Study Abroad – Pre-Departure Preparation Checklist - UCL

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
STUDY ABROAD
Study Abroad – Pre-Departure Preparation Checklist
This checklist should be used in conjunction with the UCL Study Abroad Student Handbook.
This checklist is intended as a guide to some of the important things you should take into
consideration when making preparations for your term or year abroad.
Preparing for a period of study abroad can seem like a daunting task at times – there are many things
to plan and to bear in mind before you are ready to depart, and you can never be over-prepared.
However, with proper forethought and planning you can avoid many of the potential problems caused
by a lack of preparation and ensure a smooth transition between studying at UCL and studying
abroad. The more you do to prepare before you leave UCL, the easier you are likely to find things
when you arrive in your host country.
Use this checklist as a guide only. It is not intended as an exhaustive list.
UCL
Attend the pre-departure preparation briefing given by the Study Abroad Team during the spring
term. You will be notified of the date of your briefing by email.
Fulfil all the requirements of the Study Abroad Preparation Programme as set out in your Study
Abroad Student Handbook and on the UCL Study Abroad website:
www.ucl.ac.uk/studyabroad/preparation
Make sure you complete all the preparation programme tasks and submit a completed Study
Abroad Approval Form through Moodle by the deadline of 30 April 2012.
Please note: failure to complete the preparation programme may result in your
disqualification from study abroad.
Attend all briefing sessions and meetings and read all the printed material provided by your
department/s and the Study Abroad Team. Ensure you fulfil any and all requirements set by
your department/s.
Consult the information and resources in the Preparation for Study Abroad Moodle course. Talk
to returning students, and read their study abroad questionnaires in Moodle. If you will be
studying abroad through an exchange, talk to exchange students from your host institution who
are currently at UCL.
Create a personal file of useful information relating to your study abroad placement. Make a list
of important tasks and deadlines which will need to be met and followed up.

Make sure you understand what is required of you academically while abroad. Speak to your
departmental Study Abroad Tutor to find out how many credits or modules you are required to
take, what courses your department expects you to take, and how the work you complete
abroad will be converted into academic credit at UCL. You are expected to familiarise yourself
with the details of any and all work set by your department as well as all relevant details
regarding submission and assessment.
During the course of your time abroad, you will be required to complete and return several
important forms and documents to the Study Abroad Team by specified deadlines. Make sure
you are aware of all paperwork requirements and deadlines. If in doubt, contact the Study
Abroad Team.
Sign up for the User Authentication System so that you can reset your UCL password without
having to visit the UCL IS helpdesk in person. All correspondence from UCL during your time
abroad will be via your UCL email address. It is important that you regularly log-in to your
account to keep it active. Accounts that are left dormant for too long are frozen and passwords
will only be re-issued over the phone if you have already registered for the User Authentication
System.
To register, please see the instructions on the following webpage:
www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/students/connections/passwords.
If you are disabled, dyslexic or have a medical condition that affects your studies you will need
to consider whether you need any particular arrangements or support during your study abroad.
You are welcome to contact Student Disability Services to discuss this. You will also need to
discuss this with your Study Abroad Tutor.
Students with exceptional special needs who participate in the Erasmus programme may be
eligible for extra funding to meet additional costs. Information about this can be obtained from
the Study Abroad Team.
Your Host Institution
Make sure you know how to apply to your host institution and what their deadlines are. Most
institutions will have their application forms available for download from their websites. If in
doubt about the application process, ask your departmental Study Abroad Tutor or, where
applicable, the Study Abroad Team, for guidance.
Make sure that you make an application to your host institution. It is not sufficient for
your department at UCL to tell you that you have been given an exchange place. You
must send your host institution a formal application and comply with all their application
procedures. If you do not send them an application, they will not be expecting you and
you will not be allowed to enrol if you arrive unannounced.
Make sure you submit your application in good time. If your application is rejected because it is
late, this will have serious implications for your year abroad. If the application procedure
requires you to provide an official UCL transcript, be aware that these take up to two weeks to
produce, so plan ahead and order your transcript early.
If you can, apply early. As a general rule, the earlier you apply, the earlier you are likely to
receive confirmation of acceptance from your host institution.
After you send them your application, make sure that the host institution has received it.

Finance
Investigate the courses available to you at your host institution. Are there any subjects or
courses which will not be open to you as an exchange/non-degree student? Will you be able to
take courses from a number of different departments, or only one department? If you identify
any potential conflicts between the courses your department at UCL expects you to take and
the courses you will be allowed to take by your host institution, please discuss this with your
departmental Study Abroad Tutor.
When does course registration take place? Does it happen on arrival at the start of term, or do
you need to sign up for courses online beforehand?
Find out what the term dates are and when you are expected to be at your host institution. Is
there an orientation programme which you should attend prior to the start of term?
Make a note of contact details for useful contacts at your host institution. You may find it useful
to have phone numbers and email addresses for the international office, the accommodation
office and the relevant academic department(s) there in case you need to get in touch with
them.
Draw up a tentative budget for your time abroad. Do some research into living costs in your
host country. Be realistic. Identify both sources of income and expenditure including amounts
for travel, visas, accommodation, subsistence etc. Don't forget to include leisure activities and
an amount set-aside for unexpected emergencies.
If you normally work part-time during term-time at UCL, be aware that it may not be as easy to
find part-time work in your host country as it is in the UK. If you are studying outside the
European Union, the terms of your visa may prohibit you from working altogether. Take this into
account when drawing up your budget, and do not depend on being able to work in order to
support yourself financially while abroad.
Your student loan and Erasmus grant (where applicable) will most likely be paid after you begin
your study abroad placement, so make sure you have enough money to support yourself for
the first few months, including money for one-off expenses such as housing deposits, university
registration fees, compulsory health insurance (students studying in the USA, Canada and
Australia only) etc.
Consider applying for a Study Abroad Bursary. The Study Abroad Bursary fund has been
established by UCL to provide an additional source of financial support for students who wish to
undertake a study abroad placement. All bursaries are given on the basis of financial need. The
value of each bursary will usually be restricted to a maximum of £300 for students intending to
study in Europe and £500 for students intending to study elsewhere.
The deadline for Study Abroad Bursary applications is 30 April 2012. Visit
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/studyabroad/finance for further details.
If you normally receive a student maintenance loan or maintenance grant, apply for your loan
and/or grant in the normal way. UCL will write to your Local Authority to inform them of your year
abroad plans.
If you receive a means-tested student loan in the UK, you may be eligible to have some of the
additional costs related to your study abroad placement refunded (e.g. flights, insurance, visa
costs). Contact your Local Authority or Regional Authority (e.g. Student Finance England) for
details.
Your student loan will normally be paid at the start of the UCL academic year, in late
September. However, if your study abroad placement starts earlier than this it may be possible

Travel
for you to request that your loan be paid early. Contact your Local Authority or Regional
Authority for details.
Before you leave the UK, inform your bank that you will be going abroad, to which country(ies)
and for how long. If you do not inform your bank of your travel plans they may block your credit
or debit cards if they detect what they consider to be unexpected or suspicious transactions
overseas.
Set up internet banking for your UK accounts so that you can keep track of your finances while
you are abroad.
Look into the possibility of opening a bank account in your host country. Bear in mind that you
may need to open a local account in order to pay rent or if you intend to work in your host
country. A good source of information about opening a bank account in the EU is Monetos:
http://www.monetos.co.uk/service/.
Ask your bank in the UK about the cost of transferring money to an account overseas and the
cost of withdrawing money directly from your UK account while abroad. Which is more cost
effective? You may also want to consider purchasing a pre-paid foreign currency card. This is a
chip-and-pin-protected card which you can top up by cash, debit card, credit card or bank
transfer, and then use to withdraw money or make purchases overseas. Providers of pre-paid
foreign currency cards include the Post Office (Travel Money Card), FairFX(Euro Currency
Card, US Dollar Card and Anywhere Card) and Travelex (Cash Passport).
Investigate the different options carefully to determine which is the most convenient and
inexpensive method of accessing your cash while abroad.
Erasmus students only: make sure you return your Erasmus grant contract to UCL on time.
This contract will be sent to you by email in June and you will need to sign and return it to UCL
by 31 July in order to qualify for an Erasmus grant.
Find out how to get to your host institution. What is the quickest and most convenient route?
How much will tickets cost?
Find out when you need to be at your host institution. If you want to arrive early to settle in
before the start of your placement, factor this into your travel plans.
If you receive a means-tested student loan in the UK, you may be able to claim back part of
your travel costs . Ask your Local Authority or Regional Authority for details before you book
your tickets.
Book your tickets. Investigate whether it is better to buy single or return tickets. Are there weight
restrictions on baggage? Do some airlines offer a more generous baggage allowance than
others?
Before leave, make a plan to contact your relatives or friends at home upon arrival at your
destination, to let them know that you have arrived safely.
Accommodation
Explore the housing options available to you. Does your host institution provide
accommodation? If so, what is the university accommodation like? If your host institution does
not provide accommodation, you will have to find private accommodation. Give some thought to

the type of accommodation you would prefer. Would you prefer to live by yourself, or in a
shared house/flat? Who would you like to share with? Locals? Other foreigners? Other UCL
students? Would you prefer to live with a local host family?
Investigate the costs of the different options. If you are thinking of opting for private
accommodation, investigate the likely terms of a rental contract in your host country. If you rent
privately you may be required to sign a 12-month tenancy agreement - this may not be ideal if
you plan to be there for less than a full calendar year.
If you plan to apply for university accommodation, be aware of your host institution’s housing
application deadlines. Make sure you submit your application on time.
If you plan to secure private accommodation, consult the Study Abroad Questionnaires written
by previous UCL students for tips about where to look, which neighbourhoods to avoid etc. Your
host institution may also have a housing service which can help you to find private
accommodation.
Consider travelling to your host country a few weeks in advance to look for permanent
accommodation before the start of your placement. Look into the possibility of arranging
temporary accommodation for your first few days or weeks until you find somewhere
permanent.
NB. In many European countries, it can be difficult to secure accommodation for the coming
year during the month of August, as many people are away on holiday and many businesses
are closed. You may therefore wish to consider going out earlier (e.g. June/July) for a short trip
to make housing arrangements ahead of your return in the autumn.
Passport and ID Documents
Ensure that your passport will be valid for at least six months after the end of your stay abroad.
Take several photocopies of your passport, birth certificate, and visa (where applicable) with
you. You may want to consider scanning copies and emailing them to yourself so that you can
access them while abroad.
Take several passport photographs with you. You may need to provide a number of passport
photos as part of the enrolment process at your host institution, as well as for other
administrative procedures in the host country, so it is a good idea to have a small supply of
photos ready beforehand.
Leave a copy of your insurance policy and a photocopy of your passport with someone at
home, so that they have access to them in the event of an emergency.
If you are studying abroad within Europe, you must have a valid European Health Insurance
Card (EHIC). The EHIC allows you to access state-provided healthcare in all EEA countries and
Switzerland. You may be asked to show proof that you have a valid EHIC before you are
allowed to enrol at your host university. To obtain the EHIC you must apply by post using the
application form and pre-addressed envelope available at any post office. As a student
undertaking study abroad you have to provide additional information regarding your placement
and therefore online applications are not acceptable. Applications for the European Health
Insurance Card are free. Visit www.ehic.org.uk for more information.
Obtain a Statement of Registration from the Student Centre (ground floor, Registry). This is an
official document confirming that you are a current UCL student. You may find that you need

Safety
such a document when applying to your university abroad, for a visa, or for other administrative
procedures. You can also request this statement by sending an email to
studentstatus@ucl.ac.uk.
If you are studying abroad as an Erasmus or exchange student, obtain a Confirmation of
Erasmus/Exchange Status letter from the Study Abroad Team. This is a document which
confirms that you have been nominated as an exchange or Erasmus student by UCL and which
sets out the details of your exchange. You may be asked to provide this document upon arrival
at your host institution. You will be notified by email once your letter is ready to collect in May
2012.
You may find it useful to obtain an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) before you leave
the UK. The ISIC card is an internationally recognised photo identification card which allows you
to access student discounts both in the UK and overseas, particularly on travel-related services
but also on other services. ISIC cards cost £9 in the UK. Visit http://www.isic.org/ for details.
Your safety should be your top priority while abroad. If you have any concerns about your health or
safety during your time abroad, you should contact your departmental Study Abroad Tutor or the
Study Abroad Team immediately.
Very few students experience any safety concerns while they are abroad. If you take reasonable
precautions and are aware of your environment, this will minimise the likelihood of your experiencing
any difficulties.
Read the UCL Travel Medicine, Health and Safety guidance notes carefully.
Find out if you need any vaccinations to travel to your host country. Make sure you have had all
the necessary vaccinations before you travel.
Make an effort to find out about any potential risks or areas of concern. Good sources of
information include:
1) The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s country-specific travel advice pages. These are
regularly updated webpages containing extensive information for British citizens travelling
abroad. The information offered on these pages is often very detailed, specific and useful
(for instance, on the Italy page: “in Rome, take particular care when travelling on the
number 64 bus, as pickpockets and bag snatchers are known to operate along this
route”).
To access the FCO travel advice webpages, please visit: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/traveland-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/
2) Previous UCL students’ Study Abroad Questionnaires.
Make a note of emergency telephone numbers including:
- The phone number and address of the British Consulate or Embassy in the city or country
you are visiting.
- The phone numbers of your friends and family at home. You may think that you know them
off by heart, but in a difficult situation or emergency you may find that your mind goes blank.
- The phone numbers of important contacts at UCL (e.g. your department or the Study
Abroad Team).
- The phone numbers to call if your credit/debit card or travellers cheques get stolen.

Visas
- The emergency phone number for your insurance company.
Leave a copy of these numbers with someone at home, and also send them to yourself by
email, in case you lose them.
Register with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s LOCATE service. LOCATE allows you to
register your personal details and travel plans with the FCO online. These details are then sent
to the British Embassy nearest your destination. In the event of a crisis or emergency, having
your details on file will help the local embassy to contact, locate and assist you.
If you are studying abroad outside the EU/EEA, you will almost certainly require a visa. It is your
responsibility to make sure that you obtain all necessary immigration documents or visas before
you begin your period of study abroad.
If you are studying abroad in North America, Asia, or Australia, the Study Abroad Team can
help guide you through the visa application process. If you are studying abroad in Russia, the
Russian Department can help you with the application process.
If you are a non-EU national studying abroad in Europe, you may require a visa to study in your
host country. Read all the information on your host country’s embassy website and any
information available from your host institution to determine what the requirements and
procedures are.
If you need to apply for a visa, make sure you do so in good time. Visa applications to certain
countries can take several weeks or even several months, so investigate the application
procedure and costs well in advance.
If you receive a means-tested student loan in the UK, you may be able to claim back all or part
of the cost of your visa. Ask your Local Authority or Regional Authority for details.
Once you receive your visa, read the terms of the visa carefully. DO NOT violate the terms of
your visa. DO NOT overstay your visa. Violation of the terms of your visa could result in your
deportation from the host country, and/or your being denied entry to the country in future.