Everyone remembers the visa and the flight. Here is what gets forgotten until week one, when it costs double:
1. Forex: set up Wise or Revolut before you fly. Airport counters take 5 to 8 percent. 2. Insurance: SafetyWing or university cover, active from landing day. One ER visit without it can top 2,000 USD. 3. SIM: an Airalo eSIM for landing day, then a local plan in week one. 4. Banking: Germany needs a blocked account (11,208 EUR for 2026). The UK wants 28 days of maintenance funds in the account. 5. Documents: three copies of everything, one in the cloud. Passport, offer letter, CAS, vaccine records. 6. Power: universal adapter plus a power strip from home. They cost triple near campuses. 7. Medicines: a 90-day supply of prescriptions with the doctor's letter. Sources: EducationUSA Do forex, insurance, SIM, and banking in one sitting, four weeks before departure. Future you says thanks.
