3 Things to Do Before Leaving Your Country to Study Abroad

Every year, thousands of Singaporean students bid adieu to their families and friends at Changi Airport and leave their beloved country to study abroad. For many, it’s the first time when they will be living away from their parents, cooking their food and having the privacy to throw parties at home.

Studying overseas, whether for a semester on an exchange or an entire degree course, is very much demanding about money management than when you are living at home with your parents.

Here are some essential things you need to do before leaving your country.

Sort out your accommodation

For many Singaporeans studying overseas, this will be the first time when they have to deal with sourcing for their accommodation and paying rent. If you haven’t chosen to reside on campus, you will need to research website advertising rental lodging well ahead of time. You can check and join Facebook groups aimed at expats and students.

If you are going abroad to study for more than one semester or two, you should continue to keep an eye out for better and cheaper accommodation once you have reached your destination.

Overseas students often get confused and end up overpaying for not-so-well accommodation because they are uninformed and pressed for time. However, nothing is stopping you from moving ahead later on.

Don’t forget a health insurance

When you choose to study outside your country, you will be at the mercy of your host country’s healthcare system. Unless the host country provides free healthcare to everyone within its borders, you might need to get health insurance. In case your student status enables you to receive free or subsidised healthcare, you may need to apply for a healthcare card.

For example, it’s compulsory for international students to purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) to obtain a Student visa Australia.

Exchange currency

In the year before the departure, you will like to watch exchange rates like an eagle and exchange currency when it is at its lowest relative to the Singaporean dollar. Don’t be afraid to exchange a large sum of currency that can cover you for an entire session if the exchange rate is favourable enough.

You can rely on your local ATM card to withdraw money in the short-term, but the ATM fees will start to add up.

So these are the top 3 things that you should keep in mind before finally pack your bag and leave your family and country behind. To get more information about top-ranked Australia University, visa process, scholarships etc., you can speak to an education expert at AECC Global.

AECC Global is a well-known education consultancy and agency in Singapore.