Students kayaking on river – Northern Queensland, Australia
You are going to travel to the other side of the world! To help prepare you for your adventure, we’ve put together a pre-departure timeline that tells you what you need to do and when you need to do it.
Please note that some of these materials are password protected. The username and password will be emailed to you. You can also contact AUIP for this information at any time.
Immediately
Read the AUIP Program Handbook
The AUIP Program Handbook contains everything you need to know about your study abroad experience:
- Pre-departure checklist
- What to expect
- Making travel arrangements
- Health and safety
- Packing list
- Entry requirements (such as visas)
- Academic and conduct policies
Sign your forms
Please complete, sign and return to your Faculty Leader:
- Form 1: Waiver of Liability, Covenant Not to Sue and Indemnity
- Form 2 for Fiji students only: Fiji Village Homestay Waiver and Assumption of Risk
Note: Students cannot be accepted on the program unless they have signed Form 1 (all students) and Form 2 (Fiji students).
Please inform your Faculty Leader in writing if:
- You need special accommodation(s) because of a documented disability
- You have any special dietary requirements or allergies
- You have any medical conditions that might affect your participation in some part of the program. All activities are optional and we may be able to make alternative arrangements for you if you are unable to participate in certain parts of the program
Prepare for passport and entry requirements
Passports
Make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months after the end date of your program. If you need to apply for a passport either for the first time or to renew an existing passport, begin this process right away. For US citizens, information on applying for a passport is available on the U.S. Department of State Travel website.
Visas
US Students
- Check whether you need to get a visa or whether there are other entry requirements for all countries you will be visiting
- Consult the US Department of State Consular Information Sheets for details on how to prepare
- If you are going to Australia or New Zealand, get an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa in advance
Non-US Students
- Check whether you need to get a visa or whether there are other entry requirements for all countries you will be visiting
- Consult with your local consulate or authority to prepare for visa requirements
- If you are visiting Australia or New Zealand, check whether you are eligible for an ETA visa
Learning about sustainability in one of Australia’s National Parks – North Queensland, Australia
Eight Weeks Before Departure
Get medical and dental check-ups
Visit your doctor and your dentist for a pre-departure checkup. If you are on any prescription medication, prepare to have enough to last you the entire program.
Book a seat on your group flights
Group flights are arranged through AUIP’s travel partner, StudentUniverse. Not all universities offer a group flight option, but if yours does there are lots of reasons to book a seat:
- Travel with and get to know your group
- Competitive student pricing
- If you are going to Australia and are an eligible nationality (US citizens are eligible), get your ETA visa for free and get it organized for you. Note that if you are going to New Zealand, you need to arrange your own ETA visa, even if travelling on the group flight
- Strong customer service and a 24/7 travel assistance line
- Assistance with any additional flights you might need and be assured that these will link in with the group flight
How to book your group flight
- Online: Click on the StudentUniverse group flight portal link provided by your faculty leader and review the group flight itinerary and fine print. Purchase the group flight directly through the portal. If you need to add domestic flights, note this request and an agent will contact you within 24 hours to confirm pricing and collect payment.
Other important stuff about group flights
- Payment: you can pay in full when booking or put down a deposit and pay the balance before the final deadline. It’s up to you to contact StudentUniverse and arrange payment before the deadline.
- Deposits need to be paid by the deadline.
- Book early because seats can sell out.
- If you decide not to go on the group flight, make sure your arrival and departure times coincide with the program itinerary.
River kayaking – Viti Levu, Fiji
Four Weeks Before Departure
Register online with the US Department of State Travel Registration
Smart Traveler Registration Program (STEP) lets you record information about your trip so that the Department of State can assist you in case of an emergency. They will ask you for the name of a contact in the South Pacific; use the following:
American Universities International Programs, Ltd.
PO Box 3771
Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
Phone: +64.3.377.4644
Email: info@auip.com
Read the US Department of State Consular Information Sheets
Read the sheet for each country you will visit (links above). The sheets contain:
- Entry/exit requirements
- Health and safety information
- Political announcements
- Any relevant travel warnings of which you should be aware
Check out our packing lists
Prepare for different locations using these helpful packing guides:
Students hike through alpine meadows – Fiordland, New Zealand
Special considerations for some programs
Antarctica
Tune in for the online lecture series that runs each week for four months before your trip. Check with your faculty for details.
AUIP flagship programs
Course Reading Packs
Some courses have a Course Reading Pack. Your faculty will tell you if you do and how to prepare your order.
Here’s how you get them:
- Click here to visit the printer’s website
- Choose which Course Reading Packet you require by checking the box beside your program location
- Pay the invoice via PayPal in your email
- Wait for your parcel to arrive via regular US Postal Service (unless you request it another way)
- You will also get a travel version of the Program Handbook with your Course Reading Packet; read and bring this handbook with you.
Fiji
Pre-departure Lectures
All students going to Fiji need to watch the Pre-departure Lectures – Fiji. You will need to watch these to be able to answer the questions in your Pre-departure Culture and Geography Quiz.
The module-style academic program emphasized contextual understanding of topics and maximized intellectual gain by encouraging students to understand concepts when investigating course material.”
Chris Cox, Virginia Tech (alumnus of courses in Fiji and North Queensland, Australia)
STUDENTS
Transform your classroom
Dare to leave your comfort zone and embark on a South Pacific academic adventure with one of our partner university programs.
AUIP DESTINATIONS:
NEW ZEALAND
An isolated island nation in its evolutionary infancy, New Zealand is the most recently inhabited country in the world
AUSTRALIA
Australia is one of the most diverse countries on Earth, both in terms of its landscapes and its multicultural population
FIJI
Fiji is an archipelago of 330 islands, 110 of which are inhabited. It is a tapestry of ecological, cultural, and social complexity
ANTARCTICA
The coldest, driest, and windiest place on Earth, Antarctica is a frozen desert that is the least understood of Earth’s continents
