Moving Abroad As A Student Checklist Guide 2021

Moving abroad as a student is an exhilarating experience, especially if it’s your first time living in another country. At the same time, it can also be quite overwhelming considering you’ll have hundreds of things to do.

Amidst the search for appropriate accommodation, local food, course textbooks and cheap student storage, it’s likely that something or the other may slip your mind.

And in the middle of numerous deadlines, you might not even realize you’ve forgotten something until it’s too late! For this purpose, follow an orderly checklist to help you stay prepared and organised for anything that comes your way!

To make your life easier, we have compiled a list of everything you need to pack to ensure a smooth and stress-free student journey!

1. Important documents

Make sure you take along all your essential documents, such as your ID card, birth certificate, admission letter, financial papers, and the most important items of all: your passport and student visa.

Although this looks like a quite long list, each of these documents is very important to bring along. You never know when you’ll need it!

Get a couple of copies of each item, and keep one set of copies in your luggage, one in your carry-on, and the rest somewhere with you. In case any document gets lost or stolen, you won’t have to frantically search for it in a new country!

You can keep your documents organised and out of the way in a cheap personal storage facility such as Brighton self storage units. With climate-controlled facilities, they will remain safe and damage-free.

2. Gadgets & Universal Adaptor

Pack all your gadgets that you think you might need such as your laptop, tablet, iPad, mobile phone, and a couple of headphones.

It is important to have an international phone plan in your mind before you travel. Get a new local SIM card as soon as you arrive and make sure it includes data so you can access GPS when needed.

You land in a new country, your phone battery is at 1%, and you cannot fit your charger into any of the ports. Imagine the frustration!

The outlets and voltage systems are different in every country, so make sure to pack a universal adapter in your suitcase. Get one with multiple USB ports so you can charge all your gadgets at the same time.

3. Snacks from home

Not everyone is comfortable with new cuisines and your stomach may need some time to adjust to the new diet. To ease your transition period, be sure to bring along some of your favourite snacks from home.

However, that doesn’t mean you carry sodas and drinks that can spill over in transit. Simple snack such as granola bars, instant noodles, and biscuits will be easy to carry.

Make sure to get a good stock of your snacks so you won’t finish them in the first month only! If you find yourself short on space to keep your snack stock, you can also consult a personal storage facility such as Brighton self storage units.

4. Medication

There’s nothing worse than trying to communicate at a foreign pharmacy while you’re already sick and running a high fever.

Your local medications will not always be accessible in the new country, so it’s better to pack up the essential medicines such as Dayquil, Nyquil, and cough drops in case of any emergencies.

Try asking your doctor to provide you with a 6-month prescription for your medicines that you can bring along.

Although packing up so many medicines is necessary, it is also very space consuming. You won’t be needing them every day so you might want to keep a lookout for cheap student storage or a personal storage facility nearby.

5. Apps

Although this isn’t something you need to bring along, downloading useful apps will ease your transition and help you adjust in the new city.

From speaking with your cab driver to making new friends, Google Translate will help you communicate effectively and break down the language barriers.

Location apps such as Google Maps are especially important when moving to a place where you are not familiar with the routes. TripAdvisor will also help you look out for events, restaurants, and landmarks to explore in the new country.

You’ll probably want to call back home as soon as you land so download messaging and video chat apps such as WhatsApp and Skype beforehand.

Certain apps may be blocked in some areas so ask around and do your research as to which apps will be helpful and operating in the city you are moving in.

6. Money

List down all the things you will have to spend money on as soon as you land, for example, you will need to buy a SIM card, pay for food, and tip the cab driver. Do your calculations and keep cash accordingly.

To be on the safe side, get at least £80-£100 of currency from your local bank before leaving so you don’t get into any money problems as soon as you arrive.

If you plan on opening a bank account in the new country, make sure to research the policies and bring along the documents you will need. Go over the application procedures and keep a lookout for student accounts!

7. Appropriate clothing

You don’t want to pack in a dress and heels only to find out it rains cats and dogs in the new city! So, make sure to check the weather forecast and pack accordingly.

Do check out culture-appropriate clothing and if your university has any dress codes in place. A quick search on Google of ‘what to wear in Brighton’ can give you a rough idea of what to bring along.

Pack up some comfortable shoes because you will surely be doing a lot of walking around exploring the new campus (and the city!) during the first few weeks.

Lastly, don’t worry too much about storage if you end up bringing in too many clothes! You can always keep a lookout for cheap student storage. Try keeping seasonal clothing and items that you won’t need every day in a personal storage facility.

Brighton self storage units will help you stay organised and keep the stress of belongings off your shoulders, so you can focus on your studies and make the best out of that university life.