Pre-Travel: What You Need to Know

So you're planning on studying abroad through NAU? Congrats! There's obviously some things you'll need to do before you arrive. Below is a detailed list of the steps I took before traveling to Costa Rica. Keep in mind that this list might need to be adapted to meet your unique needs. 

Before Traveling, ...

1. Apply for Study Abroad through Education Abroad Programs | Education Abroad (nau.edu).* You will be notified via email when your application has been approved/denied. This review process could take between one day and three months depending on the program. For me, I was approved about five days later. 

*Note: You will need you passport number to apply, so be sure to renew or apply for a passport first if you do not already have one. For more information about passports, visit Passport office | Center for International Education (nau.edu). 

2. Apply for scholarships through Scholarships | Education Abroad (nau.edu) and/or other scholarship websites.

3. Meet with your study abroad advisor to plan your class schedule and answer any of your questions. The current study abroad advisor for NAU's Costa Rica program is Mikaela Terry. To make an appointment with her, visit Make an appointment with an advisor | Education Abroad (nau.edu). 

4. Attend NAU's Study Abroad orientation to meet the NAU faculty and/or other students you will be traveling with. The College of International Education (CIE) should send you an email about this orientation meeting about three weeks prior to travel. 

5. Buy your plane ticket. Personally, I flew with American Airlines because they have good prices and high quality. We had a layover in Dallas, Texas, which was nice because it gave us time to stretch and grab lunch. If you are traveling during uncertain times (during a pandemic, for instance), I suggesting buying a refundable ticket in case travel dates change. 

5. Visit your doctor to ensure you are up-to-date on your vaccinations and are healthy enough to travel. If you take any prescription medications, it would be a good idea to make sure you bring enough medication to last the entire length of your trip. While you can get medications in Costa Rica, it is often easier and safer to bring them with you from the U.S. 

6. Pack your bags! This is by far the most exciting step. For more details about packing and luggage, visit the "Getting There: Packing and Traveling Info." page. 


Location: Costa Rica

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