G'day mate. How are things going? Today, I am going to talk about what can be done before going abroad to study. There are so many things you should take into account. But, I've selected minimal requirements here. Let's explain.
First and foremost, you need to lay the foundation for the English language. Wherever you go, English should be lingua franca, or globish
Do you remember all grammar rules? If not, why don't you purchase GIS (Grammar in Use) for your review? Better to review it in English directly, rather than in your language. Much quicker!
Can you pronounce all sounds of English phonetic symbols? If not, why don't you check a 44 sounds table by googling? Not too many symbols, but you might have been struggling to pronounce correctly due to your first language-led interference.
How many vocabularies you've got at the moment? Enough for reading any types of academic references at uni? If not, why don't you study etymology (=prefix, suffix and word roots)? There are heaps of good websites out there, so why not?
Can you read aloud English-written articles confidently, smoothly and correctly without having too many unnecessary pauses and hesitations? If not, why don't you practise reading aloud at home? And, more importantly, you should record yourself, otherwise you can hardly find any mistake.
Second, you need to know, to some extent, the local accent where you intend to stay over the next few years or two
You'll be surprised by the fact that what you understood might differ from the local English in terms of accent and the usage of words being influenced by the local culture. How can we understand that? It's dead simple, let's google it! Lucky you! Google enables us to research pretty much everything prior to going abroad to study. Virtually it's possible to know almost everything you need, but it's still worth going abroad to study because you can only realistically experience in the local country.
Third, you should get a much higher score in the English examination to meet the minimum requirement for entering uni
It's better to have a higher score in the English examination before you start uni. All exam results are valid for two years, so if you are lucky you don't need to re-sit the exam for migration purposes after graduating from uni. Even if the result is expired by then, you should still be able to get that higher score with ease. So, give it a whirl beforehand! The higher you've got in the exam, the easier you can cope with uni stuff, and the less stress you are gonna have during your uni life.
Fourth, you should make a certain plan for your post-study abroad to make sure you won't be stuck
Ideally, you make a certain plan for your post-study abroad, because you don't want to be stuck or confused what to do. Of course, even if you've made a proper plan, you are likely to do different things. That's fine. Just think about like a plan B. For instance, if your post-study abroad plan is already done, your migration process will probably be much quicker and smoother. Better doing something than nothing being prepared.
Fifth, you should try to read books and journals as many as you possibly can
Before going abroad to study, you can read some books or journals in relation to what you are going to specialise in. You don't need to spend any money for getting books. You just need to google it. Google escorts you to a sort of quasi-academic world, such as Google Scholar, in which you can browse heaps of excellent journals or academic essays. All free! Today, even a penniless young student can survive during the academic year. Anyway, try to get the hang of the fundamentals of your would-be expertise.
Last but not least, you should know some local culture as well as law and order
Even if general impression for the country you are going to stay is good, you should research yourself in detail. Because, like Japan, many foreigners unanimously say Japan is secure, fairly rich, good economy, good people, etc. But that's not quite right. All depends on cities. Some are of course excellent, whereas others are not so, perhaps. Therefore, it's better to research the specific area's data as much as you possibly can. In especial, law and order is a must-research list for you. In Australia, for instance, each state has got state laws and regulations, so if you don't know and not mindful of them, then you're going to be in trouble in some cases. Just be aware! When it comes to local culture, it's not a must-know list, but ideally you've known some already before going, which is an asset for your stay there.
That's all for today. Thanks for reading.
Have a good one!