The most important things to do when you arrive in country for overseas study
Moving abroad as an international student can be challenging and life changing, especially if it’s your first time moving abroad on your own. That is why preparing for when you arrive is very important.
Being prepared will give you peace of mind, help you stay organised and not feel lost when you arrive at your destination. Some steps include checking your immigration and legal requirements, setting up communication and connectivity and more.
Immigration and legal requirements
Verify visa and immigration status
Double-check how long your visa is valid for and if there are specific requirements requested by the country itself, as different governments and different visas have different rules.
If you are planning to work alongside your studies, check what limitations you’ll have, such as weekly hours during term times and holidays. Some governments also require you to keep a minimum grade point average in order to keep your visa going, so don’t forget to get informed of all that.
Obtain student ID and residence permits
Get your student ID , because in many places this will grant you discounts and access to exclusive places.
Discounts can range from entry to museums to cafes or even shops, so it is a life saver when you are looking to save money and still want to enjoy your time at university.
Communication and connectivity
Acquire a local SIM card and internet access
When going abroad to study, it’s important to stay connected to friends and family back home. This will decrease the chances of you feeling homesick. Therefore, consider searching beforehand for the local SIM cards.
When making your choice, don’t forget to always follow your budget and think about how much data you’ll need during your studies abroad.
Download essential apps
Since we’re lucky enough to be in the era of mobile phones, we might as well put them to good use. Make the most out of applications.
Get apps for transport, as it is likely to be cheaper to travel with these, if you’re going to a country where you’re not very fluent, also consider installing a language translation app such as google translate.
And let’s not forget your university app. This will have all information such as class schedules, updates, and helping services.
Housing and accommodation
Move into pre-arranged accommodation
Upon arriving at your accommodation, check and inspect the living conditions. Take pictures of anything that doesn’t seem right and send it to your landlord, so that you won’t have to pay for it at the end of your tenancy.
Explore the neighbourhood
When moving into your new home, explore the city. Get to know essential services like pharmacies, grocery stores, and key places to catch public transportation.
Take note of nearby amenities that will still be essential but you won’t be using as much. These amenities will be banks, recreational facilities, restaurante, medical centres and anything you might need.
Also try to find local cafes and fast food services for those occasions when you want to treat yourself.
Financial setup
Open a local bank account
Opening a local bank account is going to save you from so many headaches. Not only will it be easier to make payments in the country you’re moving to, you will avoid extra charges that would accrue by using your bank account from your country of origin.
And if you’re planning to work during your studies, you will need a local bank account to be able to receive your wages.
To open a bank account, this is what you’ll need:
- Proof of address in the country you want to open your bank account (this can be a bill, or your housing contract),
- In some countries you are required to show a letter proving your status as a student (this is provided by your university)
- Passport
- Student visa
- Some banks may require an initial deposit
- Local tax ID, if required by your bank
- Local phone number
- Parental consent
Managing finances
The easiest way to manage your finances is by creating a budget that’s true to your spending. There’s no use in having a budget of $800 per month when you know you’re definitely going to spend more.
Keep in mind the cost of living in the country and city that you’re going to, as this will play a big part in your budget. Start by writing down how much you’ll be spending minimum in different categories such as rent, food shopping, bills and transportation.
Then, create a budget and a margin of error, as some months you’re likely to be spending more, and less as well.
Health and insurance
Ensure health insurance coverage
Health insurance is always very important, whether you’re on holidays or moving to a new country.
So, if you’ve already got health insurance in your country, verify if it is valid in the country you are moving to. If not, register for additional coverage if required, or get new health insurance in the country you’re going to university.
This is usually a mandatory requirement of moving abroad as a student. In some countries such as Italy, France and the UK, this involves enrolling in the national health service. In others, such as the United States and Germany, it involves taking out health insurance.
It may not seem like it, but from the moment you move away for university, that’s where you’ll spend most of your time, so it’s very important to be prepared for emergencies.
Locate health services
Research and take note of where clinics, dentists and hospitals will be near you. Also note down emergency numbers that you might possibly need. It’s better to be prepared than be stressed in an already stressful situation.
Orientation and academic integration
Attend university orientation programs
Attending university orientation programmes or during freshers’ week is very important. Teachers will give you an understanding of what is expected of you, how university life works and also what you can expect from both classes and teachers themselves.
You will have the chance to gather all the information on campus facilities, student services, and resources.
And last but not least, this is your chance to meet your course mates for the first time. This might seem scary to some people, but everyone is in the same boat, wanting to meet people and make friends.
Cultural adjustment
Understand cultural norms and etiquette
Moving to a new country means learning and adjusting to a new culture. So, try and research beforehand what is appropriate and what isn’t, as sometimes it’s not as obvious and people think.
If you are moving to a country with a similar culture to another country, try to understand the differences and not mix them up!
Language learning
When moving to a country where their official language isn’t your first language, it is very useful to learn your new local language. It’ll allow you to connect with locals and even feel more welcomed and at home. Even simple phrases like “Hello”, “How are you?” will go a long way, as it will show that you have made an effort to learn their language.
Good places to learn new languages are either classes, which now-a-days you can take online, or apps like Duolingo, which is free and very easy to use.
Social and community engagement
Connect with other international students
Leaving to a new country without your family and friends might take a big hit to your mental health. To prevent this, consider building a supportive network with fellow international students and joining international students organisations at your university.
To do this, you can check your universities’ website to see if they have a society of people from your country or an international students society.
It may not seem important to do this at the moment, but it will really help you when you start feeling home sick. You’ll have support from your new friends who might feel the same way as you, and it will be nice to have someone who knows how you’re feeling.
Participate in campus and community activities
Attending events, joining societies and clubs will be a fundamental part of meeting new people at university. It is your best chance to meet those people that will stay with you throughout those 3/4 years and become part of your life.
Another way you can do this is by volunteering and engaging in local community initiatives. Not only will this make you part of the community and allow you to meet new people, it will also look good on your CV in the future.
Conclusion
As the saying goes, by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail. So keep this in mind and try to prepare as much as you can, to make the whole process of studying abroad as smooth as possible.