Ready for take off! Your experience abroad shall begin… Wait, wait, wait. Are you sure that everything is planned and that you haven’t forgotten anything?
Living abroad and studying abroad are amazing experiences, but (yes, there is a “but”) the life before the departure may be stressy. Budget, documents, exams, public transports, bank accounts, health insurance, accommodation, etc. All those details have to be carefully planned before your arrival and, sometimes, even before the choice of the city.
As we are here to help you and to ease your arrival in the city, we have created a check-list for you. You can use it to check if you are really really ready for this new adventure and to leave your country with no worries.
Budget
This is maybe the worst part, because it will make you realise if you can start your life abroad, where you can go, which type of accommodation you can effort, etc. When you deal with finances those are the things that you have to take into account: price of the room or flat, cost of living (expenses, food, drinks, medicaments, etc.), price of public transports, eventual taxes (e.g. university taxes), and cost of flights.
Once you have fixed this, you can start planning your stay in a more concrete way. We kindly suggest you to choose a location only if you can effort it, not just because it is the coolest of the list!
Accommodation
Once you have clear how much money you have at your disposal, you can choose your accommodation.
The first thing you have to fix is the kind of room you want. You can go in a student residence or you can opt for a shared flat, you can rent a single room or a double one.
The second thing you have to decide before looking for a room is its location. We always suggest giving preference to the city centre or a neighbourhood close to the university. It will be easier to get around and you will enjoy more the city life.
There are then two other things that play a central role in the choice of the accommodation: the services and the public transports. Check always if there are supermarkets and banks close to the flat and check if it is well connected with university, city centre or your job location (you’ll save a lot of time if the places you have to reach daily are well connected to your flat).
Documents
It is always boring to prepare all the documents, but, unfortunately, you have to do it. We suggest you to make a list of what you need before your departure (VISA or any other university/job paper) and what you’ll have to do when you arrive in the city (residence permit, registrations, etc.). In this way you’ll be prepared and organized and you’ll save time. Another quite important detail is the health insurance. Every country has its own system, so collect information in advance and be sure to have everything fixed before the departure.
Flight tickets
Once you have a room and you have the documents, plan your trip! Buy your tickets in advance, so that they are cheaper and you can save the money for future travels.
Public transports
Once you have fixed all those major details, you can focus on some other equally important aspects. The first one is related to the mobility in the city. Check the public transports you have at your disposal, their timetables and if there are apps that can help you to organize your displacements. As we have already pointed out, this aspect should be considered during the choice of the accommodation, too.
Country and city information
Have you ever heard of “culture shock”? Collect information about the weather, the laws, the traditions, the culture, the habits and the language of your new country. This is not just interesting, but it will prepare you to your experience abroad.
Don’t worry! There are several things to fix, but if you follow our tips and you plan everything, it will be a walk in the park. Furthermore, remember that you are not alone! We are always at your disposal for any doubt and we will be happy to help you, by providing you housing solutions in the best locations of the city or simply by giving you some more tips. With us, you’ll never fell alone!
Accommodation? Got it
Documents? Got it
Flight? Got it
Public transports? Yes
Dictionary? Got it
Suitcase? Done
Smile? Definately
Now you’re ready … Buckle up!