More universities are offering students the choice to spend a year or semester studying abroad at another university, whether it’s compulsory for your course or you have the option to go, a university year abroad is an amazing adventure! Whilst there are many advantages of studying abroad, it also comes with its challenges, from choosing where to study, to spending a year away from home immersing in a different culture. So, here are some study abroad tips to help you feel confident (and excited!) about your year abroad.
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When choosing where you want to go for your university year abroad, make sure to choose a location you want to go to. Often universities will have partner universities they run exchanges with, so you may only be allowed to go to a selection of cities, however, apply for ones that interest you, not just where all your friends are going! Think about what each city and university can offer you, just as you did when you picked your home university. Perhaps you like skiing and want to study for summer/winter school in Barcelona or you’d love to study in Beijing and learn more about Chinese culture. The best places to study abroad, are the ones where you’ve never been and want to learn more about!
Placements aren’t limited to universities either, through the ERASMUS+ traineeship scheme you can gain work experience, or volunteer in Europe and receive funding towards your living expenses. Traineeships are a great opportunity to gain experience in a field you want to work in later and to earn money.
It can be scary to move to a strange new city alone to study abroad and it is likely you will feel lonely at some stage. Rather than staying in watching Netflix, this is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby or join a similar sport or society that you are part of back home. If you have always played football at home, find a team to join or if you’ve always wanted to go to salsa class, go! Most universities have clubs to join, or you could find one on local Facebook groups or Meetup.com. If you don’t speak the local language, sports are a great way to communicate without knowing the vocab word for word! Every country has their own national sports, dance and interests, taking part in these activities is a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture, learn something new and make some new friends!
Use the time you are studying abroad to explore nearby cities and rural areas. If you are studying in Europe, there are often very cheap trains or coaches which can help you get around without expensive flights. You may even be able to travel to other countries in the university breaks or on weekends. Solo travelling is one of the personal benefits of studying abroad, and is a great way to gain more independence, whilst visiting a city with new friends can help to create bonds and memories for life. Travelling is also a great way to boost your career prospects, here are some of the reasons travelling can aid your graduate job applications.
A lot of people will tell you “study abroad will be the best year of your life”, and whilst it may likely be, it will also be challenging at some points. Don’t go into your study abroad program thinking it is a carefree holiday. It may be 20 degrees warmer, but you will have to find accommodation, sort our travel documents, adjust to life in a new city, make new friends and attend lectures! Of course, everyone’s experiences are different, but it is important to head into your year abroad having organised your documents and accommodation and preparing that at first it may be hard to adjust to your new city. Take your year abroad one step at a time, embrace all the challenges, learn from them and reach out to other study abroad students and laugh through the chaos!
Your study abroad placement sadly won’t last forever and 6 – 12 months down the line you’ll miss the city, your friends and the adventures you had whilst living there. Make sure you take lots of photographs of the city, the culture and of the people who made your trip. Some students like to write blogs or run Instagram accounts about their study abroad experiences, these are all great ways to remember your year abroad and share what you are doing with loved ones at home who will want to stay up to date.
For students studying a language, or for anyone who is trying to learn the local language, stay vigilant and try to speak the local language as much as possible. While it may be tempting and easier to speak your first language, speaking the local language with your new friends and with locals is the best opportunity to improve your speaking abilities, standing you in a much better position for your oral exams! Learning a new language is great to increase your employability, here are some top tips for learning a new language.
If you’re about to study abroad, these tips will help you choose the right placement for you and get the most out of your university year abroad. Studying abroad will look great on your CV and you’ll make memories and friends for life! Check out Give A Grad A Go’s CV Hub for tips, templates and examples for a standout graduate CV!
Starting to think about applying to graduate jobs? Check out the latest graduate jobs and kick-start your career!
Olivia Burney
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Olivia Burney
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