Links to a variety of sources that past study abroad students have found helpful.
Getting Started
Travel Info--U.S. Department of State
This website offers a wide variety of helpful and often necessary resources for international travel. From passport information to travel tips and warnings, to country information and visas, this site is a must for anyone wishing to properly prepare for international travel and studying abroad.
Student Abroad Handbook, Center for Global Education
These two websites are simply a gold mine when it comes to offering information for absolutely everything that you need to know for studying abroad. Covering topics from health and safety to packing, housing, money issues, transportation, and conquering the language barrier, these sites also include country specific information, as well as links to an even greater selection of helpful websites.
For those participating in Isaiah Project mission trips, this website will be helpful if you wish to learn more about your upcoming experience. YWAM often works closely with AU mission trips, and can provide more information about the specific area you will visit, as well as offering ideas and opportunities for further involvement in international missions.
Banking & Communication
Everbank is an internet bank offering free checking accounts with an excellent interest rate and is accessible in countless countries around the globe. Provided with a check card which can also double as a credit card, Everbank makes foreign ATMs easy. It is recommended that you establish your account 1 month prior to departure in order to receive your ATM card in time.
Do you know how much foreign currency your U.S. dollar is worth? Be sure to check out this website to make sure that your international purchases really are a good deal!
Skype is an internet calling provider that makes staying touch with loved ones back home simple and cheap. Computer-to-computer calling (between Skype users) is free, and calls to cell phones or land lines in the United States are only 2¢/minute.
Travel
Make the most of countless student discounts! Check out this website for cheap airfare, rail passes, hostels, and other student discounts and packages for international attractions! This site has a wealth of information that will help you make the most of your study abroad experience.
Easily the cheapest and most adventurous accommodations around the world are found in hostels. Check out this website to find the best deals in your chosen destination, plus other helpful travel tips and ideas for worthwhile attractions.
Offering a huge variety of travel suggestions and tips for numerous destinations in Europe (via guidebooks, podcasts, radio, TV, and online discussion boards from fellow travelers and travel experts), this website also includes an online store for space-saving and useful travel gadgets. Whether needing some background information on a given destination, suggestions for great restaurants, tips on how to pack light or travel safe, or in search of that perfect backpack, Rick Steves is an excellent place to start.
A popular source for the young and budget travelers, Lonely Planet is another great website for travel tips and information, and spans not only Europe but also Asia, Africa, North and South America, and the Pacific. In addition, Lonely Planet gives you the opportunity to buy and download chapters of their popular and informative guidebooks, which helps you to cater more specifically to your itinerary and travel needs.
Many students, and parents, have enjoyed using this site to scope out their study abroad location.
Transportation
This website searches hundreds of airlines for the cheapest airfares to the destination of your choice. Instead of having to compare dozens of different sites, Kayak does it for you.
Do you have a free weekend and you are not sure where you want to go, except that you want it to be cheap? Or do you have a country you want to visit, but are not sure when airfare will be the cheapest? Then check out this website, where you can type in the dates of your free weekend, or just search by country for the lowest airfares possible. Easily the most flexible airline search engine, Skyscanner can help you discover more on a tight budget/timeline.
Need a quick and cheap way to get from London to Prague? Check out this website for inexpensive airplane tickets to hundreds of destinations in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Morocco.
Much like Ryanair, easyJet offers cheap flights to numerous cities in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Morocco, and Egypt.
Want to know if you are seated by the window, aisle or middle, which are the best seats on your airplane, or what amenities will be available? Check out this website to get the inside scoop on your flight's airplane, plus tips on flying and travel.
This extremely user-friendly German Rail website provides wonderfully accurate information on train schedules all across Europe. For trains in Germany, it also provides platform and ticket cost information, and allows you to purchase online tickets at special rates you cannot get at the train station. For anyone looking to travel on the weekends, do not leave home without consulting Deutsche Bahn!
For those traveling to Italy, Trenitalia is your source for train schedules and tickets.
RAIL PASSES:
Countless websites offer great deals on rail passes for European travel and often a wide variety of options, including single and multiple country passes, consecutive and flexible day passes, single and group, 1st and 2nd class. The selection can be overwhelming, so check out this information from Rick Steves for a quick explanation of each option as well as some helpful hints for choosing the best pass for your travel plans. Once you decide which pass will suit you best, type the name into any search engine and shop around for the best deal. This is extremely worthwhile, especially considering that prices can vary drastically between websites!
The Global Education Office holds membership in the following organizations:
College Consortium for International Studies |
Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching |
NAFSA: Association of International Educators |
Institute of International Education |
