Studying abroad has become increasingly popular over the past years. Indeed, quite a few universities, mainly in the United States and Europe, are aiming towards making it a compulsory part of the academic curriculum within the next couple years.
As a result of the growth in the number of student participating in overseas programs, study abroad advising has become less personalized. Thus, students have a greater responsibility for carefully preparing their time abroad.
In this post I want to share some steps and tips for optimizing the preparation for study abroad so that there are no loose ends:
1. Identify the best destination for you: ask yourself what you want to gain from the experience and which are your priorities (i.e. study in Spanish, to go to England, etc.). The International Office at your university will be able to provide a listing of all universities they partner with and will also advise you on what procedures you should follow if you decide to go to a non-partner university.
2. Find out about program fees and scholarships: do not give up on your international experience because you believe that you won’t be able to afford it; there are a lot of scholarships out there and many of them do not get enough applicants each year. (Read the scholarship posting for more information and some useful links).
3. Select courses: this is the step that should take you the most time and effort. However, this work will allow you to make the most of your experience and will guarantee that all of the work you do and approve overseas is recognized by your home institution upon your return.
When selecting courses make sure you understand:
a. the host university’s academic calendar (i.e. is it the same as the one in your home country or is it the other way around?). Take this information into consideration when searching for courses;
b. how many courses does your home institution require you to take and what the allowed study load is in the overseas university;
c. if your home university has any restrictions on the type of courses that you may take overseas;
d. if there are any courses whose equivalence have already been approved by your home university;
e. if the credit system abroad is the same as in your home institution. If this is not the same, you should find out what the equivalences are;
f. whether you have the right academic standing for the courses you want to take (i.e. have you taken their pre-requisites? Is the course too basic/ too advanced for you?);
g. what the attendance policies are; and,
h. the grading system and grading criteria.
This information is usually available on the university’s webpage. If you have trouble finding it, contact the host institution to request it.
When possible, try to learn about each course’s schedule so that you can get a sense of whether you will be able to take all the courses you want or if they will overlap.
4. Get the equivalences approved: make sure to know who at your university is responsible for approving the courses you may take overseas. Either make a time to meet with that person or send him/her the course syllabi, information about the credits each course entails, and a list of the courses from your home institution that you think are equivalent to the ones you want this person to assess. Have the outcome of this evaluation in writing before you apply to the program and to keep copies of the approvals in your mail in case you need to access this data during your time overseas.
Since your application will have to be submitted a few months before your program begins and there may be schedule and other changes in the courses available, it is a good idea to get more equivalences approved than courses you will do during your exchange. By doing this you will have alternatives should there be any last minute changes.
5. Apply to the program: make sure to read the whole application requirements and forms before you complete them. If a statement of purpose is needed, take the time to write a different one for each university and program that you are applying to and to really think about why you want to go there. Before submitting the documents double check that you have included everything that is required and that, if the language at the host institution is different from yours, all your documents are translated. (Note that often incomplete applications are not considered.)
If the university you want to go to has on-campus housing or provides housing arrangements for international students, do not forget to submit your request for accommodation together with your application.
6. Get ready for your program: once you have been accepted, double check that the courses you want to take will be offered during the period of your program. Should you need to request any additional course approvals, take care of this before you leave your university. Make sure to understand if there are any special communication protocols that you will have to maintain with your home institution during your program. Also, be clear on all formalities that you will have to complete to get your credit transferred upon your return to your home institution (i.e. will you have to hand in the transcript yourself and complete any credit transfer request forms?)
a. If needed, apply for a visa following the information provided by the overseas university or by the host country’s consular section.
b. Obtain an appropriate international health insurance- make sure that this meets the requirements of both your home and host university.
c. Secure your housing. Know where to pick up your keys upon arrival and make arrangements for after-hour or weekend pick up should you get there outside of regular office hours (or on a holiday).
d. Make a budget and plan how you are going to access your funds during your stay overseas. (Note that not all countries will allow you to open a bank account for the period of your exchange. Find out if this is will be the case and make appropriate arrangements).
e. Get a general medical check-up. You may also want to go to the dentist, to the optometrist, etc.
f. Learn about the country you are going to. Watch movies, read books, practice the language.
g. Find out which is the best way to get from the airport to your housing or the university. If taking public transportation, find out its operation hours.
7. Enjoy your experience! Be curious, open-minded, and willing to learn every day new things about the host country, its culture, history, and people. If you have any difficulties or concerns, promptly contact the international office at your host or home institutions. There you will most likely find the resources and support to make the best out of your time overseas.
