Students getting ready to embark on an international experience have a lot to think about, and a lot to do before they leave. “There’s a lot more to international travel than just booking the flight and making a hotel reservation,” says Deanna Behring, the college’s director of international programs. The following are among the many things students need to take care of before leaving the United States.

Passport and visa. Before students can travel abroad, they must secure a U.S. passport and a visa for the country they intend to visit. Students can apply for a passport at their U.S. Post Office. Travel agencies and Web sites such as Travel Document Services (www.traveldocs.com) can help students secure visas.

Vaccination. Diseases that are uncommon in the United States may be real threats in other nations, so students need to find out which shots they need to travel abroad safely. The Centers for Disease Control Web site (www.cdc.gov/travel/) provides information about recommended vaccinations for nations around the world.

Medicines. Students need to acquire an adequate supply of prescription medications, which may require a visit to the doctor to explain why a large supply of a prescription is necessary. Students also should take regularly used over-the-counter medicines, which may not be available in the country they’re visiting.

Insurance coverage. Students need to find out whether they have emergency out-of-country coverage. Many policies don’t include that coverage, which can be purchased for the exact dates of a trip through Web sites like www.accessamerica.com or www.travelguard.com.

Itinerary and contact list. In the event of an emergency, it can be very difficult to get in touch with a student traveling abroad. That’s why students need to give their families a detailed schedule of when and where they will be traveling, where they will be staying, and how they can be reached.

U.S. Embassy. Students should contact the U.S. embassy in the country to be visited, and provide the embassy with their itinerary and travel schedule. Contact information for embassies can be found at the U.S. Department of State Web site, travel.state.gov/links.html.

Copies. Students need to make copies of their insurance cards, passport, and visa, and leave a copy of each with their family. They also should keep one copy in their suitcase and another in their wallet or purse. Some countries require visitors to keep their original passport/visa at all times. If not, it’s safer to carry a copy and leave the original in the hotel safe.

Money. The best way for a student to figure out how much money they will need when traveling abroad is to consult with someone who has traveled in the country. Recent visitors can offer an idea of how expensive meals, entrance fees, travel fees, and other costs will be.

Currency and exchange rates. Students can learn the conversion rate online at www.oanda.com/convert/classic and other Web sites. Students also need to be careful about the form their money is in. In some countries, for instance, travelers’ checks are useless because businesses won’t accept them and banks won’t cash them. In addition, some counties won’t exchange U.S. dollars that are dirty, wrinkled, or written on.