The Ultimate Cheat Sheet on Studying Abroad

Nothing beats the experience of studying abroad on many levels! You grow to be adventurous, independent and always curious to discover more of the world. You get to truly experience the culture, the language and student life in the country.

How Do I Study Abroad?

There are various factors you need to keep in mind upon deciding on studying abroad. You have to research your choices thoroughly; choose a university, check the cost of living within a country, check airline tickets, decide on a student housing, etc.

Here, we’re discussing the essence of everything you need to know to study abroad independently.

1. Decide on a Country and a University Major

It is fine if you already have a country in mind; however, if not, it might be better to decide where you intend to go based on your major. Doing some research on the best universities teaching the major you’re interested in might be of great help at this stage.

If you’d like to study business and finance, check universities in London, New York, Sydney, and Melbourne. If you are going for English literature, for example, check Oxford, Dublin and Edinburgh. Glasgow is your place if you’re aiming at music and Singapore could be it if you’re majoring in education or engineering.

It might also be a good idea to investigate if your university has a partnership with a university outside your country. Nowadays, most universities have partnerships with universities in various countries, meaning that you can easily transfer your credits and continue your studies.

2. Research Cost of Living 

It is no secret that travelling abroad is relatively expensive. Upon deciding on a university, you must research the average cost of living in the city. Transportation and living costs vary from one country to another, depending on your student housing and your daily eating habits; however, researching the basic costs can give you an idea about how much cash you might need when living and studying abroad.

The average international student in Australia spends approximately AUD$1,550 per month while in the US the average is roughly $700 and the UK has an average of £963.

Additionally, It is strongly recommended to research all the possible discount options in a country before moving in. Mostly, popular student cities offer discounts and have special prices for students so it might be a good idea to keep your student ID with you at all times to benefit from it, as it can get you into museums and other tourist attractions at a reduced price.

If you are interested in student discount cards, you might want to check out our 5 recommended student discount cards in the UK blog article.

3. Find a Student Housing

That’s not the tricky part! You, of course, know you need to find a student room. The method of researching the best student housing, however, is not a matter to be taken lightly. Considering that there are many types of student rooms, you might need to consider what exactly to look for.

So what to ask about when booking your student room?

Mainly, we could say that you have to decide first if you’d like to share your room or you’d like to have your own sleeping space. When deciding on that, decide on whether you are up to sharing the bathroom, the kitchen, or only the building facilities. Whether you choose this or that, ask about all-inclusive bills, internet, contents insurance and the main communal areas of the building as a whole. If you’ve chosen to share, ask about splitting these expenses if they don’t come included in your rent. So it’s fair to say that choosing a student accommodation with all-inclusive bills will be better for covering most of your living costs.

For more information on student rooms, read our how to choose your student room blog.

 4. Decide on Your Airline Ticket

Have you ever heard about a budget airline? They are the perfect choice for students travelling on a budget. These airlines are usually budget-friendly, non-refundable and offer only the bare minimum needs for a flight. They usually don’t provide in-flight meals or refreshments, and may not offer numbered seat allocation. The budget airline available near you differs based on where you are and where you intend to go.

The UK has some of the best budget airlines available, including Jetstar Airways and Easy Jet. Jetstar is also available in Australia, along with Virgin Australia Airlines is a budget airline suitable for domestic trips. Additionally, Etihad Airways is a suitable airline if you intend to go to Dubai. You might need to compare ticket prices before purchasing your airline ticket, Hipmunk and Skyscanner are useful apps that you should use for that.

Amazing fact: Did you know that studying abroad affects your mental and physical health? It helps you stay open-minded to change and adapt easily to changes. You can read our studying abroad helps you become smarter and happier blog post for more insight!