With your visa in hand, the focus shifts from paperwork to practical life. The weeks before departure go quickly, and the things students most often forget are small ones: an unlocked phone, a certified copy of a certificate, enough local currency for the first few days.
This step helps you leave calmly, with money, housing and documents in order.
Booking your flight
Aim to arrive a week or two before orientation, so you can recover from travel, collect keys and open a bank account before classes begin. Check whether your visa allows entry only from a certain date before the course starts.
- Compare student fares, which often include extra baggage
- Check checked and cabin baggage allowances on every leg
- Avoid tight connections on your first international journey
- Book airport pickup if your university offers it
Accommodation for your first night and beyond
Confirm your accommodation before you fly. If you have not secured long-term housing, book a short stay for the first two weeks near the campus and look in person. Never transfer a deposit for a private rental you have not verified; rental scams targeting new international students are common.
Money: what to carry and how to move it
- Carry a small amount of local currency in cash for the first few days
- Load a forex card for everyday spending until your local account is ready
- Send tuition directly to the university through your bank under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme
- Understand the tax collected at source on remittances above the yearly threshold, and keep the certificate to claim credit
- Inform your Indian bank about overseas use of your debit or credit card
- Keep your Indian mobile number active for bank one-time passwords
Documents to carry in your hand baggage
- Passport with visa, or visa grant notice or eVisa details
- Offer letter and enrolment confirmation (CoE, CAS, I-20 or equivalent)
- Proof of funds and loan sanction letter
- Health insurance certificate
- Accommodation confirmation and address
- Original academic certificates and mark sheets
- Passport-size photographs and printed copies of everything
- Prescriptions for any medicines you carry
Packing sensibly
Most things are available abroad, but some are expensive or hard to find. Pack for the season you arrive in, a few home comforts and any regular medicines. Check customs rules: many countries restrict food, seeds, meat, dairy and some medicines, and Australia and New Zealand are particularly strict. Declare anything you are unsure about.
- Weather-appropriate clothing, including one set of formal wear
- A universal travel adaptor
- Basic medicines with prescriptions, in original packaging
- Spectacles or contact lenses and a copy of your prescription
- A small set of utensils if you plan to cook
Health, insurance and safety
Get a general health check and any vaccinations your university or visa requires. Some countries, including the UK, require Indian applicants to take a tuberculosis test at an approved clinic before applying. Keep your insurance policy number and the insurer's helpline saved on your phone.
The Moksh pre-departure briefing
Before you fly, we run a free briefing for students heading to your destination. It covers arrival and immigration, the first-week checklist, banking, part-time work rules, staying safe and settling into a new academic culture. Parents are welcome, and questions are encouraged.
Your checklist
- Book your flight to arrive one to two weeks before orientation
- Confirm accommodation for at least the first two weeks
- Load a forex card and carry some local currency
- Pay any remaining tuition through your bank
- Unlock your phone or plan an eSIM for arrival
- Pack original documents in your hand baggage
- Save digital copies of all documents in secure cloud storage
- Check customs rules for food and medicines
- Attend the Moksh pre-departure briefing
- Share your travel and accommodation details with your family
Frequently asked questions
How early can I travel before my course starts?
Each country sets its own rule. Australia usually allows entry up to 90 days before the course start date, and the UK generally allows arrival shortly before your course begins, depending on course length. Check the date printed on your visa or grant notice.
How much cash should I carry?
Enough for the first few days of food and transport, typically the equivalent of a few hundred US dollars. Rely on a forex card and your new local bank account for the rest. Large sums of cash must be declared at customs above the threshold set by each country.
Should I buy a SIM before leaving India?
You can buy an international roaming pack or a destination eSIM before leaving, so you have data on landing. Many students then switch to a local prepaid plan in the first week. Keep your Indian number active for bank one-time passwords.
Can I carry Indian food and spices?
Some packaged items are allowed but rules are strict in several countries, especially Australia and New Zealand. Declare all food at customs. Undeclared items can lead to fines even if they would have been allowed.
What if my visa arrives very close to my course start?
Talk to your university early. Many allow late arrival for a short period or can move you to the next intake. Let us know as soon as you see a delay so we can contact the university for you.