Moving to a new place on exchange always brings with it new challenges, and while these often present learning and development opportunities which can be very beneficial, they can also cause considerable anxiety. From getting into the right courses to making friends in a new country, there are some problems experienced while on exchange which are common for many students.

In this capsule we address six of the most common issues students face when settling in to an exchange experience, and we provide you with practical steps and further resources to help you overcome these challenges. It is important to remember that mobility experiences are different for each person; you may face all, some, or none of these challenges.

You may want to familiarise yourself with the material presented here before you go abroad to prepare yourself for some of the challenges you might face, but you should also bookmark this page/save this information to return to it as and when you need to. If you do experience any of these common problems, we would encourage you to complete the quiz at the end of this capsule after the problem has been resolved and you feel comfortable reflecting on it.