Studying abroad can be one of the most enriching and rewarding experiences a student can have during their years in college.

Securing an admission in an international University in itself is a big achievement and the dream of studying in a different country gives a sense of thrill and anxiety as well.

Travel planning is the first step that students have to start working out. For many, this must be the first time they are travelling to a foreign country all by themselves.

However studying abroad requires a student to be careful about certain things before leaving.

When you travel internationally, it can be an overwhelming task. To think of all the things you may need while you are away from home may never end.

You don't want to take too much, but you also do not want to take too little and have to purchase every day things overseas where you may have to pay much more than they are worth.

Here's a quick glance of what you need to know before leaving your home country

While packing your bags

• Carry your offer letter of the University you are going to study at, along with sufficient passport size photographs in multiple copies which might be required for various reasons.
• Make two copies of your passport identification page. This will facilitate replacement if your passport is lost or stolen.
• Carry appropriate shoes and clothing as per the climatic conditions of the country.
• For festive occasions, carry a set of traditional attire and accessories from your country.
• Make sure you keep basic essentials like toothpaste, toothbrush, towels and other things in your cabin baggage, pair of clothes and so on.
• Before you go abroad, consult your doctor regarding any personal medical needs. If you are carrying medicines, which are not the general ones then carry doctor's prescription for the same and make sure that they are not banned in the country of your visit.
• It is essential that students have medical insurance that would cover a medical emergency abroad.
• Carry enough snacks and ready-to-eat meals till you get used to the routine.
• Jot down all names, phone numbers, postal and e-mail addresses of campus people and offices with which you might have to contact during your time away.
• Keep a check on the weight of your baggage. You will have to pay extra money if your baggage is over weight.
• Mark your entire luggage with your name, address and have a unique identification to avoid unwanted exchange.
• Even an international demand draft usually takes about 2 - 4 weeks to get encashed so carry enough appropriate currency to last you for the first month or so.
• Maintain copies of your itinerary, passport and visas with family, so you can be contacted in case of an emergency. 

At the airport

• Reach the airport on time.
• It may take more than 10-15 hours to reach your destination and therefore it is essential to be comfortable with your dressing. Ensure that the shoes and clothes you are wearing during travel are comfortable enough.
• Carry the essential and mandatory documents in your carry-on bag and not in your luggage.
• Do not leave your luggage unattended.
• Do not carry packages for any stranger as the packages could contain prohibited items.
• Do not share or produce your documents to anyone unless the person shows you some form of identification and authorisation to receive them with an appropriate reason.
• Understand the immigration rules and fill in the appropriate forms as well at both the points departure and arrival.

After reaching the destination

• Reach your destination at least two days in advance to get over the jet lag and to acclimatize yourself.
• Familiarise yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are travelling. Remember that while in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws.
• Students who wish to work part-time in conjunction with their studies or when their studies are finished should ensure that they understand the laws that apply and comply with them.
• Understand your University and its culture well. Get in touch with the International Students Office.
• You can purchase International Calling cards to make telephone calls to your family and dear ones.
• Keep a record of emergency telephone numbers of the nearest police stations, fire-brigade, hospitals and so on with you.
• In case of any trouble, contact the nearest Indian Embassy.
• Develop a plan with your family for regular telephone or e-mail contact, so that in times of heightened tension, you will be able to communicate with your parents directly about your safety and well-being.
• Avoid crowds, protest groups, or other potentially volatile situations.

Be cautious and observant not only while travelling abroad but otherwise as well so that you enjoy a safe trip.

Bon voyage!

MIND YOUR EXPENSES

US is the costliest of 10 countries surveyed, with Australia and UK close behind.

A report on fees charged to overseas students has found that the US is the most expensive of 10 nations surveyed, followed by Australia and the UK, and stressed the need for "competitive positioning" on scholarships.

The study, the first of its kind in the UK, was conducted by consultancy firm i-graduate for the UK HE International and Europe Unit (IEU).

It examined fees for undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research courses at universities in 10 key international student destinations, taking a snapshot of four subject areas at four to six institutions in each country.

The US had the highest fees, but perhaps surprisingly, courses cost more at New York University (£24,758 a year for undergraduate history) and at the University of Southern California (£24,945) than at Harvard University (£21,604).

Fees at Australian universities outstripped those in the UK, even at institutions ranked lower than their UK counterparts, says the report, International Pricing Study: A Snapshot of UK and Key Competitor Country International Student Fees. Overseas fees for an undergraduate history degree at the University of Sydney were £16,474 a year, while at the University of Oxford, an equivalent course cost £12,700.

Fees were lowest in Germany, starting at £509 a year for undergraduate study at the University of Frankfurt. Germany and the Netherlands were the only nations surveyed that offer public subsidies for overseas students' tuition fees.

The study's authors, i-graduate chief executive Will Archer and project manager Jacqueline Cheng, say that pricing and market intelligence will be increasingly important, and suggest that the "low or non-existent" fees for postgraduate research students in continental Europe, Canada and New Zealand could become key as countries compete for research talent.

But fees are only part of the story, they add, pointing to "significant support for high-quality international students in the form of scholarships (and) fee waivers" offered by some institutions and nations such as the Netherlands and New Zealand.

"More should be done in the UK to attract the most able international students," they say.

The study notes the impending closure of the UK's post-study work scheme for overseas students even as other governments "seize the opportunity to divert great talent from rival destinations".

The estimated costs of living cited by institutions are highest in the US (£18,531 a year at Harvard), followed by Australia and the Netherlands. And recent currency fluctuations have benefited the UK most, making it 10 per cent cheaper for Indian students to study here than it was three years ago, and 24.5 per cent cheaper for Chinese students.

Joanna Newman, IEU director, said the report would enable UK universities to make "quick and easy comparisons, striking the right balance between attracting students and ensuring high-quality programme delivery", and makes clear that the UK is "not the most expensive place to study".

GOING GAGA OVER AMERICA

An Indian student is a welcome addition in the American educational system for the potential he or she brings. But there are inherent dangers in the scramble to go abroad. 

It is not as if governments have nothing to do. But once in a while, hell breaks loose and for all the reasons one could not have imagined. Take the case of Indian students at two Universities in the US — in California and Virginia — whose futures are at stake for presumably no fault of theirs.

The Universities had flouted American immigration laws by admitting more international students than they were permitted!

And the media in India goes bonkers even to the extent of suggesting that Indian students from a particular state may have been targeted.

The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi gets into the act and the American Embassy in New Delhi issues a statement cautioning Indian students wanting to go to the US for studies. And, after two days of being in the headlines, the story line tapers off and not surprisingly so. After all, life has to move on and there are administrative and judicial remedies available.

Statistics show that Indian students make up for about 15 per cent of the foreign student population in the US, second only to China that accounts for about 19 per cent. An Indian student is a welcome addition in the American educational system not because he or she is a money bag, but for the potential they bring along. Many of the Indian students in the American system at the graduate-school level (Masters and beyond) have some fellowship of sorts, subsidised by the American taxpayer.

Natural targets

At the same time, many students from India — thanks to the climbing social mobility and the readiness of banks to lend money for educational purposes — are also entering undergraduate programmes. And they are natural targets for Universities in the US that are seeking higher enrolment, especially from the fees paying community.

The foreign student population in the US is not only a brain asset for America but also a multi-billion dollar industry in terms of revenues generated by way of fees and other associated costs of education.

But there are inherent dangers in this process that require a concerted effort on the part of parents and students of India and from the governments in New Delhi and Washington. In the scramble to go “abroad” for a higher education and presumably for a ‘better' way of life, the right questions are not being asked at the source even if the answers may be readily available.

For example, a student/parent in India may not be aware of the legal limitations imposed by the USCIS (United States Customs and Immigration Services) on a University's student visa intake. But that should not stop them from asking the American diplomatic outposts in India or even South Block on the “standing” of an educational institution, in the state and in the country. Information is there but only for the asking.

First red flag

In the name of globalisation and freeing up of funds for overseas study, one would have to be worried about the fly-by-night educational consultants and representatives of overseas universities who would even seem to guarantee everything including a visa! And here is the first red flag — when a so-called consultant promises easy passage by way of a student visa to the US (or for that matter any other country). Many or most of the educational consultants are genuine but once in a while there is a harrowing tale.

Most importantly, there should be a mechanism to keep track of the so-called overseas educational fairs to ensure that only genuine academic institutions from overseas are allowed to flaunt their wares.

There is the right to go abroad for a higher education and a different way of life but one should also have the right not to be ripped off by unscrupulous institutions and their agents/representatives.

Immigration ‘tagging'

And there is a cautionary word for the media as well — not to project as if only students from India are at the receiving end. Indian students are naturally featured in the Indian media, but the same fate is also in store for students from other countries.

The immigration “tagging” of Indian students in California may be offensive and humiliating, but this does not imply that only Indian students are singled out for this treatment. The same goes for highlighting violence against Indian students overseas — it is not as if some red neck (a racist) is out looking for only an Indian.

Or for that matter, if some six or seven Indian students from the same State in India have been attacked in six or seven cities in the US it does not mean that the particular Indian state has been somehow targeted.

The world has its share of losers just as we have in India. No one has exclusive rights in this domain!