This article was written by Rachel Brooks from University of Exeter
Preparing for a year abroad can elicit a range of emotions: nerves, excitement and anxiety, just to name a few. But managing these feelings is all down to preparation. In the wise words of Taylor Swift: “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. There are many ways to prepare for your year abroad, to help set you up for one of the most fun years at university. This guide will break down the preparation timeline to help you structure the few months before your big move!

Five months out

Five months out
Source: Canva
Arguably one of the most important steps of preparing for a year abroad: start looking into your visa application. I know these are the two words to strike fear into any non-EU passport holder. Despite its notorious reputation, it is not as difficult as some make out. The process is only painful if you make it so! You can strip it of its mystery by searching for the checklists provided by consulates and embassies (the places where your visa is processed) and make sure that the checklist corresponds to your country of origin. Someone with an Iranian passport will likely have a different checklist to follow than someone with a British passport, even when applying for the same country’s visa.  Remember, the student visa is the easiest to get compared to other visas, so make sure to make the most of this and don’t stress too much!

Four months out

Five months out
Source: Canva
Now’s a good time to get into contact with a student in the year above who has gone through the exact same process of preparing for a year abroad. My home university provided us with the email addresses of students who went to the same country and host university as us. I was put in contact with a lovely girl who helped to demystify the whole process and answered all my panicked messages. Befriend these students. They’ll give you all the inside tips and tricks you never knew you needed. Ask them what stage of the visa application takes the longest (.i.e., some countries require a health certificate, and these can take a while to process) and prioritise those tasks on your handy checklist! You’ll also want to ask about student housing and accommodation. Where did these students stay, would they recommend it, when will the applications open etc. When you’ll need to get started on your application for housing will depend entirely on the accommodation you’ll be staying in so research thoroughly. 

Three months out:

Three months out:
Source: Canva
If you take one thing from this guide, let it be this: START YOUR VISA APPLICATION EARLY. Bureaucracy is famously slow. You’ll want to build in enough time so the inevitable waiting around doesn’t set you back too far. Google the earliest you can start the application process (for France, it’s at most 3 months before you plan to move, other countries may vary) and aim to get started then. Following the advice from the consulate and the students in the year above, plan your application process. Don’t expect to get it all sorted in one day, but break it up into manageable chunks. Don’t rush any section of the application process. Trying to get it over with as quickly as possible can cause you to rush and misread important sections. Get started early, but take your time when completing your application.

Two months out:

Two months out:
Source: Canva
Depending on your passport and the country you’re moving to, it can roughly take about a month from starting your visa application to getting a visa appointment. The sooner you can book this appointment, the better. Dress smartly, research the process and bring EVERY document they have ever asked you for. It is surprising how many people turn up to their appointments empty-handed! If you complete the visa process earlier, you can apply for housing earlier, which removes another layer of stress. Arrive as early as possible and bring a book to keep you entertained, there’s a lot of waiting around involved.

One month out:

Hopefully by this point, you’ll have had / have booked your visa appointment and will have progressed in your housing application. And this is when the fun starts when prepping for your year abroad. Get excited! Amidst the anxiety of preparing for your year abroad, don’t lose sight of why you chose to do it. There is so much to be excited about: the food, the new friends, deepening your language skills, travelling and so much more. To prepare, take to social media, type in your new city and look at all the recommendations from locals and tourists. Make a list of all the cafés, bookshops, bars, clubs and hidden gems you want to visit. Make Pinterest boards for your new city, listen to music from your host country, watch vlogs of someone’s daily life in the city and see what awaits you! I found Tiktok useful to see quick snapshots of what my life could look like in a few months’ time. I got so many cool recommendations of bakeries (can you tell I lived in France?). By the time I actually moved there, I had a list of baked goods I simply had to try.  If the overwhelm is too much to manage, reach out to your home university. Your academic tutor, year abroad supervisor and wellbeing team are only an email away. Their job is to help you prepare for your year abroad and support you throughout the process. They have dealt with hundreds of students in your position and can offer practical advice or just some reassurance.  And that’s how you prepare for your year abroad! It may feel stressful now but it is so worth it. The memories you’ll make and the experiences you’ll have will help put all this preparation into perspective.  Take advantage of all the resources available to you, and don’t forget to enjoy your second year of university.

Authors

  • Hi, I'm Rachel! I'm a French and International Relations student at the University of Exeter. When I'm not studying, I'm usually reading a good fiction book or listening to pop culture podcasts! Or, you'll find me reading the guests' essays from the New York Times.

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  • Aminah is a dedicated content expert and writer at Unifresher, bringing a unique blend of creativity and precision to her work. Her passion for crafting engaging content is complemented by a love for travelling, cooking, and exploring languages. With years spent living in cultural hubs like Barcelona, Sicily, and Rome, Aminah has gained a wealth of experiences that enrich her perspective. Now based back in her hometown of Manchester, she continues to immerse herself in the city's vibrant atmosphere. An enthusiastic Manchester United supporter, Aminah also enjoys delving into psychology and true crime in her spare time.

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