Preparing for Study Abroad

College enables students to a variety of experiences, including the opportunity to study abroad with your hundreds of countries to choose from. Ever since I entered college three years ago, I knew that I wanted to experience studying in another country, especially in Europe (which I’ve never been to!) Because I will be studying abroad through the UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), this post will focus primarily on preparing for this specific program.

Money
If you have even the smallest interest in studying abroad, I say go for it. It doesn't hurt to apply, and there's always a misconception that students “can’t afford” studying abroad. Coming from a first generation low-income student, I can guarantee you that money should not prevent you from studying abroad. Some colleges abroad may even be cheaper than the one you are currently attending!

Inevitably, there are travel and personal expenses, but there are TONS of scholarships in which you can apply for that your college provides. Many scholarships have similar questions and prompts so you can write a universal essay with little tweaks in each one. This is literally FREE money! Make sure to apply early and keep track of all your deadlines! An excel spreadsheet or Google Calendar would be extremely useful in this case.

If you're currently a student receiving financial aid, then the amount you get studying abroad is proportionally matched to what you would be getting at your original college. Thus, all the government money will be transferred and you will still be receiving aid (as long as you turn in your FAFSA application).

Even with all these available resources conveniently here for you, it is still smart to save up before your departure. I don’t have a certain amount that you should save up for since different people have different spending habits. Personally, I would not want to worry about money when I am abroad, so I save more than enough for me to be able to enjoy my experience without limitations and second thoughts.

Therefore, working in advance and creating a savings account can be extremely beneficial for you and your pleasurable expenditures!

Time

Planning can be a hassle, but is essential in studying abroad. To begin the process, pick a quarter/semester in which you are interested in attending. You would have to apply at least six months to one year in advance. For example, I will be studying abroad in the Fall of 2018. However, I applied for the program in the Fall of 2017. Therefore, extensive planning is required and pay attention to deadlines! A lot can happen in one year so make sure to keep up to date on responsibilities and notices in your email inbox. You don’t want to miss an opportunity of a lifetime.

Material

Because you are traveling outside of the country, you will need to obtain a passport without a doubt. If you don’t already own one, getting a passport can be a hassle. But it doesn’t have to be if you start early! Passports do take up to a month to three months because of its long process. Contact your local city hall and take a local passport photo to add onto your passport. If you already have one, make sure its not expired and is viable for the entire trip. In some countries, they will ask you to forfeit your passport three months in advance to your departure so if you plan on traveling outside the country before you departure, plan ahead by obtaining a second passport with city hall.

The application process also requires additional information including your most recent school transcripts where you can obtain through your school’s admission office. Some programs require academic approval from your counselor as well as supplemental questions for impacted programs. Have a checklist ready for any other required material to go along with your application!

Resources

Use the resources available for aspiring students just like you! Your college will probably have their very own study abroad center available. Because students usually start their research and process around a year in advance, it is best to check in with an advisor every now and then to make sure you are up to date on any required tasks on your application.

Online research is probably the most convenient and informative way to get more information on how to apply, what to study abroad, and what country is the best fit for you. There are tons of previous study abroad students that would love to talk about their experience! These people can be contacted either through your personal network of friends or through your school’s study abroad website. Contacting this people would be very helpful in determining what steps you may need to take as well as first hand advice from a previous student that has been in your shoes not too long ago.

You’re not alone! Traveling may be scary, but you are not alone in this process! There is so much help around you, from starting your application to flying back from your study abroad experience. I hope this short post on preparing for study abroad can help you understand the basics on what to do! I’m very excited myself as I will be departing from USA to Italy this upcoming August!

Ciao,

Jannell