Ten Most Important Tips for Studying Abroad

Studying abroad is very good decision and I always motivate it. It is our job to get every piece of information that you have the knowledge of in order to make your experience successful. In this article, I am going to share the most important things that every student who wished to study abroad must know. It is not like the things that your mom tells you like take care of your health or put on a sweater something. These legit things that you need either consider, do or prepare in advance before you embarked on this new adventure.

Research Your Destination

I am not talking about Googling a few images or top rated bars or fun places where you just see the happy stuff. You should know every little detail about the place. The things you are going to love and with that the things that may loathe you or can cause you problems. You should know the bad things like bad habits of the natives, gangs or any racism that may be there.

Customs and Laws

This is kind of just like the first one however, I made another point out of it to emphasize its importance. It will not only save you humiliation but also uncalled problems that you may face during your stay then you must have knowledge of these basic laws that will come in handy in such situations.

Search Programs and Courses

It is important that you must search the programs and courses you wish to study whether it is undergraduate, Master or PhD. Everyone has its own field of interest and in which he or she will probably want to make a career. First search the universities that offer the programs of your choice and then look for the best or top ranked among them. The institute that is most top ranked in that subject should be your first choice. It is really important for those students who are going to study in a Non English country. Because the English taught programs in such countries are limited and there may a possibility that they don’t teach your course in English language.

Paper Work

IF you really want to turn this dream into a reality, you should know every detail of the paper work. Get all the application forms, documents and signatures prepared in advance. You will need all of this for your University admission, student visa, passport, Health Insurance, banking situations. Even the tiniest of mistake here can ruin all your struggles. This kind of work is not done at last moment. You don’t want everything ready and then you realize that your Passport has expired.

Inform Your Bank

Make sure you contact your bank about your moving abroad for study. It is also important if you are going to use the same bank account that you are using in your country. Otherwise, there may be some problems for you. If you use your Debit or Credit and the bank is worried that someone is stealing from you all the way from Canada. Seeing the sudden change, they may also temporarily block your card or the whole account. You should also leave a copy of every bank detail to your family that will be helpful in such problems.

Make Copy of Everything

You just have to a copy of all the important documents whether related to study, admission, certificates or visa, passport and bank. It is a smart choice to have a copy of all your documents back at home with your parents. This way, if anything bad is to happen, you know that your parents have got a copy that can be used and delivered anytime.

Learn the Basic Communication

Before you go abroad, you should the basic language of the your destination. If it is an English country then you should look for the native slangs and common phrases. It you wish to go to a Non-English country like Germany or France, learning the basic communicational words will be really helpful. Even you pronounce the wrong words while talking to someone, it won’t be a problem. They will appreciate you trying but you should at least have something to try. Gracias por leer!

Local Favorites

It is also a little related to the previous one. You should ask people you meet at the university, library or anywhere; ask them for what people usually like here. This has more than one perks. It will not only give you points to start a discussion with someone but you will also learn the fun places and things you should visit and do. Starting a conversation is also really important to make friends unless you are planning to spend some alone time. Here is a tip, make sure you make a lot of good friends. A good network is one of the most valuable asset of a professional. Besides, they will also be helpful in many other stuff.

Join International Student Associations

It kind of sounds geeky but there usually are some associations or organizations of international students. Being an international student yourself, you qualify to join them. If you are thinking, why bother; First of all, you will make good friends without any effort that are like you then they will help you in all visa and documentation matters and you also get a good company whom with you can visit all the new places. If you are a good student then, of course, you can also get a study group out of them. Most of the international students are pursuing jobs along with their studies so they can also help you get a job. Well, I guess you got the idea by now.

Prioritize Things

Most of the students going abroad wants to have a new adventurous experience. They want to meet and experience new things, cultures and people and everything that is fun. Of course, you can have and you will have fun but remember that, after all, it is STUDYING ABROAD. So, don’t forget the study part. You will make friends and socialize a lot but know the priority. You should may be set a schedule or time table for your studies. Studying with new people and teachers in an entirely new style is also great fun. 

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Usama Ahmed Awan The Editor of StudyAbroad.pk, Usama is a BZU studied Software Engineer, now  a Teacher, Article Writer, Educational Counselor and Journalist. He has been  writing to assist students selecting the right career path.