Written by: Caitlin Moore, Study Abroad Advisor and Communications Manager
Before You Go
You use it every day and rarely think about it, but now you’ll have to make a plan in advance! Read this article to learn more about what to do with your cell phone before you leave to go abroad and while you’re there to ensure you have the best service possible!
How to Avoid International Roaming Charges on your iPhone
Financials Abroad
Money on the mind? Don’t worry, there are some great resources to help you navigate a new financial system while abroad.
The Best Credit Cards for Studying Abroad: Stay Safe and Save Money
Booking a Flight
Booking a flight abroad can make even the most experienced traveler a bit nervous. Luckily for you, there are some great resources that can help you make the most informed decision possible for your study abroad experience.
8 Ways to Snag Cheap Study Abroad Flights– article
Hopper is a way to track flights and predict when they’ll go on sale and how much you can save. You can use it to sign up for alerts. *It’s always best to book directly through the airline
STA Travel is a site specifically for student travelers. Discounts you’ll find here are not available to anyone but students! STA Travel also offers flexibility in payments- you may be able to make payments instead of paying all at once.
Skyscanner has some helpful search functions and criteria. Once you’ve found a good flight, it’s always best to book it directly through the provider you’re going with. Skyscanner typically redirects you to the airline itself, which is what you want. Watch out for redirects to third-party sites that book the flight on your behalf. You may not be as protected in the event of a flight cancellation or other issue if you book through those sites.
Public Transportation
If you’re not accustomed to navigating public transportation, no worries- many other students are in the same boat as you. And although it may be a bit intimidating and everyone is bound to make a couple of mistakes, public transportation is often the most time and cost-effective way to get around major cities while abroad. At first, it may seem overwhelming or even impossible to navigate, but eventually it may become one of your favorite things about your study abroad location!
The bare bones explanation of how to use public transportation:
How to Navigate a Subway Map– video (this video provides a helpful overview to public transportation beginners.
*Although this video is used to describe how to navigate a subway map, it can be applied to any form of public transportation, including trains, metros, buses, and trams in any location.
*Subway, metro, and tube can be used interchangeably to describe a mostly underground train system
After you’ve watched the above video for a bare bones explanation of how to use public transportation, these resources may be helpful to answer additional questions:
*The following resources are helpful to students going to any study abroad destination and using most forms of public transportation*
How to Use the Metro in Paris & Best Apps for Paris Metro Maps– video
Navigating Metro Stations– article
Rick Steves’ City Transit Tips– article
A Beginner’s Guide on How to Navigate a Metro System– article
How to Use the Bus and Metro in Barcelona– video
During Your Semester Abroad
Traveling throughout your host country or to other nearby countries: One Skyscanner hack is instead of flying in and out of the same location, look at the “Multi-city” function to see which places you can fly back from. Book your travel plans by choosing the cheaper option (if you’re going to Germany and Norway, maybe it’s cheaper to fly to Norway first and fly back from Germany than vice versa.) Skyscanner also allows you to look at the whole month of costs instead of just a specific date, so if you’re flexible, you can really book a bargain!
Another travel tip is to travel light (sometimes you can even take a “personal item” backpack instead of paying for a carry-on. If, however, you do take a carry on or larger luggage but want somewhere to store your things so you can explore before you’re able check into your hostel/Airbnb/hotel, use NannyBag or its equivalent at your travel destination to store your luggage!
Take the time to learn some travel hacks!