Documents to Bring When You Study Abroad

Studying abroad, whether for a semester or a whole year, includes a lot of paperwork beforehand and then even more when you arrive. There are documents almost every country will ask you for and some that should be kept on hand in case of an emergency.

Bring a few paper copies of your passport, in case you lose yours in between traveling. For some, studying abroad is their first experience abroad without parents and it is easy to lose things when you don’t have a parent who will check for you. You may also need to use a copy of your passport for identification purposes — maybe to get a train pass or for registering at the university. When you’re not in your home country, your passport is important and copies of it will give you peace of mind and help in case it’s needed.

It is highly recommended to bring a copy of your medical records. Even for those that have no ailments and don’t need to get a refill on medicine should bring their medical records. This way, if there is ever a need to go to a doctor they’ll know what shots you’ve had and what medication you’re currently taking. This takes away the guesswork when you’re trying to get help.

A couple other things to bring would be license-sized photographs of yourself (for registering in university), a list of emergency contacts, any documents regarding transferring credits and instructions for your arrival.