If you’re planning on moving to Spain for your year or semester abroad, you will be thinking of accommodation, bureaucracy, bank accounts and much more. It might be wise to read our Culture Shock section for more tips about Spanish working hours, politeness and more before you set sail to the Iberian Peninsula. Read on to find out what you should do when you arrive, how to sort out lodgings and what to look out for regarding money issues and more...

It’s coming to that time of year again...No, not Christmas, nor the end of exams, but rather a fun weekend involving your year abroad, your best mate/partner in crime/parents coming to visit and you’re not only looking forward to pretending to be a tourist in your new city (ahem, you’re now officially a local of course) but you’re also planning on doing loads of typical things with them. Going to cute little cafés, munching on local cuisine, visiting the [insert name of famous museum] together. Just one little hitch in the plan - they virtually do not speak any foreign tongue; yes and no are trying at the best of times, their pronunciation is totally off-key and regardless of how many times you have tried to teach them basic words, they can’t seem to muster them up on command. What to do? The weekend can’t just be you translating all the time, can it? That’s where these simple steps and hints come in...

Funding your year abroad is a big step to finalising your plans, making sure you can afford your city and enabling you to really make the most of your time there, without worrying too much about money. Many grants and schemes are available, as well as the chance to get to grips with various other forms of money-saving ideas. Here is our definitive list of what you should keep an eye out before you whisk yourself off to other countries: