Study Abroad Planner 2026

Generate a pre-departure timeline for your study abroad journey. Select your university and your first day on campus to get a week-by-week checklist covering visa applications, housing, health insurance, flights, packing, and more. Free, no sign-up required.

Important: This tool provides general guidance only. It does not process visa applications, book flights, sign leases, purchase insurance, transfer money, or submit any documents on your behalf. All tasks require manual confirmation and compliance with your destination country's laws, your university's policies, and your personal circumstances. Always verify requirements with your university's international student office and official government immigration sources.

Step 1: Select Your University & Start Date

Task Categories

Visa & Immigration
Housing
Health & Insurance
Finance
Academic
Travel & Packing

Study Abroad Planner — FAQ

What is the Study Abroad Planner?

The Study Abroad Planner is a free tool that generates a general pre-departure timeline based on your university and the date you must first be on campus. Select your university, enter your arrival date, and receive a week-by-week checklist covering visa, housing, health insurance, travel, packing, and more.

Is the Study Abroad Planner official advice?

No. This tool provides general guidance only. It does not process visa applications, book flights, sign leases, transfer money, or submit any documents on your behalf. All tasks require manual confirmation and compliance with your destination country's laws, your university's policies, and your personal circumstances. Always verify requirements with your university's international office and official government sources.

Which universities are supported?

We currently support 19 top universities including MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, NUS, UTokyo, PKU, HKU, and UCT. We're adding more universities regularly.

What does "First Day on Campus" mean?

The "First Day on Campus" is the earliest date you are required to be physically present at your university. You can choose the type of date: teaching start, orientation, registration, housing move-in, or a visa/school-specified date. The planner uses this date to calculate all task deadlines.

How far in advance should I start planning?

We recommend starting your preparation 3-6 months before your first day on campus. The planner generates tasks from 6 months out, giving you ample time for visa processing, housing applications, scholarship deadlines, and travel arrangements.

Can I customize the timeline?

Yes! You can adjust your start date and select the type of arrival date. The planner will automatically recalculate all task deadlines. You can also mark tasks as complete and track your progress through the checklist.

Is the Study Abroad Planner free?

Yes, completely free with no sign-up required. You can print your personalized timeline or share the URL with family members coordinating the move.

Does the planner book flights, apply for visas, or make payments for me?

No. The planner is a reminder and checklist tool only. It does not book flights, apply for visas, sign housing contracts, purchase insurance, transfer money, or submit any documents. Each task includes a general guideline and you are responsible for completing it yourself. Always confirm dates and requirements with your university and official sources.