My Year Abroad Experience: A Comprehensive Guide

If you plan to spend some time abroad, you will quickly realize that there are a variety of options. We'll show you the most popular types of stays abroad and what makes each one special:

Work & Travel:

Work & Travel is one of the most popular stays abroad for young people. They often go abroad for a longer period of time straight after school. Australia and New Zealand are particularly popular travel destinations.

Voluntary work:

Is commitment your top priority? Then you can support a charitable project abroad in the form of volunteer work or service.

Internship abroad:

An internship abroad is advantageous for you if you would like to gain initial professional experience. You can often have these credited towards your studies or training.

Semester abroad:

Whether on a voluntary basis or because it is required by your course of study - a semester abroad is also a good opportunity to gain experience abroad.

AU Pair:

As an au pair, you spend some time with a host family abroad and help them with household chores and childcare.
Language trip: Is your goal above all to improve your foreign language skills? Then a language trip is ideal for you, because while you take courses on a specific language abroad, you can apply your knowledge directly in everyday life.

Sabbatical:

A sabbatical is primarily aimed at those who are already firmly in their professional lives. Would you like to escape your everyday professional routine? Then a sabbatical abroad will definitely do you good!

To ensure that your stay abroad is a complete success, you should plan it well in advance. For the Preparation for your stay abroad Among other things, you should consider how long you want to travel for, where you want to go and whether you want to plan everything on your own or whether you would prefer to travel with an organization.

When is the best time to go abroad?

Unfortunately, we cannot decide for you when the best time to go abroad is. Simply put, there is no such thing as a perfect moment because: It doesn't matter if you spent some time abroad after graduating from high school want to plan a semester abroad during your studies or want to treat yourself to a break from work with a sabbatical - every phase of life is suitable for a trip abroad. Depending on your individual ideas, this may happen sooner or later.

How long should a stay abroad be?

The duration is as individual as the time for a stay abroad. Think for yourself how much time you would like to invest. In principle, all options are open to you, from a few weeks as a volunteer to a whole semester abroad during your studies to a complete gap year.

Stay abroad: where should you go?

An exciting question when it comes to the topic of staying abroad is where you should ultimately go. Is there a particular country that interests you culturally, scenically, linguistically, etc.? For example, would you like to go to Italy so that you are not too far away from Germany or would you rather go to Australia so that you can travel as far away as possible?

If you want to go abroad for a certain period of time, the world is basically your oyster. Ultimately, you decide where to go.

Planning to go abroad alone or with an organization?

If you have organizational talent, it can definitely be fun to plan your stay abroad independently. The advantage of this is that you can, for example, choose your accommodation individually and your trip may also be cheaper overall. In travel guides or on the Internet you will find numerous tips from experts or like-minded people that can be very helpful.

Another alternative is to go abroad with an organization. Part of the travel preparation is taken care of for you, so that in the end you only have to worry about a few things yourself, such as taking out international health insurance. An organization can definitely do a lot of the planning for you and give you security - but you have to expect higher costs.

How much does a stay abroad cost?

The costs of a stay abroad depend on various factors. Among other things, it plays a role for how long you want to go abroad, which country you are traveling to and whether you plan your stay yourself or have it carried out by an organization.

In addition, you will also incur costs locally in the country. If you travel with an organization, the price often includes accommodation and meals. However, you should still plan for private expenses, for example for souvenirs or excursions. Depending on your needs and budget, the cost range can vary.

To get the most out of your stay abroad, we'll give you a few tips and tricks below:

Be open to new things:

One of the most important tips is to open yourself up to new experiences so that you can fully immerse yourself in the culture of your host country. You can do this, for example, by learning the local language, trying out local food - and, above all, respecting the local traditions! You will quickly notice that this not only promotes your own understanding and tolerance, but also makes it easier for you to form connections with local people.

Keep an eye on your finances:

So that there are no unpleasant surprises at the end, it makes sense to create a budget plan before your trip. This means you always have an overview of your income and expenses and can better estimate how much money you have available. To save money locally, you can, for example, buy groceries from local markets and avoid shops or areas where many tourists shop.

Safety first:

Before you travel, you should definitely find out about the security situation in the host country. You can find current information on the Federal Foreign Office website. It is also important that you always adhere to the rules and precautions that apply in the host country. In case of an emergency, you can also write down important telephone numbers, such as the local emergency number or the contact details of your embassy.

Take care of your health:

Just as important as checking the security situation in a country is protecting yourself health-wise. Find out whether you need certain vaccinations to enter the country and take care of comprehensive international health insurance. Also prepare a first aid kit that contains everything you might need on site.

Communication with friends and family:

If you're traveling outside the EU, you'll usually need a local SIM card to stay in touch with your friends and family by phone. You can usually buy SIM cards relatively cheaply locally. Another option are apps that you can use as a virtual SIM card.

Capture your adventure:

Just thinking about your trip will definitely put a smile on your face. It's even nicer if you can also record your time abroad with photos, videos or a travel diary. Not only will you have a nice memory for yourself, but you can also tell your family and friends about your experiences even more vividly.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a stay abroad?

Are you still weighing up whether a stay abroad is right for you and wondering what the advantages and disadvantages are? In our overview we will show you the reasons for and against traveling abroad.

Whether it's work & travel, volunteer work or a language trip - as you can see, a stay abroad gives you a unique opportunity to get to know other cultures, deepen your language skills in an authentic environment and grow personally.

Overall, a trip abroad is a good investment in your personal and professional future. No one can take away the knowledge and experiences you will gain during this time and they will shape you for the rest of your life. So dare to take the step, plan carefully and reward yourself with an unforgettable adventure!