Travel and pre-departure support for students
The visa is not the finish line. Accommodation, money, insurance and the first week in an unfamiliar city are where new students actually struggle, and where a bad decision is expensive.
The short answer
Once your visa is in hand we help you land well: accommodation booked early, flights and baggage planned, money moved without losing to conversion, the right health cover, and a first-week checklist for your city. Parents are welcome at the briefing, and you can reach us after you arrive. It costs nothing.
Where do new students actually struggle?
Students who book accommodation late pay significantly more for something further from campus, and students who arrive without a local bank account or SIM lose their first week to admin instead of settling in.
Parents, meanwhile, want to know their child has somewhere safe to land and someone to call. Both are solvable weeks in advance.
Which health cover do you need?
It depends on the country. In the UK, the immigration health surcharge paid with your visa gives access to the NHS. Australia requires Overseas Student Health Cover for your whole stay, starting the day you arrive. In Canada, cover depends on the province and often on the university’s own plan.
We check what your visa and university already include before you buy anything extra, because duplicate policies are a common waste.
Figures checked 24 September 2026 against GOV.UK: Immigration health surcharge; Home Affairs: Student visa (subclass 500). Rules change, so confirm them yourself on the day you apply.
Start with a free profile evaluation
Tell us your marks, budget and target country. We reply with what applies to you.
What is included
Accommodation
University halls, private student housing or shared flats, compared on cost, commute and contract length.
Flights and forex
Booking at the right time, baggage strategy, and how to move money without losing to conversion rates.
Pre-departure briefing
A session on the first week: bank account, SIM, registration, GP, transport card and campus enrolment.
Arrival support
Airport pickup arranged where available, and a contact you can reach in your first month.
What we do, and what you do
We
- Compare accommodation on cost, commute and contract terms.
- Advise on when to book flights and what to carry.
- Plan how much cash to carry and how to transfer the rest.
- Check which insurance your visa and university already provide.
- Brief you, and your parents if they wish, on the first week.
You
- Sign the accommodation contract and pay the deposit.
- Book and pay for flights.
- Open a forex card or arrange transfers with your bank.
- Carry original documents in your hand luggage.
When should each part of pre-departure happen?
As soon as the offer is unconditional
Start the accommodation search. Do not wait for the visa.
6–8 weeks before
Book flights once the visa timeline is clear, and plan forex.
2–3 weeks before
The pre-departure briefing, with the first-week checklist for your city.
First month abroad
We stay reachable for anything that goes wrong.
How it runs
Accommodation search
Started as soon as you accept an offer, not after the visa arrives.
Money and insurance
Forex plan, first-month cash, and the insurance your visa and university require.
Briefing session
A walkthrough of the first week, with parents present if they would like to be.
After you land
We stay reachable. Students message us for months afterwards, and that is intended.
Which documents will you need?
In your hand luggage
- Passport with visa, or your eVisa details
- Offer letter, CAS, CoE or I-20 as applicable
- Accommodation contract and address
- Evidence of funds and loan sanction letter
- Original degree certificates and transcripts
- Insurance documents and any prescriptions
Mistakes we see most often
Waiting for the visa to book housing
The most common and most expensive mistake. Good rooms near campus go first.
Carrying too much cash
Two to three weeks of expenses plus a deposit is enough; transfer the rest once your account is open.
Buying insurance twice
Check what the visa and university include before buying a separate policy.
Where this applies
Destinations
Common questions
Students we did this for
“Mansoor always gives his unbiased opinion and is always available to clarify any doubts that you may have regardless of the time.”
“Linked Overseas is extremely helpful and generous with their time. You don’t get troubled with a hundred missed calls.”
“I thought the UK visa application process was a daunting task… the success of my Visa application could be attributed to the highly professional service delivered to me.”
Know where you stand before you spend a rupee.
Book a free 45-minute consultation with Mansoor, in Egmore or on a call. Bring your marksheets and a budget range, and leave with a shortlist you can act on.