Learning a Language Before Studying Abroad: A Preparation Plan

Arriving in a new country is exciting, and it is much easier if you can understand the signs, order a meal and ask for help. If your course is taught in another language, preparation is not optional: lectures, reading and assessments will all depend on it. Even for courses taught in English, the language of daily life shapes how settled and connected you feel.

This guide gives a practical plan for the months before you go: how to find out what you need, how to build a study timeline and how to prepare for both everyday and academic situations.

Find out what level you need

Start with the requirements.

• Program language. Is your course taught in the local language, in English or both?
• Entry requirements. Many universities state a minimum level or a test score, often described using the CEFR scale from A1 to C2.
• Visa rules. Some countries and visa types set language requirements.
• Support available. Does the university provide preparatory courses or language support?

Our guide to English language requirements for universities explains how requirements work for English-taught programs, and many of the same ideas apply to other languages.

The CEFR scale in brief

Many degree programs taught in a second language ask for B2 or C1. Reaching those levels from scratch takes sustained effort over a long period, so be realistic about your starting point and timeline.

Build a timeline

The time you need depends on the language, your starting level and the hours you can study. Languages closer to your own are generally faster to learn than distant ones. Working backward from your departure date:

If you have less time, prioritize survival language and listening, and plan to continue learning after arrival.

Learn survival language first

Some language is useful from the first hour. Learn to:

• Greet people and introduce yourself.
• Ask for help and say you do not understand.
• Ask and understand directions.
• Order food and handle money.
• Use public transport.
• Handle housing, banking and phone basics.
• Handle health situations and emergencies.

A pocket list of 100 to 200 phrases, practiced aloud, is often enough to feel more at ease on arrival.

Prepare for academic life

If you will study in the language, build academic skills too.

• Learn vocabulary for your field, such as terms from your first-year courses.
• Listen to lectures, videos and podcasts in your subject.
• Read short academic texts, and notice how arguments are structured.
• Practice note-taking in the language.
• Practice writing short paragraphs and get feedback.
• Learn classroom language: asking questions, disagreeing politely, asking for clarification.

Our guide to improving your academic English covers many of these skills in English, and the ideas transfer to other languages.

Practice listening and speaking

The most common gap for arriving students is understanding fast, real speech and speaking spontaneously. To prepare:

1. Listen daily to audio at slightly above your level, such as news, interviews and lectures.
2. Shadow: repeat short passages aloud, copying rhythm and sound.
3. Speak weekly with a tutor or exchange partner.
4. Record yourself and compare it with native speakers.
5. Practice common situations aloud, such as asking for help or making an appointment.

Our guide to language exchange explained shows how to find and keep a partner.

Use technology wisely

Apps, flashcards and online lessons help, particularly in the early months. Use a habit app for daily contact, a flashcard tool for vocabulary and a tutor for speaking. Download offline dictionaries and a translation tool for arrival, and treat translation as a support, not a replacement for learning. Our guide to best language learning apps compares options.

Consider exams and certificates

Some programs ask for a language test. Common examples include English tests such as IELTS and TOEFL, and tests in other languages such as DELE for Spanish, DELF and DALF for French, TestDaF and other tests for German, HSK for Chinese and JLPT for Japanese. Check which tests your university accepts, how long scores remain valid and how far ahead you need to book. Our guides to the English tests explain how they differ.

Immersion before you go

If you can, create a mini immersion at home.

• Change your phone's language once your level allows.
• Watch shows with subtitles in the language, then without.
• Follow social media in the language on topics you enjoy.
• Cook from recipes written in the language.
• Join a conversation group or cultural society.

Short immersion programs abroad can also help. See our guide to language immersion programs.

What to do if your level is lower than you hoped

It is common to arrive below the level you wanted. Do not panic.

• Ask about preparatory courses and language support at your university.
• Tell your instructors that you are still developing, and ask about extra time or support where available.
• Form study groups with classmates, including local students.
• Record lectures where permitted, and review them.
• Keep learning daily. Progress in the first months is often fast.
• Use the university's language center, tutoring and writing support.

Preparing the practical side

Language preparation works best alongside practical preparation. Learn the words for documents you will need, such as passport, visa, enrollment, lease and insurance, and practice reading a sample form in the language. Find out how the university describes courses, assessments and deadlines, since academic vocabulary often differs from what a general course teaches. Join the university's online groups for incoming students, where you can see how others write and ask questions in the language before you arrive.

Setting realistic goals

Be specific. "Become fluent" is not a plan, while "hold a ten-minute conversation about my course and daily life by the time I fly" is. Break the goal into skills: understanding a short lecture, writing an email to a lecturer, ordering in a restaurant and giving directions to your home. Test yourself monthly, record a short speaking sample and compare it over time. Seeing progress keeps motivation up, and it shows you where to focus next.

Look after yourself

Studying in a second language is tiring, and mistakes are part of learning. Rest, take breaks from the language and stay connected with people who share your first language for comfort, while building new friendships. If you feel overwhelmed, use counseling and international student services, which exist for this reason.

Common mistakes

• Starting too late.
• Only studying grammar and never speaking.
• Ignoring academic language.
• Assuming that university support will cover everything.
• Relying on translation tools instead of learning.
• Not checking test validity and booking deadlines.
• Aiming for perfection before using the language.

A quick checklist

• Do I know the level and tests my program requires?
• Do I have a timeline and weekly study plan?
• Have I learned survival phrases?
• Am I practicing listening and speaking?
• Have I started academic vocabulary?
• Do I know what support the university offers?
• Have I arranged tests and deadlines?

Final thoughts

Preparation does not need to make you fluent before you go. It needs to give you enough to get started, enough to ask for help and enough habits to keep improving once you arrive. Start early, practice speaking from the beginning and use your university's support. The first months abroad will be easier, and the progress you make will keep going.