Now that you’ve decided where you’re going, you’ll need to prepare in several different ways.
All travelers will need a valid passport to enter other countries and to return to the United States.
If you have a passport, ensure it is valid at least six months after your intended departure date from your host destination.
If you need to apply for a passport or renew your passport, start the process immediately as it can take several weeks to process. For U.S. citizens, review the U-M International Center’s passport page and also this “How to Apply for a Passport Guide” by the U.S. Department of State.
Your destination may require a visa to enter, depending on the duration and nature of your travel. A visa is an official stamp in your passport authorizing you to travel, work, or study in that country for a specified length of time. Each country issues its own visas through its embassy and consulates located throughout the United States. Check out the International Center’s visa page for more details and common visa requirements.
International Students: Visa requirements for non-US citizens may be very different than those for U.S. citizens. International students should also meet with an international student advisor in order to complete any needed paperwork or process to maintain their U.S. visa status. See International Center’s Travel Outside the U.S. and Re-Entry for guidelines.
For questions about specific destination requirements, check the Embassy or Consulate of your travel destination. You can also use CIBTvisas, a fee-based service provider for travel visas and passport services available to U-M faculty, staff, and students. Complete the “Traveling Soon?” prompt to find out what may be required for your destination. CIBTvisas can only assist individuals traveling from the U.S. to an international location. (Note – They do not provide services for individuals to enter the U.S.)
For most programs, you are responsible for booking your flights. However, some programs may offer a group flight and include the cost in the program fee. Check with your program organizer to determine which is the case.
Once your abroad experience is confirmed, explore different flight options and keep in mind that prices may increase closer to the departure date. Take into account time zone differences, jetlag, and orientation dates when booking your flight. Check out these resources developed by LSA’s Center for Global and Intercultural Study (CGIS):
Prior to your departure date, monitor your email for flight schedule changes, such as delays or cancellations. You should work directly with your airline to make any adjustments to your flight. In case your flight is delayed or canceled and your arrival to your host destination changes, consider informing concerned family/friends, your onsite contacts, or supporting U-M faculty/staff so that they are aware of these changes.
Travelers may want to consider travel (or trip) insurance, which provides coverage for unexpected events before or during your trip, such as flight delays or cancellations, lost luggage, etc. There are many types of travel insurance plans available, so review what is included or excluded. Note that U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance (GeoBlue) is NOT travel insurance. It is for medical coverage and for political/natural disaster evacuation coverage while abroad.
Some abroad programs provide housing. In other cases, you may be responsible for finding accommodations. Housing arrangements can include hostels, apartments, residence halls, and/or homestays. When choosing your accommodation, determine housing priorities and complete a housing checklist. The resources below can help students select safe housing abroad.
Review the following:
For a general guide of what to consider when planning your abroad experience, see this Travel Tips: Packing List, Travel Advice, and Arrival Plan Resource.
A few items to consider when packing:
For specific tips and tricks on preparing to pack and travel sustainably, see this Sustainable Tips and Tricks page.
Your U.S. cell phone might not work abroad without taking appropriate steps before traveling. Be sure to make plans on how you will communicate while abroad. To determine your preferred cell phone option abroad, consider your communication needs:
Here are your main options for cell phones abroad:
Technology needs and risks can vary by international destination. Review the “Technology & Data Security” section on Global Michigan’s Research & Data Security.
Verify that you can cover the cost of your international travel experience. Sources of funding may include personal funding, scholarships, grants, or your financial aid package for your study abroad (see U-M Office of Financial Aid’s Studying Abroad section). For specific questions about your financial aid, connect with a Financial Aid Advisor at finaid.abroad@umich.edu.
Depending on when you are abroad, you may need to file your tax return while abroad. Be sure to pack any necessary documentation before leaving the U.S. You can file your taxes at a U.S.Embassy/Consulate or online.
While traveling and budgeting, be sure to have a plan for travel disruptions, unexpected financial expenses, and lost luggage.
These expenses could be caused by, but are not limited to:
Every U-M student on U-M Related Travel (UMRT) abroad is required to be enrolled in GeoBlue Travel Abroad Health Insurance. U-M travelers who register non-UMRT also have the option to purchase GeoBlue for Personal/Leisure travel.
See the “GeoBlue Travel Abroad Health Insurance” section on the Health & Insurance Resources page for details on the insurance. Visit the U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance website for information on how to enroll.
To determine which U-M travel requirements you need to fulfill, locate your travel destination on the Country Risk Rating page or review Requirements page on Global Michigan.
Check out Global Michigan’s Travel Safety and Wellness section for tools and resources on how to have a safe and successful education abroad experience.
Here are a few highlighted resources:
While preparing to go abroad, take time to explore the Identities Abroad section to learn more about how your social identities can influence your experience abroad. Regardless of your various identities, we encourage you to learn about your place within the diverse communities that you’ll be interacting with.
Living abroad provides an opportunity for personal growth, which can be both exciting and stressful. Each person experiences cultural adjustment with varying emotional and physical reactions. By learning about the stages of cultural adjustment, you will recognize that what you are feeling is entirely normal and is part of the cultural learning process. Explore these resources to learn more:
Adjusting to a new culture requires resilience, or having the ability to be self-aware, to self-regulate, think flexibly and optimistically, and to connect with others to adapt to this new environment. Explore Resilient Traveling, a module-based approach of identifying behaviors and skills for having a successful experience abroad.
Voting abroad in U.S. elections is possible – it just requires some planning. To learn more on how to vote while abroad, visit the Voting in U.S. Elections while outside the United States page.
