Top 5 Pre-departure tips
Posted on November 18th, 2007 by StephenAfter a suggestion in the comments, I’ve decided to do a series of Top 5’s tips on the different aspects of studying overseas. Thanks for the comments – they’re all pretty helpful. This is a list of my top 5 pre-departure tips. By following these tips, one can easily stay on top of the often nerve-racking organisational things to do before leacing.
- Plan Ahead: One of the most important ways of staying organised is careful forward planning. Parts of the application process can take months, and there are often restrictions on how far through your degree you can be to be accepted into an exchange program. The best way to go would to get involved in researching universities and completing applications as soon as possible, leaving as much time for everything else as you can.
- Talk to people: Talking to as many people as possible about your exchange can remove much of the uncertainty about traveling to and living at a new place. Every that you can think of, including friends, family, lecturers and student support at university, has the possibility of contributing valuable information.
- Finance: Insuring a reliable source of money is essential when traveling overseas, especially for the first few days. Most people split their money across various types, including travelers cheques, cash, travel specific debit-cards and credit cards. Don’t rely on being able to send bank drafts initially, because it can take weeks for an account to be set up (especially at the beginning of semester).
- Dedication: While it may seem like a lot of effort, and troubles may sometime make you feel like giving up, persistence and dedication will lead to an experience of a life time. From what I’ve experienced, the effort involved initially is completely worth it.
- Find others: There will most likely be other students from your area heading for the same university. By keeping in touch with them, you can share tips and advice.Having friends on arrival makes the first few days in your new city a lot easier!
November 19th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Stephen,
Thanks for the excellent tips! You echo what a lot of international students say — it can be a lot of work to make a study abroad experience happen. There’s a lot of research, planning, etc., and it can seem endless at times. But once you’ve done that part and you get where you’re going, the experience is priceless.
Keep up the good work!
Keith
November 28th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
[...] Top 5 Departure TipsStephen over at Study in the UK Blog provides International students with some quick tips when they’re going to travel abroad to study. Having friends and making them before you travel can be crucial, as you’ll have some one to talk to, or go for a beer with when you first get to the country and university you’re visiting. [...]
January 8th, 2008 at 6:01 am
My name is Arita Gloria Zulkifli, everyone call me Ririt. I would like to have a homestay. I’m from Indonesia, I live in South Jakarta.. I’m not so rich, but i can little little speak English. I would like to have homestay in Sydney or maybe in London. Would somebody want to take me?
Thanks alot dude…
Love from,
Ririt
February 1st, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Hey friends, let me introduce myself once more. My full name is Arita Gloria Zulkifli. My friends and my family members call me Ririt. I’m from Indonesia, I live in South Jakarta. I study at Putra Pertiwi Junior High School. I’m 11 years old, and I’m the 1st grade of JHS, and i really want to had a homestay or vacation in UK exactly in Hertford so I can see my idol ‘Daniel Radcliffe’ beside study. My English speaking is well, my teacher said to me that my English speaking, writing, listening, and reading are well than others. I hope somebody want to take me to UK. I wish that you all read my simple post….
You can call me at 021-73888956 or send messesage to my hotmail e-mail :
missarita@windowslive.com
Go Go Go!!
Ririt
March 17th, 2008 at 4:30 am
my parent all passed away atb taha tim 5years
old ihave grown up a hadand lonely
i went to school lonely i am yery keen to continue my
studies undergraduate englis and i need your nelp job visa credite
April 28th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Hey I’m living in Perth (WA) at the moment and I’m keen on studying in the UK. I’m in my final year of high school, TEE coming up in November. Do you have any more tips on how I should apply for my visa (I want to live in the UK for maybe 5+ plus). My Mother is English, I have an Australian passport as well as an English passport and I have lived in the UK from 1997 to 2001. I intend to live maybe with my friends, and work in the UK to pay my uni debts. Can you give my anymore tips or processes I will have to go through, or even if you know of any ways that will make it cheaper?
Muchly appreciated
May 21st, 2008 at 2:09 am
Eat a third and drink a third and leave the remaining third of your stomach empty. Then, when you get angry, there will be sufficient room for your rage.
June 13th, 2008 at 4:36 am
Stephen, thanks for this pre-departure list. I believe that point number 5 is the most important issue, and from own experience I know how painful it is without having solved the issue under point 3 – “it can take weeks for an account to be set up”. Not having a bank account is particularly annoying when trying to find accomodation and signing a rental contract. In my case the University study centre was very helpful and supportive. Thanks!
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January 28th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Can Paulo Rafael Madala Estermo please put his email address on the site so he can be contacted. It was a post from 2008 so is he still reading this blob?
I am thinking of sponsoring someone to help them with English.
Thanks.