What do you need to know and do before going abroad?

 In Blog
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A lot of partying, enjoying the beautiful weather and combining this all with an internship, study or work. Going abroad seems really great!” Many of you may have already thought about it, at least I know I did, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.

We all know a person or we even have a friend who goes abroad for a few months. Whether it is for an internship, study or simply to travel. Because yes, who would not want that? It is obviously a great life experience, going abroad. But what does it all entail? Below you can find some handy and useful tips to make your internship, study or job abroad run smoothly.

Tip 1: First things first: what kind of internship, study or work are you looking for?

At first it is important to have some kind of an overview or an idea in your head. Important questions on this matter might be: What do you want to accomplish abroad? What will you learn? What do you want to learn? How does your ideal school, company or organization look like? What can you contribute? Once you’ve answered these questions for yourself, you can start looking for a place.

If you already know at which school you want to study, you can just start at the beginning by contacting them about the possibilities and about the appropriate documentations. If you already know at which multinational you want to do your internship or you want to work, you can start by applying for a job. Just call them, if you don’t immediately dare or they don’t answer the phone send them an email.

But do you still have no idea or no clue what you want? Try Googling around for a bit and see what you can find on various blogs. There are plenty of people who want to share their experience and knowledge with others.

 

Tip 2: sunbathing on the beach or picking up some culture in the city?

If you know what kind of study, internship or job you are looking for, it is of course very important to choose the right country. You will eventually live there for a few months. To make the choice easier you first have to ask yourself if you want to live inside or outside of Europe. Don’t you want to go too far away from your friends and family so they can still drop by (regularly)? Then choose a European country. Do you really want to see the wide world during your studies, internship or work? Choose for going abroad.

 

Would you like to live in a dynamic and busy area like New York? Or is it more your choice to go to a country with lots of sun (warm weather), nature and relaxed people? Then maybe you should think about going to Aruba. Please take also into account that the culture and the environment of the country suits you.

Tip 3: Provide a roof over your head during your stay abroad!

When you arrive at your destination where you will be studying, working or doing an internship, it would be nice if you have a roof over your head. Therefore, try to search for a place to stay from your own country, before you begin to move abroad. Look around on the internet, you will find a lot of information about finding an accommodation. You can even find, book or rent a place to stay through the internet.

 

If you have no experience or no luck finding an accommodation, there are some companies and / or organizations that take care of finding something but it can cost you some more money.

Also, do not forget to book your flight ticket on time, this can save you a lot of money, as some periods are cheaper!

If you haven’t found a place yet, do not panic! I had the same problem, in some countries it can be harder to find a place to stay through the internet. Sometimes it’s better and even required to travel to your destination of choice, so you can see the accommodations for yourself and seek some more until you found the one you like.

If this is the case, then you can do the same thing as I did: simply look for a good hostel (preferably one in the area) for the period that is necessary. If you didn’t find anything or you’ve just given up simply because your period of stay is too short to let something (e.g. 3 months), you can try to ask the manager of the hostel whether it’s possible to book your room for a longer period of time.

In my case, this was successful and I now live for three months in a nice, clean hostel with all the necessary facilities and with very nice people! This can make your stay even more fun because you meet a lot of people from different countries and you are never alone …

So think it over. 😉

But in any case, do not panic, there is a solution for everything!

 

Tip 4: Before you go: take care of all important (paper) affairs

 

A study, an internship or a work abroad means taking care of more things than simply staying in your own home country. But nowadays going abroad became so popular that all of this doesn’t count for much anymore.

It’s just important that you are properly insured before you go. Keep in mind that you will stay and live abroad for a long time and that you will need to check and / or change your insurance. It is also important that you have a liability insurance, otherwise you may not accommodate in another country.

 

Before you leave you should also find out if you are entitled to a scholarship for your study or internship abroad. If you will be staying within Europe, you can be entitled (in some countries) to an Erasmus scholarship. This means that you will get a monthly amount deposited on your account because you are studying or doing an internship in Europe. You can apply for this scholarship at your school in your country.

Also, it’s very important that when you go for a study or a work placement, the school has been informed of your choice, that all the documents needed are completed and fully in order before departure. And do not forget to find out what the requirements are to be allowed to live in that country. For example, in America you have to have a visa. This, so you can leave to your new “home” with peace of mind and completely insured by the school. Leave everything tidy before you leave! 🙂

Tip 5: Financial matters for your stay abroad

 

The last tip is one of the most important ones: did you considered your budget? Can you spend a little or a lot of money? For example: food in Australia and New Zealand are very expensive, but in Ireland the homes are very pricey. Your choice of country can also depend on this matter. Make sure you saved enough money, so you can get around. You aren’t going abroad just to get into money problems. I hope not! 😉

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If you’ve followed all these steps and everything is in order, your great adventure can begin!

Are you thinking about going abroad or did you already go abroad? Do you have or did you had any troubles going abroad? How did you resolve them or was this article helpfull?

Let us know by connecting with us through mail, Facebook or Twitter.

Below you can find a few more handy tips which you can quickly overlook:

  • Start searching early:

Going abroad is becoming more popular, making the best schools, internships and jobs more wanted (they’re filled before you know it)!

Language Master

  • Learn the language:

It’s useful if you’re fluent in English, you can always save yourself. But make sure that you’re also open to learn the language of the country. E.g. are you going to a Spanish country? Make sure that you already know a few useful phrases.

  • Give a farewell party!

A study, an internship or working abroad is obviously a huge challenge, but you will also miss your friends and family. Therefore, go out and have an enjoyable evening or keep a small party. So you can say goodbye to everyone.

  • Ensure proper arrangements (work placement):

Make sure you’ve everything well organized with your school, but also with your new employer. This is necessary so you won’t be faced with any surprises. Also, put all agreements in writing just to be sure.

 

  • Take lots of pictures! 😉

Your time abroad will be a time to remember. Beside studying or working you will also have some free time. That’s the period when you’ll soak up a lot of culture or just relax and go party.

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