you can prepare for more subject-related questions. If the institution supports people with great volunteering, then they will go deeper into your activities here. If it is about the specific country you are going to, then you might want to do a little reasearch about the country's history and culture. You see how the system works. And all of a sudden, the interview is not an impossible task any more.
Oh, and probably right at the beginning, they are going to ask you to introduce yourself. Try to keep this relatively short and structured. Don't jump from one part of your life (like family) into another part (like free time acitivites) and then on to the next one (like school/university) before going back to the second and then actually realizing you forgot to mention the most important thing when talking about the first part. Practice this in advance, you might just as well know this text by heart. Mostly in the beginning of the interview, you will be nervous as hell, and hacing a text like this prepared, helps you settle, calm down and do your next answers more concentratedly.