Before you fly

Carry these in hand luggage, never in the hold

If your checked bag goes missing, these are the documents that are difficult or impossible to replace quickly — and some of them you may be asked for at the border.

• Passport with the visa, plus a photocopy kept separately
• Your admission document — CoE, CAS, I-20, Letter of Acceptance, offer letter or Offer of Place
• Financial evidence you used in the application
• Original academic transcripts and certificates
• Health insurance documents and any medical records or prescriptions
• Accommodation confirmation and the address you are travelling to

Declare everything at the border

Australia and New Zealand in particular enforce biosecurity rules strictly, with instant fines for undeclared food, plant or animal products — including things travellers consider harmless, like packaged snacks, spices or seeds from home. Declaring costs nothing. Not declaring can cost a great deal, and a border infringement on your record is a poor way to start.

The first two weeks, in order

• Report to your institution and complete enrolment — maintaining enrolment is a visa condition everywhere.
• Attend orientation, even the parts that sound optional. It is where you meet people.
• Activate your health cover and register with a local doctor before you need one.
• Apply for the local tax or insurance number if you intend to work.
• Open a bank account — take your passport, visa and proof of address.
• Get a local SIM, and set up a way to call home cheaply.
• Find the international student support office and note where it is.

Accommodation — the one thing not to rush

Avoid signing a long lease on a property you have not seen, from a country away. Short-term accommodation for the first few weeks costs more per night but lets you see an area, work out the commute, and find somewhere you actually want to live. In Dublin especially, arrange something before you fly — the shortage is real.

Money in the first month

Budget for more than you expect. Bonds and deposits, rent in advance, bedding, kitchen basics, a transport card, a phone plan and textbooks all land in the same fortnight, before any part-time earnings arrive. Many landlords want several weeks’ rent up front, and in Canada often first and last month together.

Your visa conditions are conditions

Read your grant notice in full and keep it accessible. Attendance and course progress are visa conditions in every destination here, not just institutional rules. Work-hour limits are conditions too — exceeding them can put your visa and any future application at risk. If your circumstances change, ask the international office before acting, not afterwards.