5 incredible ways to make the most of your studies abroad

Studying abroad is a very rewarding experience. If you are thinking of spending some time in another country as a student, here are some tips for a successful experience.

1. Prepare your stay

Let’s start with the annoying part: when moving to another country, there is a whole administrative process you will have to go through. It can be more or less painful, depending on the country you’ll be living in. So, in order to be as relaxed as possible for the big departure, start with these procedures a couple of months in advance:

• Ensure that you’ll be granted a visa
• Make sure that your passport is valid
• Subscribe to an overseas insurance
• Get an international driving license

Our advice is to go on the country’s government website, which will give you all the requirements and procedures.

2. Try to learn the local language

Even if speaking English fluently might be enough to live in your destination country, knowing a little bit of the local language can be a real asset. It’s a great way to exchange a few words with locals, identify key place and so on. It also shows that you are an open-minded person. A couple of months before your departure, just take some language lessons or train yourself with apps such as Duo Lingo.

3. Mix in with locals and other international students

Don’t stick around with people from your own nationality all the time. We never say it enough: getting to know a country is getting to know its inhabitants. Try to immerse yourself in the local culture, make friends with students from your destination country. You can also initiate them to your own cultural habits!

4. Enjoy working in an international environment

It might be your only opportunity to study or work in a foreign country! You can learn from the international professors and the way they teach. Furthermore, it’s a good occasion to work on a project with a multicultural team. A great way to prepare for your future job in a multinational company.

5. Visit the country

You are maybe thousands of kilometers away from home. So why not enjoy everything that the country can offer? Don’t just stay in your studying city but travel around. You can visit other cities, go on weekend trips in nature. If you’re in Europe, distances are pretty small so you can even visit big capitals around.