Ever since I got into university one of the main things I wanted to do was study abroad. I had no idea how to get started and was constantly trying to figure out when deadlines were due. Little did I know, you usually have to apply a year in advance and I ended up having to rush all my paperwork the day before it was all due. So, I decided I would make a list of five things you should do before studying abroad so you can avoid the mistakes I made.
1) Research the country that you're interested in
Where in the world do you want to go? A country where the people speak a completely different language from you? A place where people get around on bike? Do you want to be in the city or countryside? These are all important factors to research when thinking about the country you want to go to.
2) Find out the due dates for your application at your schools study abroad office
Go in and ask about studying abroad! I wish I had done this so I didn't have to rush all the paperwork I had to do. There usually are a few forms you have to fill out. For example, I had to get letters of recommendation from two professors, a list of the classes I was going to take at my host university, and a general form about myself.
3) Look into Scholarships
Many universities will offer scholarships to students that are studying abroad and a lot of the time these scholarships are easy to win due to the fact that a lot of people don't apply for them. Also see if the host university you're attending as scholarships for exchange students. The one I went to did and I was able to receive it. There are also a lot of scholarships offered by private groups for people who are studying abroad. One that I received was the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship that gives scholarships to students who receive the Pell Grant. There are so many scholarships out there and it's free money that can enrichen your time abroad even more.
4) Connect with other people that are studying abroad
The semester before I went abroad I met some other students who were going to study abroad in Japan as well. It was nice having someone to ask about the paperwork they were filling in or just sharing our fears and excitements about studying abroad. Some of us were in different cities in Japan and it was nice being able to visit them and have them show me around their town and vice-versa.
5) The paperwork will feel like it will never end
So you've filled out all the paperwork to study abroad (Yay time to go abroad!). Nope, it's not over. Your host university will send you papers about every month before leaving abroad. Ranging from housing forms to visas the paperwork will never stop. So make sure to keep everything organized and filed away and always keep extra copies of papers just in case.
