Find out about the practical matters to arrange before, during and after your abroad experience.
Planning to study or do an internship abroad is an exciting journey, but it also involves important practical preparations. Once you've decided what you want to do, where you want to go, and how you'll finance your time abroad, there are many important arrangements to make.
Below, you'll find essential information to help you prepare for your experience abroad - before you leave, during your stay, and upon your return. Most importantly, don't forget to view the Health & Safety Checklist.
In case of an emergency while you are abroad, contact UT's Emergency Abroad Service.
Essential preparations:
To check the safety of a country or region, visit NederlandWereldWijd (Dutch only) and enter your destination country in Dutch to view the recommendations. Green and yellow areas are considered "safe". Orange and red areas are considered unsafe and are highly advised against. If you do travel to an unsafe region, you will no longer be eligible for a scholarship and your insurance may not be valid.
View the Health & Safety Checklist for outgoing students.
To allow UT to contact you in case of emergency, all outgoing UT students must register their exchange in Mobility-Online. Registration in Mobility Online is also required to apply for a scholarship and for insurance coverage.
Make a budget for your expenses and apply for a scholarship. View the student presentations to find the expenses of UT students who have already been on exchange to your destination.
Consider that your Dutch debit card may not work in all countries, so you may need a credit card or travel card.
Keep in mind that it may take a few months to receive a visa for your study or internship abroad.
EU nationals generally do not need residence or work permits for study or internship in EU countries. If you are a non-EU citizen, or your study/internship abroad takes place in a non-EU country, please contact the embassy of your host country for information about immigration rules for students.
It is your responsibility to apply for a visa, however your host university’s International Office will be able to help you obtain the necessary documents.
Note that travelling with the wrong visa could have serious consequences. UT is not responsible for the consequences of travelling with invalid documents.
Obtaining a visa or work permit for study or internship in the US is usually a difficult and lengthy procedure. Also, rules regarding the correct visa are subject to regular changes. View US Exchange Visitor Visa for more information. Also check if you need an ESTA to enter the US.
Most partner universities offer you housing or provide you with local housing information.
Within Europe, several international websites can help you find a room, such as HousingAnywhere.
After completing your Mobility-Online registration, you are automatically registered for the UT’s free student travel insurance. This is a basic insurance that applies to study-related activities only. Please check if you need additional coverage with your own insurance provider.
After your mobility has been approved in Mobility-Online, you will automatically receive the insurance policy by email, including the attachments (general conditions and coverage overview).
If you have already received a confirmation of your registration and need to make changes in dates or destination or cancel the insurance, please contact insurance-fin@utwente.nl.
Check with your Dutch health insurance to see if you remain covered during your stay abroad.
If you work alongside your studies, or have a paid internship, this may affect your health insurance coverage.
It is strongly recommended that you get a European Health Insurance Card when travelling abroad within the EEA. This is a free card that gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in some countries) as people insured in that country. To check your eligibility and get the card, visit EHIC.
Vaccinations are your responsiblity to arrange. Many countries outside Europe require you to be vaccinated or protected against specific diseases. You should check the vaccination requirements for your host country and any transit countries well before departure and make sure you receive the required vaccinations in time.
Not all vaccinations are mandatory; some are recommended. Once you have been vaccinated, you will receive a vaccination certificate. You might be asked to show this certificate to the customs officer when you enter your host country.
For travel health advice and information about vaccinations, contact the campus doctor or your local Travel Health Clinic. Bring your vaccination records to the appointment.
Please be aware of the potential knowledge safety risks that you may encounter during your travels. All students travelling abroad for study, internships or research should follow UT's guidelines on knowledge and information security. This is particularly important if you are travelling to a high-risk country such as China, Iran, Russia or North Korea.
Once you are certain that your exchange is confirmed, you can book your flight or train ticket. Before you book, make sure you are admitted to the partner university, and that you are allowed to enter the destination country. If you are uncertain, you can check with your faculty contact person.
Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after arrival in your host country. Rules for passport validity may change and are not the same for all countries. Check the embassy of your host country beforehand.
Your host university may request an original certificate (IELTS or TOEFL) to prove your English proficiency. The certificate should be no more than 2 years old.
If you would like to improve your English language skills, you can enrol in an English course offered by the UT Language Centre.
Attend the Pre-Departure Meeting at UT in June to prepare for your exchange and meet other exchange students.
Recommended preparations:
To ensure a smooth start, always sign up for the introduction activities at your host institution, and make sure you arrive at least 1 week before the semester begins.
Don’t hesitate to contact your host university (International/Mobility Office) if you have questions.
Learn the local language
You may wish to take a language course to prepare for your exchange experience. There are many advantages to knowing the local language. The following organisations offer language courses:
The UT Language Centre offers courses for UT students and staff to learn English, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. Visit the course finder to register for an upcoming course.
UT students and staff can join online micro-modules to learn a variety of languages via ECIU. Visit the ECIU platform to search for upcoming courses (select ''Language learning'' under Topics).
Online Language Support (OLS) is the Erasmus+ online programme that helps you improve the language skills you will use while staying with us at the UT. It offers self-paced language assessments and access to personalised online courses in the language(s) relevant to study, work, or volunteering, plus optional support for local languages upon return from the mobility experience. The support aims to reduce language barriers and helps stimulate linguistic diversity.
At the EU Academy you’ll find:
Discover a new culture
If you'd like to learn more about your host country's culture, the Lonely Planet travel guides are a good starting point. You may also be interested in exploring the workplace Culture Simulator tool.
It is important to always respect the rules and culture in your host country.
UT Language Centre hosts a one-day workshop on Japanese language and culture, particularly useful for students planning an exchange to Japan!
The International Student Identity Card, ISIC, is the only internationally recognised student ID. ISIC provides you student status verification, thousands of student discounts around the world and access to a global student community.
Register at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Buitenlandse Zaken) to be updated on the safety situation abroad and, if you wish, to be registered at the embassy in your destination country.
Ministries of Foreign Affairs often provide free service to citizens who travel or live overseas. Regardless of whether you are travelling abroad for study, work or leisure, registering allows you to record information about your travel route abroad. The information you provide will allow the ministry to contact you to make sure that you are safe and, if necessary, assist you in the case of an emergency (e.g. natural disasters, civil unrest, etc.)
Stay up to date on the latest developments in your destination country by downloading the free travel app of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: the 24/7 BZ Reisapp. Download the app for android or IOS.
Add your destination to your favourites to receive notifications if the safety situations change for that country. The Ministry's Information Service (Dutch only) can provide you with information about, for example, passports, travel insurance, and registration at the Dutch embassy. You can also contact them in the case of an emergency, such as losing your passport, being admitted to a foreign hospital, etc.
Travel Smart is an app designed to help you stay one step ahead while on the move, providing pre-travel advice and alerts directly to your phone. It can also help UT to locate you in case of an emergency. Read the download instructions here.
The Erasmus+ Mobile App is your single point of entry into the Erasmus+ programme, providing a broad range of information, tools and services to help you plan and carry out your Erasmus exchange.
Download the Erasmus+ mobile app: Google Play Store
Did you know that you can access your worldwide UT alumni network during your study or internship abroad? UT is proud to have an extensive network of alumni not only here in the Netherlands but around the world. These fellow UT’ers offer a unique local perspective and can be a valuable resource during your exchange.
Are you interested in meeting ‘local’ alumni for a coffee to learn more about living or working in Cardiff, Istanbul, New York, Stockholm or wherever you may be going? Submit your request to the UT Alumni Office and they will do their best to find a good match in/near your host city and share their details so you can meet-up.
The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is the largest interdisciplinary, non-profit student organisation in Europe. They are connected to a network spanning over 500 sections in 45 countries, and involving more than 15,000 active members. Sign up to your local ESN section in your host country to get help from members and join activities.
Students going abroad for study or internship as part of their UT programme are eligible for monthly compensation for their Dutch OV-chipcard (national student card for public transport).
Apply for the compensation two months before your departure. Your Faculty Exchange Coordinator can sign the application form.
To be eligible for OV-compensation you must temporarily deactivate your OV-chipcard. The OV-compensation is awarded only for those months in which your OV-chipcard is deactivated. Make sure to deactivate your card before the first day of your first month abroad.
Your exchange may be affected by unforeseen circumstances or you may have made plans to travel after your mobility has ended. In all cases, you should inform UT about any change of your original plans by:
1. Informing your Faculty Contact Person, and
2. Editing your Mobility-Online registration.
In the event of an emergency occurring in countries in which UT students and staff are studying or working, the Emergency Abroad Service performs a wellbeing check and provides support when required. The service liaises with various stakeholders and shares information about important matters such as pre-emptive safety measures, pre-departure preparations and intercultural awareness. To contact the service, email emergency-abroad@utwente.nl.
Essential phone numbers:
If you have received a UT scholarship, you must take some more steps after your exchange. An overview of these steps can be found in your registration in Mobility-Online in the “after the mobility” section.
Returning home after studying abroad can feel unexpectedly challenging. You may miss your host country, feel different from friends and family, or find it hard to adjust to familiar routines. This is called reverse culture shock and is a normal part of re-entry. Give yourself time to readjust and reflect on how your international experience has helped you grow. And if you need support, our teams of professionals at Student Guidance and Wellbeing are there to help you.