Studying abroad in Europe, with the plethora of countries, can be an excellent education experience, and is often times, rather life-changing. But there are plenty of anxieties that can come from it, what with all the planning that needs to be done. There are many things to think about before you make your trip abroad, from where you’ll live to where you’ll study, or where your income will come from. But to help you get started on making an awesome to-do list before you go, here are four general things to get done:
Contact Your Bank
This is an important thing to do to ensure that you have access to your money while you’re in a different country. If you do not contact your bank to let them know what is going on, they will block your card the second you purchase anything in another country (which, overall with all things considered, is good thing that they hold this precaution).
So, don’t forget to warn them! You might have to go in during their regular hours depending on what type of questions and procedures they have.
Unlock Your Cell Phone
If you are studying abroad, it is recommended that you get a local number of the country you’re visiting. Most phone carriers will lock your phone by default. You should ask your phone company to unlock your phone; it is free of charge to do this. However, this could take up to a week to happen, so try to plan for this in advance.
See Your Healthcare Options
Many study abroad programs require students to sign up for a student health insurance programs or a health benefits plan while you’re away. The first thing you want to do is check if your current plan covers you abroad beyond a simple trip to the ER.
Although you are going to get a check up before traveling abroad, you want to be sure to have quality medical insurance that supports you while you are in your host country. It comes as a surprise to many Americans that dental care is not a high priority in many European nations or is prohibitively expensive, so if you have anything that you need done, do this before you leave – particularly for wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth are the last molars, or “third molars” that develop on each side of the jaw.
They usually emerge in the back of the mouth between the ages of 16-20, and a lot of people as students end up having to get them done. Research to see if your home college offers student health insurance plans for you.
Research, Research, Research
You might’ve have already done this to decide where you’re studying, and where you might be living. But aside from just the student considerations, make sure to get info on the town or city you’ll be staying at, as well as the typical budget that will be expected of you to buy groceries and other necessities.
You might have to online forums or contact people who live in that area of the country you’ll be visiting to get the best information on the best deals and more affordable buying options.
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