Hand with pencil on list of things to pack, with toy plane, camera, notebook

The Quick, Essential Packing List for Studying Abroad

You're in for a wild study abroad adventure, but first you have to finish (read: start) packing. Here's a quick outline to help you out!

I’ll admit it: Packing to study abroad was awful! When I was preparing to study abroad, I only had two bags to work with for four months of school, and my mom told me she was not paying for any extra luggage, so everything had to fit and meet the proper weight restrictions. I started by limiting the clothes I brought, but I wasn’t sure what would be considered essential. After going abroad during college, I learned there were some items I should have packed and some I definitely shouldn’t have. So to help you not make the same mistake, here’s an essential list of what you should pack for your semester abroad and what you can wait to buy when you get there!

What you should pack to study abroad

This is not a comprehensive list, because there may be additional things that are essential to you but wouldn’t be essential to someone else. So while the point is to restrict what you bring, don’t overlook anything majorly important that isn’t on this list. But here’s what you should definitely bring from my experience:

  • Charging adaptor
  • Smaller weekend travel bag 
  • Travel containers (empty plastic containers to hold shampoo, etc.) 
  • Portable charger
  • Lock for your bag
  • Your laptop
  • Portable water bottle
  • Plastic bags for travel snacks
  • Travel purse/wallet with pocket for passport
  • Travel credit card (find a bank in the US that works in other countries) 
  • Your cellphone (here are a few things you should know about bringing your phone before you go)
  • An appropriate amount of clothes (you can always do laundry)
  • Any necessary medications you take regularly

Related: 7 Exciting Reasons You Should Study Abroad

What you should buy when you arrive

Some of the things on this list may be surprising, as they could be considered more expensive items to purchase when you already own them. However, in trying to pack light, these are all bulky or inconvenient things to avoid:

  • Hot hair tools (there’s a good chance the American plugs won’t fit in foreign outlets)
  • SIM card for phone
  • Transportation card
  • Shower products
  • Blankets and pillows
  • Cheap walking shoes (you’ll want to throw them away at the end of trip)
  • An umbrella
  • Decorations for your living space
  • Food (no big goodie bags or care packages from parents)

Related: 9 Tips to Make Your Study Abroad Experience More Successful

Remember, less is more when it comes to packing and traveling to another country. If you forget anything, it’s not like you’ll be in the middle of nowhere. Any country you visit will have convenience, grocery, and clothing stores, so you can always purchase something once you’re settled in. But your study abroad experience is about just that: the experience. So don’t fret too much about what you do and don’t have with you! 

For more advice before you go off on your great adventure, check out blogs using the “study abroad” tag. 

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About Mackenzie Pierce

Mackenzie Pierce is the Assistant Director of Communications, working on the CollegeXpress team to manage our social media platforms, the student vlogger program, and various marketing campaigns. In her free time, you can find her competing in and watching sports, planning her next big trip, or training her dog, Bentley.

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Barry University

Miami Shores, FL


Lu Diehl

Lu Diehl

High School Class of 2022

I never would have found the college I plan on attending without CollegeXpress! I've always been a person of ambition and have been dreaming of studying and working on my passion for law, legal studies, and political science. Washington College is where I plan on pursuing my career. My journey with my education has been difficult, and oftentimes, I was told I would never amount to much, but now I'm dual enrolled at Caroll Community College and have had experience in the fields I am dedicated to. Without the help of CollegeXpress (even in its early days), I would never have found Washington College and the information I need to apply and become a part of their community.

Elizabeth Stafford

Elizabeth Stafford

High School Class of 2021

As a UK student moving to California due to my dad's job in the military, when I first signed up for CollegeXpress a few months ago, the college process ahead seemed daunting and incredibly stressful. That all changed after I started to explore what this website had to offer. Not only was I helped by the vast array of resources available to me, but through being a CollegeXpress member, there have been so many more benefits. There have been emails with college tips—all of which I found incredibly helpful—as well as invitations to events and notifications of scholarships that'll make college possible for me. Overall, I'm very grateful to CollegeXpress for all of these things and more. Not only have they helped me grow my understanding of the college process, but they've also helped me to grow as a person, giving me new skills that I can take with me through life.

Kory Gilbertson

Kory Gilbertson

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me explore my views on college in that "why do I wanna go to a certain school" way. It’s helped me explore the best fits in all of these outstanding choices. All these college admission counselors can access my accolades showing them how I could help their college. This source of information helps me show these admission directors who I am and what I'm interested in. Thanks to this platform, my experience for education will be better than most, and I'm so grateful for all that it has provided for me.

Jenna

Jenna

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress has helped me greatly during my college search. I used their college search feature often and it helped in comparing schools I was looking at. Now that I’ve found a college the scholarship search feature is helping me find a way to find my college experience. CollegeXpress has many helpful features and resources for anyones college search, it truly is a wonderful tool for anyone entering college level!

Christina

Christina

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress helped me find Allegheny College with the super-user-friendly search tool for both schools and scholarships. Using CollegeXpress, I was able to search for programs I was interested in studying and find colleges that offered those programs. Also, once you search for the college, CollegeXpress can get you connected!