The only study abroad documents checklist you need

Planning to study abroad? Then you may be overwhelmed with the number of documents you need to keep in place for several processes. Getting admission to your dream university isn’t that hard but will surely involve a lengthy documentation process. While applying to any university/college you need to furnish a long list of documents, which is very cumbersome. So before applying only having all of these documents ready makes sense. This checklist may vary from university to university and is also dependent on destination. 

Here we have accumulated a list of some crucial documents you’ll need during your application process- 

Checklist for University Application/I20 Form

• Application form from the university
• Entrance test scores (IELTS/GRE/TOEFL/SAT)
• Academic records
  • 10th result transcripts and certificates
  • 12th result and certificates
  • Bachelor’s degree certificate (when applying for master’s)
  • Masters/Diploma certificate (if any)

There also may be other documents required like SOP (Statement of Purpose)/Essay, letter of recommendation, reference letter, resume, work experience certificate, etc. After receiving all these documents, the university/college will analyze your academic and test scores and will send you the Offer Letter/I20 form as an indication of accepting your admission. 

• Offer Letter/I20 form: This is an acceptance letter (for the USA) issued by the university. This will be sent to you upon acceptance based on the documents submitted by you while applying. This can be of two types, Conditional and Unconditional. The conditional offer letter means your acceptance by the university is on some terms. These terms include  Minimum IELTS/TOEFL Score required or Minimum GRE/GMAT Score required or Final Transcripts of your latest academic qualification, etc. An unconditional offer letter means your admission confirmation is subject to you paying your university fee etc before the due date mentioned in the offer letter.
• Statement of Purpose (SoP): When applying for any particular course in university only test scores are not enough. You also need to highlight the reason why you want to join the course. For this, you need to send a document named SoP which has one’s career, research goals, and accomplishments so far to achieve them. It is one of the important documents that universities abroad consider while shortlisting students. SoP is used by universities to access the capabilities of a prospective student in terms of analytical abilities, aims, interests, and critical thinking. In general, most universities accept 1-2 pages of SoP, and most SoPs are judged on the basis of how crisp, short, and ideologically clear they are.
• Letter of Recommendation (LOR): A recommendation letter is given to a person to honor them for their good work and to recommend them in the future. The writer assesses an individual on the basis of their character and their ability to perform a particular task or function.
• Work Experience Documents: For some study programs like MBA you need to have certain work experience. The major documents that act as a proof of your work experience are-
  • Latest Joining Letter
  • Latest salary slip
  • Employment certificates of all previous employers

Important Visa Documents 

After getting the offer letter you also need to apply to foreign embassies for a study VISA. The VISA form needed for various countries are mentioned below: 

• USA- F1 Visa Form
• UK- Study Visa Form
• Australia- Study Visa Form
• Canada- Study Visa Form
• New Zealand: Study Visa Form

Other Important Visa Documents

• Passport
• Visa Fee Receipt
• Passport size photographs
• GRE/GMAT scores
• IELTS/TOEFL score
• Sponsor letter
• Scholarship letter (if any)

Once you get the Visa and Planning your study abroad trip, you should carry the following documents with you- 

• Passport
• Health Insurance ID Card
• International Immunization and Vaccine Records
• Driving License
• Contact Information

Once you have put everything together, recheck to make sure you haven’t missed anything. Organize everything in a folder. Also, make photocopies and get them attested. 

You’ll also need to be stress-free abroad in order to focus on your studies. One of the major reasons for stress amongst students studying abroad is how to manage their expenses. For instance, the ATM fee charged on international debit cards is considerably high. You may end up losing a lot of money in withdrawals only. You can solve this challenge by getting HOPcard by moneyHOP. moneyHOP provides you a multicurrency bank account in which you can carry money of different currencies.  In addition to helping you pay for books, tuition, travel, food, and accommodation, this card entitles you to a wide range of discounts along with a 6% interest rate yearly. Also unlike forex cards, you need to keep loading and unloading. HOPCard is a Debit+Forex card which means you can use it in your home country and in abroad as well. Using this card you can spend and send money anywhere in the world seamlessly and to add a cherry on top, exchange rates are cheaper than a bank.

Studying abroad may seem scarier but it will surely open up an exciting chapter in your life. Make the most of it!

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