Tips that will ease your study abroad. Part one

Congrats! You have been accepted to study abroad and now you are planning the whole adventure preparing both yourself and the required documents, for a safe trip. However, the first question that pops into your head is: ”what should I pack for my travel?” followed by ”what are the documents I need?” and ”how should I handle money while I am abroad?”

You do not need to worry, however, thinking in advance is a great plan so will not have to experience the unpleasant feeling of being delayed by some aspects you did not know. Here are some useful tips on how to organize yourself and which documents you need for a successfull travel .

1. You need to apply for a Passport and Visa.

Remember the articles we have posted on https://educationalscholarships.net/ about getting Australian and American VISAs? If you do not remember, please access them below.

For US: https://www.educationalscholarships.net/2017/05/19/how-to-get-your-us-student-visa/

For Australia: https://www.educationalscholarships.net/2017/05/16/this-is-how-you-get-an-australian-student-visa/

First of all, it is important that you have a valid passport if you want to travel and study abroad. If you are currently having one, do not forget to check if it has expired. If you have traveled before, you need to have blank pages in your passport. If you did not travel so far and you do not have a passport, you can apply for a new one at selected post offices, federal or state courts of records, or at a State Department passport agency. It takes from 6 to 12 months to get a passport, so make sure to start in advance. The process can be expedited, however, it will cost extra.

A. For the first passport you need to bring the: birth certificate, 2 recent passport-sized photos, a certified identification, and the passport application.

B. If you are renewing your passport you do not need to bring the birth certificate.

2. You need to visit a travel doctor

Ensure you are in a good condition by visiting your doctor and getting a pshyisical. You may need to bring your medical record in case of an emergency overseas. It is highly important to inform yourself on the country’s immunization requirements that you plan to visit. You will have to become immunized before your departure. Contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in your country so that you could be advised on the types of vaccinations you’ll need (if any) while abroad. In case you have a critical medical condition which requires presciption drugs, if it is possbilr, you would have to bring enough with you to last your entire time abroad. The drugs that are prescribed should be carried in correctly labeled containers so that they will not be mistaken for illegal drugs.

3. You need to get a travel insurance

While studying abroad, you might want to have a reliable health and accident insurance policy as well as coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation. These are some of the aspects a travel insurance covers: stolen personal belongings, evacuation in case a natural disaster has occured, lost lugggage, coverage if your flight is delayed / canceled. You can find more about the expenses a travel insurance covers here: https://www.gooverseas.com/blog/learn-how-to-choose-travel-insurance-for-your-gap-year

If you are an African citizen, you can check throughout the internet a travel insurance for African citizens. Read carefully and select the one which fits you best.

Stay tuned for part two!