Even though it always seems easy, there are a lot of factors you need to take into consideration when making plans for travel abroad. There’s way more to this than meets the eye, so we’re breaking down what exactly to take into consideration, plus all of the miscellaneous things to take into account when you’re making your own travel plan.

What type of region will you be studying abroad in?

Your study abroad location is EVERYTHING when planning. You wouldn’t pack surf gear to go to Iceland, so knowing a bit about the region you’ll be studying abroad in is key.

Conservative vs. Liberal

The first factor should be figuring out how conservative the area is. Especially for the ladies, you don’t want to wear culturally insensitive clothes, and in most instances, you won’t be allowed inside spiritual areas if you’re not covered up. This doesn’t sound like a big deal until you have an art class inside a cathedral and you’re not allowed in because you only packed tank-tops.

Rural vs. Urban

You’ll also need to factor in how urban the environment is. Will there be stores for you to buy things upon arrival? Or will you need to bring literally everything you’ll need for the next four months because you’ll be studying in the jungle? You won’t want to use precious suitcase space with three bottles of shampoo unless absolutely necessary, so find out how close you’ll be to stores and then decide what to pack for study abroad.

What type of weather will you be studying abroad in?

Going somewhere with four distinct seasons is a lot different than studying abroad in just one climate, so the next factor you should weigh is the type(s) of weather you’ll experience.

Overall climate

The climate of your study abroad location will make or break what you should pack, so don’t underestimate this. Remember, too, if your study abroad location is in a different hemisphere, the seasons are flipped. Don’t roll up to Chile in July and expect much warmth.

Length of time abroad

If you’re only studying abroad for a summer, you probably don’t have to worry about the weather fluctuating much, but if you’ll be abroad for a whole academic year, then you’ll need to find out what type of climate(s) you’ll experience. Just because it’s hot in Spain in the summer doesn’t mean it’ll be hot year-round.