The first week abroad is the most hectic stage of the entire study-abroad journey. You have to handle a string of procedures, get used to a new environment, and cope with jet lag all at once.
The way to reduce the pressure is not to move faster but to know the order of priority in advance. Some things must be done within the first few days, while others can safely wait until the second week.
This guide is organized in that order.
Preparation before flying
Three things done in advance will save a lot of time in the first week.
Prepare the set of documents to carry on your person, not in checked luggage. This includes your passport, admission letter, proof of accommodation, insurance, and copies of academic documents.
You should also keep a full photo set on your device and an online backup copy, in case the paper copies are lost.
Confirm how you will get from the airport. Know in advance which mode of transport, how long it takes, and roughly the cost. This is a small thing but it relieves a lot of anxiety when you have just arrived and are exhausted.
Prepare a small amount of cash in local currency, enough to cover a few days before you can open a bank account.
You should also save emergency contact numbers in advance: your school’s contact point, the Vietnamese representative agency in that country, and an acquaintance if you have one.
The first three days: mandatory tasks
Task one: let your family and your school know you have arrived. Simple but easy to forget amid the chaos.
Task two: settle into your accommodation. Check in, inspect the condition, and photograph it if it is a rental. Photographing the condition on check-in avoids disputes over the deposit when you move out later.
Task three: complete the enrollment procedures. Many institutions have a specific deadline for this, and missing it can cause complications.
Task four: mandatory administrative procedures. Depending on the country, this may include residence registration or similar procedures, usually with a deadline counted in days from entry. Find out in advance and do it right away, since missing this deadline has serious consequences.
The four tasks above should be completed within the first three days, and task four, which has a hard deadline, should be given the highest priority of the four.
Day four through the end of the week
Open a bank account. Usually requires ID, proof of address, and proof of student status. Ask your school whether there is a bank with a convenient process for international students.
Register for a communication service. A local phone number is needed for nearly every other procedure.
Complete your health insurance. If you have not purchased it beforehand, this is something not to delay. In many places it is also a mandatory requirement.
Learn the local transport system. Buy a monthly pass if there is a student discount, and try the route from your accommodation to school before your first day of class.
Attend the school’s orientation session. Many people skip it thinking it is unnecessary, but this is where you get practical information and meet people in the same situation.
Three things worth doing but not urgent
The items below are important but can safely wait until the second week, and knowing that you are allowed to postpone them is itself a way to reduce pressure.
Buy a full set of household items. The first few days only need the essentials. Shopping in a rush before you know your surroundings is usually more expensive.
Look into part-time work. You need to know clearly the rules on permitted working hours, and there is no need to rush in the first week when there are still many mandatory tasks.
Join community groups. Useful for integrating, but there is no need to rush.
Keeping records in the first week abroad
This is a small habit that proves very valuable later on.
Keep every document you receive, even ones that look unimportant. Many later procedures require documents from this early stage.
Record the reference numbers and dates of every procedure completed: residence registration number, account number, student ID number, and the date each procedure was completed.
Take photos to keep of all important documents.
Record the contact details of each department you have dealt with, so you do not have to search from scratch next time.
A small notebook or a note file is enough. After a few months, this will be something you use more often than you expect.
Taking care of yourself
This part is often underestimated, but it directly affects how much you can get done in the first week.
Get enough sleep. Jet lag affects your ability to concentrate more than people think, and trying to get everything done while sleep-deprived often leads to mistakes in important procedures.
Eat regularly, even when busy and even before you are used to the local food.
Do not try to finish everything in two days. The list above is ordered for a reason, and the items in the non-urgent group truly are not urgent.
Stay in touch with your family at a steady but not excessive pace. Contacting home too often in the early stage can sometimes slow down the process of settling in.
Accept that the first few days will feel awkward. This is normal and happens to everyone, even those who prepared the most thoroughly.
When something goes wrong
Three principles for handling it quickly.
Contact the school’s international student support office first. This is the place that has handled similar situations many times before and knows the fastest way to resolve them.
Ask early rather than trying to sort it out on your own. Many problems are easy to solve in the first week but become complicated if left too long, especially ones with a deadline.
Stay calm with administrative procedures. The process differs from country to country, and what seems unreasonable often has a reason you are not yet aware of. Asking for clarification is more effective than getting frustrated.
If there is a serious problem involving documents or safety, contact both the school and the Vietnamese representative agency in that country.
Things worth confirming early for later on
Two things you should ask about clearly in the first week, even though the answers will only be needed months later.
The process for requesting transcripts and confirmation letters. Know in advance where to request them, how long it takes, and whether there is a fee. This information will be needed when you apply for scholarships, apply for internships, or handle document renewals.
The conditions and deadlines for renewing residence documents. Many types have a validity period and must be renewed a certain amount of time in advance. Mark that date on your calendar right from the first week.
For questions about how your qualification will be recognized once you return home, the framework of The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a resource you can read on your own and there is no need to rush to it in the first week.
Comparative information on education systems across countries from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is useful when you want to understand how academic studies are organized where you are studying.
Summary
The first week abroad should be handled by order of priority rather than by a sense of urgency: procedures with a hard deadline first, procedures needed for daily life next, and everything else left for the second week.
The four mandatory tasks within the first three days are notifying that you have arrived, settling into accommodation, completing enrollment procedures, and administrative procedures with a deadline.
And the habit of keeping records from the very first week is something you will thank yourself for many months later.
Next Steps
Before flying, write out a single page: a list of tasks by day for the first week, with the address and contact number for each task.
Print it out and carry it with you. When you are tired and jet-lagged, a ready-made sheet of paper is far more useful than having to look everything up again from scratch.
