Studying abroad – a dream of many students. In the future, you will not only be able to show an important point on your CV, but also gain experiences for life, get to know new people and expand your network.
But if you want to study abroad, you should prepare well in advance. We have a checklist for you so that nothing can go wrong.
18 months before the start
Exactly, you should start planning 1 ½ years or three semesters before you start your semester abroad.
It is important to think about the following aspects at this stage:
- Choosing the university you want to study at.
- The national language - do you have at least basic knowledge? Or can you easily communicate in English in your desired country?
- The creditability of the courses should not be forgotten, as their level of difficulty should be compatible with that of the university of your choice.
- You should also take care of the admission requirements and leave of absence.
15 months before the start
You should take care of the organizational process almost as early as the things just mentioned, for example
- Keep an eye on application deadlines,
- Language certificates as well
- Obtain letters of recommendation from your lecturers or professors,
- draw up a letter of motivation,
- Pull out the Transcript of Records and one
- request financial confirmation (especially when staying in the USA).
12 months before the start
Now it's time to get down to business: You should now take specific care about your application documents and financing. The College Contact agency is helpful if your dream university is one of their partners.
When it comes to financing, you should save a lot or start your semester abroad via Erasmus, as there are no tuition fees.
You can also apply for BAföG abroad if you stay for at least one semester.
6 months before the start
Administrative matters will be taken care of during this period. You should take care of the following now:
- Visa (if required)
- Insurance – very important: international health insurance
- Vaccinations (e.g. for tropical climates)
- Driver's license
- Flight (Tip: check out student fares for flights )
- Accommodation (Tip: you can book your desired accommodation quickly and easily via Uniplaces )
Uniplaces works closely with universities and has recently even started offering a housing scholarship to help students. On the Uniplaces homepage you can easily enter your move-in and move-out dates as well as your destination city and available accommodation will be listed for you. You can filter the results you find as you wish, e.g. type of accommodation, budget, neighborhood, equipment, etc. Uniplaces only lists reputable and verified landlords who will respond to your request within 48 minutes.
3 months before the start
Last but not least, you should tackle the following:
- Sublet your apartment
- terminate current contracts
- general financial arrangements
- Adapt your wardrobe to the climate abroad and don't forget:
- Say goodbye to friends and family accordingly!
So go for it, start your semester abroad and collect memories for a lifetime!
Your ultimate schedule!
