So, you’ve decided to further your academic career abroad either for a year or for the full duration of the course. Leaving home to become an international student can be quite a daunting prospect, but once the stress is out of the way, it can become a really positive experience. Though it is likely that you will miss your friends and family back at home, it is important to keep the end goal in mind. You are leaving to develop your career and yourself by broadening your horizons. However, there are still plenty of things to plan and think about before you leave.

The most important thing to check before everything is in place is that you are 100% confirmed to begin the course you have chosen. Ideally, get in touch with one of our consultants who will run through all of the details with you. The last thing you want is to travel thousands of miles for nothing.

We will elaborate more on this topic later, but knowing how much the fees are going to cost and whether you can afford them or not is crucial to the process. Normally, you will have to pay a deposit or indeed the full first year of fees to secure your place on the course.

Sometimes living abroad can be expensive, so we would advise checking costs long before you leave. Also, if you need to apply for entry into the country, they will ask you to prove that you have enough money to support yourself and to live independently. It is hard to say exactly how much money you will need, as each student has a different lifestyle that they are accustomed to. Still, it is always best to know how much things cost before you make any big decisions. Of course, living expenses will be much higher if you are accompanied by a dependent, smoke, drink, or wish to drive a car. Most universities have published lists detailing how much these things cost so that you don’t spend too much.

Once the university has confirmed your place on the course and you have your visa to study, the next thing to do is to look at flights. Most flights will take you to the capital of your chosen country. After this, you will need to figure out which is the cheapest and efficient method of getting to the university. In some instances, the university will offer to pick you up from the airport.

Airlines will only permit you to carry a certain amount of luggage on board with you. This means that it may be necessary to book extra space for your luggage. Alternatively, you can opt to ship your luggage. In some cases, this will turn out to be a much cheaper option. Be careful when planning what luggage to carry as excess baggage fees at the airport can be quite expensive!

Only bring the necessities with you, the rest can be bought when you arrive. Things like bedding, towels, and heavy household items are much better to buy rather than carry or ship. It is important to note that it is prohibited to bring meat and dairy items with you