Sunday 4 January 2015

Exchange Preparation Checklist

Sunday 4 January 2015


Once you have completed the drawn-out but necessary application processes and received your acceptance letter from the school abroad, you can REALLY get excited about your trip and begin preparing the details! The following list breaks down the next steps you will need to take to prepare for your long trip. Time to get out a pen and paper!


Stay on top of emails & paperwork

When you are accepted to your school abroad to the time that you leave, make sure to check your emails. Stay in touch with an international students representative about any questions you have, finish signing up for courses and to fill out paperwork.


Make a budget list

This will help you to get a rough understanding if how much you can spend. Take into account the fact that big and metropolis cities are more expensive, especially for food and transit. (It costs me about $30 to get to and around London in one day!) If your total costs are bigger than your bank account will be, think about applying for scholarships (free money!) and about applying for a student loan (make sure to include your budget list and proof of acceptance to the school with your application).


Set up accommodation

It can be quite tricky trying to find private accommodation abroad. Start looking well in advance if this is what you plan to do. I opted for living in a dorm, even though it is about $200 extra a month than I would have liked to pay. There are many advantages to dorms, however: you get to meet people in different programs and make more friends, some cleaning supplies is included, there is a warden who fixes things if you leave him a note (quite quickly in most cases), and dorms are close to school.


Book your airplane ticket

Choose the most convenient dates for yourself to leave home and return and do some searching for tickets. If you are on a budget like me, try CheapOAir.com, which has the lowest rates I've found. Tuesday is generally the cheapest day of the week to fly. I chose to arrive five days before school starts (it starts tomorrow!) to get enough rest and settle in before beginning. At this point I have unpacked everything, bought the rest of my bedroom and bathroom supplies, a decent amount of groceries and even a little bit of decor to create a space that I enjoy. My flight back home is a month after school ends, which is time that I will use for traveling Europe.


Call your credit card

Notify your credit card that you are going abroad, or notify your bank online, so that they don't assume it was stolen and cancel it.


Payment Methods

Sort out the ways you will be paying for things. I pay for a few things with Visa when cash is inconvenient or not accepted, but minimally because the interest is 2.9%. I brought quite a bit of cash with me, enough to last at least the first month, though only one or two weeks is really necessary. I am also going to set up a bank account here and wire transfer the money I will need for the following four months, including travel. My back-up plan is to ask my parents for help by sending more money through a wire transfer. I had to go to the bank and give my dad power of attorney to my account for this to be possible. However, I am hoping that I did a good job of budgeting and that I won't have to ask my parents for help!


Adapters/Converters

These are necessary but sometimes don't work, which can be a drag. Most of my appliances work except for my straightener, and a few of my friends' converters don't work with certain appliances. Do your research to make sure you bring the right kind, otherwise you could probably find one in the city where you're staying. For certain appliances, maybe think about buying them abroad, but generally I found that appliances are too pricey for me to use just for four or five months.


Plan Your Packing

Start thinking of what you will need to pack. I made an Excel spreadsheet and kept adding things when I thought if them for about a month. I didn't list all the clothes I would take because that list is long, but thinking about things ahead of time helped prevent last minute purchasing and errands and made the process less stressful. I am working on a post about what to pack vs. what to purchase abroad, coming soon.


Arrange Transportation from the Airport

At first my friend and I thought that we would take the Tube and the train all the way from Heathrow airport to the town we are staying at, two hours away. I am so glad that we opted to arrange a car the day before! Visiting the city of London we found that the Tube was way too busy and totally not doable with a bunch of bags and suitcases. With just one smaller suitcase it would be okay. Student services are much cheaper than taxis. A taxi would have cost us £200, while our student driving service cost £70.


Search for Shops

Before arriving, I asked a classmate who has taken the same exchange about grocery and supply stores, and she gave me an informative list. I searched these up on Google Maps and printed them. This was very helpful because once I arrived all tired and jet lagged, I already knew where to go to get some food and necessary supplies, such as bed sheets.


Of course every country is different and everyone's situation is different. There may be other things that you would need to look into, but I think that this is great starting point. I am more than willing to talk if you have any questions. (claudiamariademcak@gmail.com)


Good luck with your preparations,



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