Checklist for students planning to study abroad

As a student if you get the opportunity to move abroad it can be a very exciting time but also a little daunting. The thrill of the different culture, new scenery and new people take centre stage and some of the slightly less enticing details are pushed to the back of your mind. These are a few things that you should remember when planning your study abroad.

Passport

Surely anyone who is preparing to go abroad will have a valid passport? You’d be surprised. Be sure to check that your passport is still in date as you don’t want this to delay your trip. Equally as important is that it doesn’t expire whilst you’re abroad. The last thing you want is for your passport to expire before your flight home as this can take anything from 4-6 weeks to be replaced and may result in you missing your flight home and additional costs for yourself.

Budget

Start by making a list of any payments that need to be made in your absence. If you have any outstanding debt don’t think that you can just leave it behind, it will be right here waiting for you when you get back and in a much worse state than when you left. Get organised and get in touch with your bank/lender and explain what is happening. It may be that payments can be frozen until your return or even transferred into someone else’s name. Don’t forget that if your moving abroad for an extended period of time you’re going to need a bank account over there as using your current one abroad is likely to cost you money.

On an Erasmus programme you don’t need to pay any extra tuition fees to the new University you will be joining and there are also Erasmus grants that you can apply for but keep in mind that these are to cover things such as a higher cost of living in your country of choice and they are not intended to cover the full costs of your study abroad.

Decide how much money you would like to take with you to get started and be realistic. A good way to be prepared is to work out your budget and then add on an additional 25% as a contingency. If the worst should happen you’ll be glad it’s there. You also need to take into consideration how long you have until you travel. Do you have enough time to actually save that amount of money?

Accommodation

If accommodation is something that you have to organize for yourself be proactive about it. Don’t put it off until you get there as you don’t want to end up being ripped off or even worse having nowhere to stay at all; www.erasmate.com is a site aimed at Erasmus students looking for short term accommodation in Europe and means that you can get it arranged before you travel.

It is also worth thinking about whether you will need to sub-let your current accommodation. If you’re going to study abroad you are likely to be in your second or third year of University and may not be living in halls anymore. Do you rent a room/flat? Who is going to cover the costs while you are out of the country? Think about if you have any friends that would be willing to take it on while you’re away or if not you can use the Erasmate site to advertise it to fellow students. This is a great idea because you could potentially find someone looking for accommodation for the same amount of time as you, so that once your study abroad comes to an end it is an easy transition for both of you.

Hired help

Once you have found your accommodation how do you intend to get all of your belongings there? If you are only studying abroad for three months then this probably doesn’t apply to you but if you are there for a full academic year this is something that you need to consider. Depending on the course that you are doing you may have a lot of essentials that need to go with you and if you are moving for a long time you may require more space than the 23kg the airline allows you. Use an online calculator to work out how much it would cost you to ship everything to your destination as this could work out cheaper than paying for extra baggage and also make it a lot less stressful for you. It may even be necessary to put some things into storage if you are planning to let out your current accommodation. Getting quotes for these early on will ensure you make the most cost effective decision.

Be safe

It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of moving abroad and you can easily forget things like travel insurance. Make sure that you have some in place that covers you for your entire stay as some policies are only valid for 30 days. You will also need to get yourself a European Health Insurance Card before your trip; this means that if you require any medical attention you are entitled to the same healthcare as the nationals and that you can see a local doctor.

Culture

Immersing yourself in a completely new culture can be a daunting prospect but it is important to do so. Not only will it help you to meet new people but it also looks great to future employers as it demonstrates how adaptable you are. You can read more about how studying abroad can improve your future job prospects in this post.

If you will be studying in a country where you do not speak the language then do a little research before you go. Even though your course may be taught in English this doesn’t mean that when you’re in the real world everyone will speak English for your convenience. Pick up a phrase book and even if you can’t get to grips with it the locals will appreciate you making the effort. Reach out to anyone you know that has already done the course you’re about to do as they can give you helpful tips and advice for starting out in your country of choice. If you don’t know anyone there, make friends. Go to local community centers and find out about any groups for expats. Your new University is bound to have communities for people in your situation so really throw yourself into the local culture and you will definitely settle in much quicker.

This post was written by Ashleigh Sheard on behalf of Robinsons Relocation, a UK based specialist in International, European and UK moving and relocation.

An Erasmus student’s guide to Learning English!

Again, we’ve received an interesting post of one of our users. We’re happy to share tips and tricks by Olan Ahern on how to improve your English speaking and writing skills during an Erasmus exchange.

As a former student studying abroad – an Irishman studying in England – I like to think I’m an honorary Erasmus student! While I was unlucky not to have the opportunity to learn a foreign language, I did get the opportunity to meet a lot of students from a wide range of countries. The experience sparked my enthusiasm for new subjects and trying new things; from eating Paella with Spanish students to going out on the town with Russian students and learning to truly appreciate vodka, these experiences changed my life forever!

After spending several months  with my new found friends, something occurred to me (besides the fact these people were great fun to be around); some people were getting a lot better at English while some people were only improving  slightly and others weren’t improving at all.

I asked those who were making great progress what their secret was, how come it was so easy for them to pick up the English language?

The following is a summary of the responses I got:

Speak Regularly
A lot of my friends said they were surrounded by English speakers for the majority of the day, and one of the most important aspects of gaining proficiency in any language is speaking it regularly!

Here is a list of ways to do so:

• Pick subjects that are highly populated with English speaking students, this will encourage you to interact and learn from them.
• Interact with other English speakers as much as possible. This will help you get a proper grasp of the language. This is known as real-world comprehension and practical use of the English language.
• If you live in a bilingual household or dorm, try to make an effort each day to speak English.
• Arrange a day every week for a number of international and English students to meet up in a relaxed environment and learn from one another.
• Go to the local pub! It’s an easy and relaxing way to get a grasp of local slang and different sayings in the area. This is often the most confusing thing for many international students. For example, the saying “it’s raining cats and dogs” doesn’t mean it’s literally raining animals.

Watch T.V.
Watching TV is an excellent way to learn English and relax at the same time. Different programmes offer different opportunities to improve your level of English.

The 3 S’s:

• Soaps: Help you understand different accents. For example, watching Coronation Street will expose you to the Manchurian accent, while watching Eastenders gets you used to a Cockney accent.
• Sitcoms: Improve your cultural awareness and help you to understand different tones and expressions. Also a great introduction to English humour and sarcasm.
• Sport: Improve numerical understanding, possibly for those who have a lower level of English.

Watching programmes is an easy way to improve one’s English comprehension without feeling like you are studying. A helpful tip, as your level increases after a couple of months watch dubbed or subtitled films in favour of those with English voice and subtitles.

The Internet
The Internet is full of resources that can help you improve your English proficiency. Students spend a lot of their time online. Here a list of ways to improve your English whilst online:

• Read news articles on English news websites is a way to work on reading comprehension. The Internet is one of the best places to go to improve vocabulary since definitions can be looked up easily with a simple web search.
• Bookmark an English dictionary website. Some dictionary sites, such as The Free Online Dictionary, have vocabulary games and other learning tools available right on the front page.
• Freerice.com is another vocabulary-building website that allows users to answer multiple-choice vocabulary questions. The site will donate 10 grains of rice to fight world hunger for each correct answer.
• Participating in an English-speaking message board or forum community is a good way to work on your writing ability while discussing topics of interest.
• You can judge your level of English by using sites such as Pearson PTE specialists in English language tests. This is a good method to check where you need to improve.

While a lot of people find it effective to increase proficiency in English through the methods I described above, taking formal classes or joining a club dedicated to learning English can accelerate your progress. Classes can help increase motivation and keep you on a normal schedule of study, many people find this important for learning!

This is a guide I’ve devised from my friends experiences of how they learned English. I hope people who read this post find it useful and hopefully find helpful tips especially if you’re an Erasmus student studying in England.

Olan is a former Erasmus student who works on behalf of Pearson PTE specialists in English Language Learning

The Advantages of Video Conferencing for International Students

The internet has made the lives of everyone on the planet so much easier. With the click of a button one can buy any product they desire and have it delivered to their home address just as quickly. Not only this, but staying in touch has never been easier to do. With the introduction of chat websites that include a microphone and webcam enabling function, meeting new people has never been easier. Not only this, but businesses and classrooms have incorporated the use of video conferencing by LifeSize to keep in touch with clients/students who are out of the country. I have highlighted the main advantages of video conferencing for international students and hope you find these useful and interesting.

Interaction
Have you ever typed to someone on the internet or on a mobile phone? Sending a message with only characters on a computer screen is much more difficult than it is to do face to face. It is far more time-consuming to type out a wall of text concerning the information you are trying to send than it is to just tell the person the same details. And if you are a native English speaker who only knows one language typing to someone who is from a non-English speaking country who is learning English, a lot can be lost in translation.

Sometimes native English speakers can get so used to using slang and figurative speech that it doesn’t come across in text to someone who is unfamiliar with those same mannerisms. Video conferencing removes this language barrier, allowing sentences to be exchanged without the otherwise unavoidable mincing of words. This is why video conferencing would help to assist in preventing misunderstandings which is why it would also be an effective tool to use when participating in student to student housing. For example, if you are a German student offering your room as you will be studying temporarily in the UK, then you may want to speak to the person you are sub-letting your room to. This is especially the case whereby you leave your furniture and other belongings at home. Video conferencing would help getting to know each other in a more personal manner, as opposed to simply writing each other e-mails or chatting with each other.

Learning a new language
I believe this is an advantage of video conferencing that is much overlooked. There is something about learning a language that is made much easier by actually hearing the language. This would explain why someone spending a year in France will pick up the language much faster than someone who spends that same amount of time in the classroom learning it. This is because learning the language is easier when it is relevant. Talking to native speakers of English would make learning the language a little easier to learn. This is because languages are much easier to learn when they are being used in context and with the quirks that only an accent can provide. Video conferencing allows this pronunciation to shine through in a way missed if the message is merely typed out.

Considering student to student housing is a great service mostly offered to international students, international students can already start learning the language when meeting the person who is sub-letting their room to you, in a video call.

Improve your job prospects by studying abroad

Many students are worried about how they will find a job in this gloomy economic climate. There’s no need to be despondent though. There are many jobs available for graduates and others, but it is a challenging job market. If you’re about to start studying, you need to think about how to give yourself a strong competitive edge. Something that’s worth considering is studying abroad, or at least participating in a foreign exchange programme. This may sound a strange way to go about improving your future career prospects, but there are a number of compelling reasons why you should consider this approach.

International knowledge
By choosing to study abroad, you will increase your international knowledge. You will learn about another country’s history, economy and social structure. And perhaps most importantly of all, you will have the opportunity either to learn a new language or improve on the language skills you already have. Employers are very keen to recruit multilingual staff, so this will stand you in good stead when job hunting.

Learning about new cultures
Every country has its own customs and ways of doing things. Learning about these customs can be very interesting and it can also equip you for future interviews. Not only does it give you something interesting to discuss in interview, it also reassures the recruitment team that you are flexible and adaptable which are key skills in today’s job market.

International teamwork
Many businesses are multi-national and have staff employed all around the world, as well as clients from many different continents. Even smaller companies are likely to employ people from all walks of life and their customers are equally likely to come from varied backgrounds. The fact that you have immersed yourself in another country’s culture will demonstrate that you are someone who will work well with all different kinds of people from different cultures.

Being open-minded
Everyone says that travel broadens the mind and it’s true. By studying abroad, you will be exposed to new ideas and new ways of thinking and doing things. Sometimes, you might be exposed to quite challenging experiences which require you to examine your own patterns of thinking. A foreign exchange can provide you with the opportunity to become more independent and worldly wise. Employers will find your independence refreshing and reassuring.

So, before you finally decide where to study, give some serious thought to studying abroad or participating in the student exchange programme from Erasmus. In order to be eligible, you have to do a Bachelor and apply for a grant. You’ll not only get an excellent education, but you’ll be helping to kick-start your career.

This post was written by Susanna Cha on behalf of Guardian Jobs, including graduate jobs, marketing jobs and more.

A Masters after your Bachelor? Check this out…

Have you ever thought about what to do after your Bachelor degree? Some of you might want to continue studying a Master.  

Just a quick note for all these students: Financial Times just published the rankings of the best Masters in Management world wide. Are you more interested in an MBA have a look at the list to choose one of the best institutions.

Introducing: Online Language Courses

Are you preparing your Erasmus stay abroad and are still a little worried about the level of your new home’s language? You just can’t quite get the full meaning of the university course descriptions, or are stuck with reading through the foreign information websites?

We are happy to serve you a solution to your language problems!

Erasmate has teamed up with LinguaTV to now offer you video-based language courses to help you with your Erasmus preperations. We have chosen the award winning online courses from LinguaTV to provide you with the most efficient way of learning English, French, German or Spanish (and much more to come!).

Check out the selection of all available online language courses on Erasmate! And be fast – the first 50 Erasmate users get a 10% discount on their course registration!!

UK students educationally disadvantaged during Erasmus?

A recent article in The Guardian discusses the political proposition of introducing a new two year degree in UK university education. On a site note, the paper mentions an interesting fact with regard to the Erasmus program.

As UK students “traditionally take fewer years to complete their studies [and] their courses are also often shorter and they average fewer hours of study per week” compared to students in other European cities, they consequently find courses taught during their Erasmus year more demanding than in the UK, while incoming students to the UK find the education on the island less demanding.

If this gap in educational quality is indeed existing, one possible disadvantage for UK students is a harder entry on to the European labour market, as employers see their European counterparts to be better educated, the article summarises the problem.

We are interested in your thoughts on this. Have you experienced something similar? How was the quality of education on your exchange period compared to your home university? Have you applied for a job but were rejected due to a UK education? Tell us your story!