Tuesday, 23 August 2011

Study Abroad - How to Prepare Yourself

Deciding whether or not to study abroad can be an exciting process, albeit also a stressful one. Moving to a new country can be a fantastic way to learn about other countries and cultures, and to diversify your interests. Heading to a new location like London can broaden your horizons and help you to think of your world in more global terms. Here are some tips to follow when making the decision about where to go, where to live, and what to do once one you're there.

Study Abroad
If you are considering to study abroad, it is important to think about which college or universities you might like to attend for the term or entire year in which you want to travel. The most important thing to keep in mind is whether or not your class credits will transfer back to your original school. Be sure that your hard work done abroad does not go to waste by confirming that the classes you enrol in are relevant to your studied back home, and will further your degree. Then, decide what kind of school atmosphere you want. The city of London, for example, is home to countless schools for higher education, each one unique and distinctive. You may want to experience a small campus with close knit students and faculty, or you may thrive on the anonymity of a large city campus and innumerable students.

Once you have decided where you want to study abroad, you will need to coordinate how to get there. Thankfully, flights to the UK are common and typically cheaper than many other destinations abroad. Decide when you want to arrive and depart from the country, and if you want to travel home at all during the period. For students planning on studying abroad for a year, it may be nice to have a short trip home to see friends and family within that period. You will need to apply for a student visa within the UK, and your schools can help you to arrange that. Be sure not to leave those applications to the last minute, as they can sometimes take a while for processing and return mail.

Student accommodations in London, and even throughout the UK, can be quite varied. There are typical dorms for students if you choose to live in student housing, or there are also plenty of opportunities to live in flats or houses with fellow students off campus. Accommodation will likely be one of your largest expenses while you study abroad, so be sure to budget for those costs.

In order to meet new friends when you study abroad, put yourself out there for relationships. Introduce yourself at student functions, and attend events hosted specifically for new and transfer students. You may be interested in joining a club or sports team in order to develop new friendships, or just invite some classmates to the student union's pub to have a drink and discuss upcoming projects and exams. Studying abroad can be the most exciting part of your college career.

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