Firstly, congratulations on getting enrolled on an international university. The Economic Times stated that 1.33 lakh Indian students went to abroad for higher education in the first 3 months of 2022. But as exciting as going to another country to pursue your education may be, sorting the items to take along can be daunting. Believe us; parents would want you to carry everything along to create a comfort zone at your international accommodation. But this isn’t practical! Therefore, creating a pre-departure shopping list that only includes valuables is paramount. So what exactly should be the packing list for Indian students going abroad?
Let’s explore this article to check out the essentials of a packing list for students going abroad that would help them spend days and nights without any hassle.
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Overview of Travel Checklist for Abroad Students
Packing luggage for your study abroad education is trickier than it appears. It involves categorising and arranging numerous items like important documents, clothes, medicine, gadgets, etc. With so many things on the packing list for Indian students going abroad, one can easily forget a few. Therefore, to help you become exceptionally alert, we have shared these key pointers:
- Don’t forget your essentials like passports, medicines, local currency, power adapters, face masks, etc.
- Do not forget to bring the photocopies of your passport and visa, in case, the originals get stolen or misplaced.
- Pack light rather than carrying heavy stuff.
- If you can purchase certain items from the host country, it is better to procure them from there itself.
- Do your research about the weather conditions and carry clothes as per the local's choice.
- Try purchasing cheaper versions of items like watches, clothes, jewellery, etc.
- Be strategic about your packing.
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Elaborating on the last point, let’s go through the steps to follow while preparing a packing list for Indian students going abroad.
Steps to Prepare a Packing List for Indian Students Going Abroad
It surely wouldn’t look and feel great if you pack your luggage proactively but get asked by your airline to remove a few items on-spot or pay extra for the exceeding kilos. Avoid this and other awkward situations by following the given steps.
- International airlines allow 23-25 kg for check-in luggage. Therefore, find a spacious bag that can accommodate all your belongings. In this case, you can purchase a 4-wheel 360-degree rotating luggage bag.
- Once an international student leaves their home country for education, the chances of returning early are quite low unless there is a semester-end break or emergency. Therefore, organise your checklist by ensuring these pointers:
- Check luggage weight restriction.
- Check the items not allowed to be carried.
- Upload important documents in a Pendrive or on Google cloud.
- Use a language tag to identify your baggage.
- Arrange airport transfers in advance.
- Book accomodation in the host country beforehand.
- It is crucial to know the difference between check-in and carry-on luggage. Your carry-on luggage must include documents, local currency, medicines, phones, chargers, and other gadgets. The students can often get confused about the essentials that can not be packed in the check-in luggage. Therefore, read the baggage instruction carefully.
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Next, let’s go through the items to be included in the checklist for students travelling abroad.
What to Include in a Packing List to Study Abroad?
Avoid undesirable last-minute issues by exploring this packing list for Indian students going abroad.
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Travel Documents
Documents play an important role in the students to pass immigration check-ins, board, successfully fly, and undergo post-departure formalities. So keep a copy of all the documents to avoid any hassle in case they get misplaced. The list of documents includes:
- Passport
- Credit cards
- Student visa
- College admission proof
- Train tickets
- Flight ticket
- Boarding pass
- Student card
- Accommodation proof
- Enrollment confirmation
- Health insurance proof
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Clothing
Students must include clothes that will protect them from the host country's weather conditions. For example, carry jackets, warm clothes, and long boots if you are going to a cold country and vice versa. Do your research properly or connect with candidates already studying in international countries using the Yocket study abroad community platform. Here, the current students or alumni will be happy to answer all your questions related to weather conditions, clothing requirements, etc.
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Medicine
Medicines to carry while travelling abroad from India are crucial when a student is going through some treatment. So carry a good quantity of prescribed medicines as the same might not be available in the host country. However, in such situations, the students can take guidance from the local medical assistance team. Some common medicines to carry while travelling abroad for safe travel include paracetamol, antacids, painkillers, anti-allergies, antiseptics, bandages, Dettol, etc.
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Electronic Gadgets
Electronic devices like mobile/laptops fall in the category of essentials. Therefore, ensure to keep your cell phones, USB cables, chargers, etc. Also, know that the Indian adapters might not work in the international switches; therefore, you must carry universal adapters.
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Local Currency
Even though Visa and MasterCard are accepted worldwide, you should still carry local currency to avoid any issues. You can get local currency from foreign exchange centres, airport kiosks, foreign exchange desks, private money exchange businesses, etc. Moreover, you can also take foreign currency cards and traveller checks.
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Toiletries
There is a high chance that you don’t go shopping as soon as you land in the host country. Also, you might not get everyday items right away. Therefore, it's a good idea to take along a few essentials like toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gel, creams, sanitary napkins, tissues, makeup, grooming kit, toilet papers, and deodorant/perfumes.
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Miscellaneous
Some miscellaneous items that can be included in the luggage are:
- Backpack
- Purse or wallet
- Sunglasses
- Contact lenses
- Sleeping bag
- A journal or diary
- Bedsheets, pillows
- Office supplies like paper, pen, folder, etc.
However, it is not mandatory to take these items along as the above-shared essentials.
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Now you know the type of clothes, and medicines to carry while travelling abroad from India, etc. Next, let’s dive into the items that are a big no for being added to the international packing list.
What Not to Include in a Packing List to Study Abroad?
Are food items to carry while travelling abroad from India specified? Let’s get clear on this and many other items that are not suitable to be carried abroad.
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Heavy Liquids in Bottles
It is advised not to carry large bottles of liquid stuff like drinks, shampoo, oils, etc. This can lead to leakage and damage to the rest of the belongings. So purchase liquids that can help you survive just for a week.
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Culturally Inappropriate Clothes
A student must carry acceptable clothes in the host country. As you spend your maximum time on the university campus, read their dressing guidelines carefully. Some universities have strict rules for dressing formally; others allow casual dressing.
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Books
Books will add up weight to your luggage. In fact, you would be reading them once; therefore, it is better to purchase them from the host country or issue them from a library.
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Snacks or Food
Food items to carry while travelling abroad from India for the flight might be a good option, but carrying it in quality of 1-2 months is not advised. So instead of picking loads of Indian food to carry while travelling abroad, research the host country's food items and try to mingle with their culture.
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Expensive Things
If misplaced or stolen, expensive items can give a mental toll on any individual. Therefore, keep essentials like laptops/mobiles, but avoid other expensive things like jewellery. \
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Now you know what to include and what not on your packing list for study abroad education. We hope that your journey goes amazing and you succeed in building a robust career.
If, in the process, you need guidance at any step, connect with our expert counsellors by choosing Yocket premium. They will help you procure a work visa after completing your education, apply for a mid-term scholarship, get loans sanctioned, and more.
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