Overcome your fears

It's normal to feel this way – your first days in a new country will be full of unfamiliar things. But you won't be starting from scratch. Before you leave, you can get to know other students going to the same place, and when you arrive, many universities welcome you with an introduction week, an international student office and a buddy program. Asking for help at the start isn't weakness – it's a completely normal part of a new life.

This fear is very understandable – especially if you've used English more in class than in everyday life. You don't need to speak perfect English. The required level and the way you prove it depend on the program, but you'll study with people from many countries who aren't native speakers either. Using English every day, you'll gradually get more confident. You'll find the exact requirements in “Required English language tests”.

Don't ignore this fear – it's worth planning your finances before you leave. In Denmark, Sweden and Finland, studies at public universities are free for students with EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship, while the Netherlands and Belgium charge tuition fees. Some students combine studying with a job and cover part of their everyday costs that way, but you still need a financial plan for the start. Applying through Kastu is completely free – the application itself costs you nothing. You'll find country costs, government financial support and real budgets in “Finances”.

You don't need perfect grades. Admission requirements depend on the country, the university and the program: some look at specific subjects or exams, others at your broader profile. So what really matters isn't just your grade average but the requirements of the specific program. You'll find them in the program description on kastu.eu, on the official university page and in “General admission requirements”.

You don't need to understand every system in advance. You fill in one Kastu application form, which you can use to apply to programs in five countries. We review your documents, tell you what's missing, help you fix mistakes and submit them to the universities. You get e-mail and SMS reminders about upcoming deadlines, so you'll see the whole process as a clear sequence of steps.

And you don't have to be sure today. The first step isn't a promise to leave – first you can browse programs, compare countries, ask KastuGPT and work out what really suits you. Application and final decision deadlines depend on the university you choose – you'll find them in the program description on kastu.eu and on the official university page. What matters most isn't deciding in one evening – it's giving the idea a real look before you say no to it.