When you are thinking of studying abroad, many different thoughts will be going through your head. Is there a language barrier and how will I cope; will I make friends; how will I adapt to the culture and teaching style, and many more.

You will want to be prepared and ready for anything that you will be faced with whilst in a different country as you will want to succeed and make new friends – after all it is an adventure that not many people get to experience, and there are going to be many people like you that are new to a different country, its culture and educational system.

The tips below will allow you to prepare and get the most out of your trip to a different country as an international student.

1. Get Great Living Space

It really does depend where your program places you in your destination country, but living with like minded students is a positive thing for you. Some programs tend to place international students with families in the local area, but, whilst this is good to get some interaction with ‘the locals’ you will be able to meet more people if you are sharing a place with other international students from many different countries. You are all in the same position and can start some good conversations this way – its always easier to talk to people outside of class time too, when you can really socialize.

2. Learn the Language

Many students do go to another country to study knowing very little about the language of the host nation – and to be honest most Americans and British people assume people will speak English to them – and surprisingly most people will. But, when you are in lecturers you will need to understand what exactly the lecturer is actually talking about and having a clear grasp of the language and vocabulary will mean that you will be able to enjoy your classes more and increase your understanding.

3. Remain Flexible

Living in another culture will mean that there are huge changes in the way they run their academic system. You will need to remain flexible to anything that is ‘thrown’ at you and look at the funny side of everything – having a sense of humor is a must. Remember that it isn’t home and you need to adjust and adapt to the way that people do things and interact where you are going, if you don’t then you will not enjoy it as much.

4. Go sightseeing

There are many different places to see in a host of different countries and actually getting out there, looking at some heritage and speaking to the locals will men that you are enriching in your experience. Use the time at the weekends to enjoy time in the country where you are studying and you will be thankful at a later date for doing this. Plus you’ll probably get some great photos to put up on Facebook.

5. Keep a Journal

Keeping a record of what you have done and writing down your thoughts and feelings everyday will allow you to learn even more from the experiences you are gaining. This is also a great way to relive your experiences in later years and have to opportunity to reflect on how the whole experience changed you and the way you think, feel and interact with other people.

You should of course have all of your work checked by a professional proofreader whilst you are in the host nation and look forward to gaining the best marks you can for your effort.