Hello all! This is my second blog post, and I think it’s one that most people should know. I recently got accepted into my university’s study abroad program (YAY!!), but I’m still not done yet.
If you are thinking about studying abroad, there’s several things you need to do in order to get started. When I was doing this, I didn’t have much help considering I really didn’t know anyone who studied abroad.
Here are some things I wish I did know:
It is never too early to start thinking about studying abroad
Go to some study abroad fairs held at your university! Check on their website or arrange a meeting with a study abroad coordinator at the International Center at your school. And if you don’t know where to look up this information, ask your major advisor! It’s always a good idea to let your advisor know early on that you plan on studying abroad, this makes creating your class schedule for the next four years much easier on them and on YOU.
Be sure to talk to your parents
It may seem trivial to say, but if they are the ones that are helping you with your tuition, they may not be okay with you leaving the country for a semester (or more) by yourself. Try to convince them by saying how beneficial it’ll be to you – academically, professionally and personally.
Get in touch with the financial aid office
Once you arrange a meeting with a study abroad coordinator, contact your financial aid office. Make sure that any scholarships/loans/grants you have can be transferred over to your study abroad tuition. You’d be surprised how many don’t transfer over.
Scholarships scholarships scholarships
I cannot stress this enough – look for them! Ask your study abroad center (sometimes called International Center) at your university and ask them about any potential scholarships you can apply to. Also be sure to ask any clubs you are included in if they offer scholarships. I am in the Honors concentration at my university and they offer a $500 stipend to those studying abroad – it’s not much, but any little bit helps in the long run.
Check classes are compatible
Make sure any classes you take abroad can transfer over. For this, you’ll have to talk to your major advisor and look at the course list offered by the university you plan to attend to while studying abroad. More often than not, the courses you take abroad will count towards your major electives and not actual courses.
Hand in your application to your university right away
I’m not sure if this applies to all universities, but at mine, you have to apply to the University’s program as well as the study abroad program (in my case, ISA). Do not procrastinate on this! Arrange meetings with anyone you need meet with to sign off on any documents – your doctor (to make sure it is okay for you to study abroad), your advisor (to ensure course credit), the financial aid office (to make sure that you can afford it) and anyone else the application requires you to meet with. Don’t wait until the last two weeks or even the last month before it is due to arrange your meetings. The people you have to meet with are doing you a favor by meeting you – they are not obligated and sometimes they are busy as well – schedule an appointment as early as possible.
Check costs
Find out if you have to pay for things first and then you get reimbursed by your financial aid office at a later time. This happened to me specifically. I pay for the airplane ticket and any other academic expenses I make and then I show the receipt to someone over at the financial aid office – it is at that point that they reimburse me for the cost. The only thing they pay for directly is tuition and housing. You might like to view some advice for studying abroad on a budget.
Get a passport
If you do not have a passport – apply NOW. Go to your local post office and pick up an application. It is not difficult to fill out, but you have to call them to arrange an appointment. Make sure you have everything you need prior to the appointment, this includes your birth certificate, identification (license), social security number, etc. the requirements are listed here. The time it takes to process your passport varies – it can take 2 weeks or it can take 2 months – they can be very busy. Apply in advance to save yourself the stress!
Arrange a visa
You might need a visa. For US citizens going to study in Spain, a visa is not necessary unless you plan on staying for more than 90 days – in my case I am staying in Barcelona for 120 days. You will need to arrange another appointment but this time at the Spanish Consulate. You may want to even talk to someone over the phone to specifically ask what you need to bring with you. A visa can take a while to get, so do it sooner rather than later.
What to pack
What to take really depends on the time of year you are going, how long you will be away for and also where you are going. These study abroad packing tips will be helpful.
Research
Search online where you are going and find things to do and places to visit. Check forums for tips from past students and try to make a bucket list of things you want to do. Time goes quick so it’s vital you try to make the most of your study abroad experience. You might also want to check studying abroad safety tips just so you are aware of anything important or scams to avoid. Sometimes going to a foreign country especially where English isn’t the first language can be a challenge, so be aware of this. If you want to improve your language skills whilst overseas, you might also want to find language schools to book courses.
Ask for help if you need it!
If you’re not sure of the requirements you need, call someone or email them. I emailed my study abroad coordinator so many times by now – but that is what they are there for. They are there to help make things clearer for you!
But overall, be sure that you are ready for this.
Many people, myself included, desire to study abroad to get away from a boring, routine life. While this is okay, make sure that you understand truly what it means to study abroad. You get to experience a completely different culture – but more likely than not, you will not know many people. Your family and friends will be back home, and while this doesn’t mean you are never going to speak to them, you will have to have an open mind and break out of your shell. It is perfectly okay to get homesick, it’s normal. Just try to enjoy the time you will have in another country!
I think that’s it for now. I’m waiting on my passport to arrive (cringe) so I can set up a visa appointment at the Spanish consulate. In the meantime, apart from getting excited to study in Europe, I am filling out my ISA application and trying to focus on my classes this semester. It’s really hard when you know you’re about to embark on possibly the greatest adventure of your lifetime very soon!!
Adios for now.