Studying Abroad: A Practical Checklist for Your First Week

Your first lecture may be on the calendar. The rest of student life can be harder to plan. Where do you buy food? Who handles a broken shower? How do you get home after an evening class?

Studying abroad adds a new setting to everyday tasks. A useful way to prepare is to build a small guide to your own week, rather than try to learn everything about a country at once.

This checklist is for students moving to a new country. It is not a visa guide or a fixed timetable. Your university’s instructions and local rules come first, especially where they set a deadline.

Start with three trusted sources

Save your university’s international student page, its student support contact and the official public transport website for your city. Use these before relying on advice in a group chat.

Write down which office answers each question. Housing staff may deal with a room problem, while your course office handles a missing class or module. If you are unsure, ask student services to direct you.

For students heading to the United States, EducationUSA’s departure guidance describes pre-departure sessions that help students prepare for a new setting. Ask whether your own university offers a similar session or a recording.

Make a short home checklist

Before buying things for your room, check what is already provided. Then answer these questions:

• Who do I contact if I lose a key or need a repair?
• Which bills and services are included in the rent?
• Where can I cook, store food and do laundry?
• What are the rules for guests, quiet hours and shared spaces?
• Does my booking cover the whole period I need, including holidays?

Keep the answers with your housing documents. In a shared home, agree on simple rules for cleaning and food storage rather than assume everyone has the same habits.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs’ accommodation guide shows why the details matter: housing can differ in facilities, meals and arrangements during holidays. That guide is UK-specific. Ask your own provider about the terms that apply to your home.

Plan an ordinary weekday, not a sightseeing day

Try the journey from your home to your teaching building before you need to arrive on time. Check the return trip too. A service that works for a morning lecture may not fit a late study session.

Save the building name and room number, not just the university’s main address. Find a grocery shop and a place to buy basic household items along a route you already use.

Study Australia’s first-week guide recommends getting to know your campus and local transport network. It also notes that student transport discounts depend on location and course. Do not assume your student card gives you the same discounts everywhere.

Separate arrival costs from your normal week

Make two lists. One is for setup costs, such as bedding or a transport card. The other is for costs that repeat, such as rent, food, travel and your phone plan.

Record what you actually spend during a normal teaching week. A week full of welcome events and one-off purchases may not reflect the rest of term.

Before choosing a phone plan or bank account, check the provider’s current fees, documents and contract terms. Compare the full cost and cancellation terms, not only an introductory offer. Ask student support where to find local guidance if the wording is unclear.

Learn how your course works

Open each module page and put its deadlines in one calendar. Find out where timetable changes appear and how to contact a tutor.

Ask practical questions early: Are readings required before class? How is group work marked? Which rules apply to citations and AI tools? Use your course handbook rather than assume the rules match your last school.

At orientation, look for library tours, writing support and study-skills sessions as well as social events. If you arrive after orientation, ask for the slides or a catch-up session.

Choose one repeatable way to meet people

You do not need to attend every welcome event. Pick one activity you can return to, such as a society meeting, language exchange or study group. Check its cost, location and meeting time before signing up.

Make small invitations specific: a coffee after class or a shared trip to the library is easier to arrange than “we should meet sometime”. Keep time for friends and family at home too, with the time difference in mind.

There is no deadline for feeling settled. If daily life or coursework becomes difficult to manage, contact your university’s support team rather than feel you must solve everything alone.

Keep a one-page guide to your week

Use these prompts in a notebook or private note on your phone:

• My route to class and backup route:
• My regular food and transport costs:
• My housing contact and repair process:
• My course contact and next deadline:
• My next social activity:
• One thing I still need help with:

Review it at the end of the week. Change what did not work. The aim is not a perfect new life on arrival. It is a workable routine, with clear places to ask for help.

Moving to Ireland? See Babylon’s first 30 days guide for international students for country-specific next steps.

Illustrative image. Photo: Ivan S / Pexels, under the Pexels License. Cropped and resized.