The Only Packing List That Won't Let You Down - 40 Study Abroad Must-Haves

So, your bags are half-zipped. Your student travel checklist? Somewhere between a group chat and a messy Google Doc.

Let’s fix that.

Welcome to UniEssential: your one-stop platform for everything a student needs before, during and after moving abroad, without the chaos of 10 open tabs. Whether it’s finding a cashback-worthy laptop, student-friendly Forex or downloading a smart packing list, UniEssential brings it all together minus the spam, the stress, or the shady links.

Now that you’re off to the US, UK, Germany or just moving cities, we’ve got you. This list won’t throw random gadgets at you, just the stuff that makes sense. The kind of stuff you’d forget until it’s too late.

Here’s a sneak peek at a few non-negotiables from each category:

📱 Tech & Electronics to Pack

Let’s be real: if your charger dies mid-orientation, it’s over.

Pack these first, they’re not optional.

• 🔌 Universal power adapter (life-saving if you’re flying to Europe or the UK)
  

• ⚡️ Portable power bank (for travel days, campus maps & Spotify in long lines)
  

• 🎧 Earphones or headphones (because your roommate’s playlists aren’t always the vibe)
  

• 📶 Pocket Wi-Fi or local SIM card (pre-activated = zero airport chaos)
  

For the ultimate discounts on necessary gadgets, click here.

👚 Clothing You’ll Actually Wear

No, you don’t need 30 outfits.

But you do need stuff that matches your new lifestyle. Here’s your quick study abroad shopping list:

• ☔️ Rain jacket or compact umbrella (trust us, you’ll thank yourself)
  

• 🥿 Comfortable walking shoes (campuses are huge and no one tells you that)
  

• 🧥 Thermal innerwear (for Canada, Germany or anywhere that hits negative)
  

• 🩳 Flip flops (shared dorm bathrooms can be quite a task)

🧼 Toiletries & Health

This is the “please don’t panic at 2 AM” section.

• 💊 Your prescription meds + English prescription copy
  

• 💼 Basic first-aid kit (Band-Aids, fever meds etc.)
  

• 🩸 2-month stock of sanitary supplies (your fav brand might not exist there)
  

• 🧴 Toiletry pouch with basics (travel sizes, TSA-approved)
  

🏠 Dorm & Daily Life

The hacks that make your room feel like home (or at least not a hotel).

• 🛏 Bedding set (don’t assume you’ll get a sheet!)
  

• 🍽 One-person cutlery kit (late-night Maggie or ramen = sorted)
  

• 🛍 Reusable grocery bag (eco-friendly and wallet-friendly)
  

📚 Documents You Can’t Forget

If you forget these, you’re actually in trouble.

• 📁 Folder with document copies (passport, visa, admission letter)
  

• 🖼 Passport-size photos (used for more than just ID cards)
  

• 💳 Currency pouch for cash, coins & cards
  

• 🗒 Notebook + pen (yes, still useful despite Notion and Google Docs)
  

💛 Comfort & Social

Sometimes, comfort is a packet of Maggi or a photo from home.

• 🎉 Ethnic outfit (for Diwali, Holi or that random culture night)
  

• 💌 Sticky notes or labels (for a chaotic first week of settling in)
  

Want the full 40-item checklist in one clean, printable PDF?

🧾 Signup here! No spam, No fluff. Just good, useful stuff.

Why Trust UniEssential?

Thinking about what to pack before studying in the UK/US/Germany is hard enough and the last thing you need is confusion, clutter or guesswork.

✔️ Sorted, not spammy

✔️ Peer-approved

✔️ No jargon, no pressure

✔️ Straight-up helpful

Here’s what else UniEssential gives you access to the complete International student guide:

🧧 Essentials That Pay You Back

Get up to 10% cashback in Uni-Coins on verified student products: phones, headphones, laptops and more.

💳 Services You Can Actually Rely On

From forex cards and SIMs to trusted guarantors, all with zero shady links and zero panic. Just services you can count on.

🎁 Curated Student Deals

Exclusive student discounts abroad, you won’t find anywhere. Everything listed is peer-approved and trial-tested by 10,000+ international students.

💡 Built with Real Feedback

Every tool, product and guide is based on actual student struggle, not corporate assumptions. We listen, we test, we improve.

This is just the beginning.

You’re not just packing bags;  you’re preparing for a whole new chapter. There will be wins, wobbles, missed buses, and midnight ramen. But you’ll find your rhythm, one day at a time.

And UniEssential will be right here: From your first checklist to your first part-time job, from paperwork panic to dorm life hacks.

Let’s get you abroad-ready, the smart way.