Gap year survival tips
If you are going on an organised gap year the company will normally help you sort this – check! You can obviously arrange this yourself by going to the consulates or embassies of the respective countries but there are agencies that will do it for you.Try the visa and work permit section here.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Travel Advice Notices aim to ensure that British travellers are well prepared before departure. Their website also contains background information on how they decide what advice to give and answers frequently asked questions on Travel Advice. You can also sign up to a country specific newswire that notifies you as things change.
Gap Year Travel Insurance
ALWAYS TAKE TRAVEL INSURANCE OUT. Assuming you agree with that statement, now you need to make sure you never ever skimp on any kind of travel insurance, especially if you are going off to ski or to another continent. The cost when things go wrong can be huge, according to a recent survey by the Post Office, the average cost of accidents in Europe is over £1,000 (and that’s just Europe). Worse news is that accidents involving evacuation and hospitalisation starting at about the £2,500 mark. Policies will normally be offered to you as part of your course, gap year or employment. You are not obliged to stick with any of them and are quite entitled to shop around for either a better deal or a more comprehensive policy. That's not to say that the insurance that they provide is not up to scratch but it is advisable to shop around anyway.
Being covered is one thing, getting things sorted if something happens can be quite another. If you are going as part of a course, employment or organised gap year programme the company you are with will normally help you out. In any case, make sure you check that the policy provides a 24-hour international helpline number.
Gap Year Help Guide - Useful Sections
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