<p>Can anyone share their experience about bringing a laptop/computer to study abroad? How was it shipped, costs (customs, shipping fees), etc.? Any concerns entering a foreign country with a laptop and theft problems? Thanks so much.</p>
<p>Why not just carry it with you on the plane (as carryon)?</p>
<p>Imagine you are going to go from New York to Los Angeles. You plan to take your laptop with you.</p>
<p>There, was that hard? No?</p>
<p>Well it’s just the same when you go abroad.</p>
<p>I read that international handling of laptops is different than flying within the U.S. i.e. customs fees for bringing it into the country, etc. I wonder if the students found it easy to bring in their laptops/computers for study abroad or if it is better to keep it at home.</p>
<p>When we lived overseas, we would take our laptops with us. Other than taking them out of the carryon bag for US security - we never had anyone ask about them. My husband used to travel a lot internationally, almost always taking his laptop. Again, no problem.</p>
<p>There are some countries (mainly more 3rd world, middle east countries) that are concerned with people bringing in electronics to sell, but we’ve never had an issue (and we lived in those places!).</p>
<p>I am assuming you are doing this thru your university, so I suggest you ask them what the norm is. I would think they would have knowledge of any potential problems.</p>
<p>I read there are customs fees because computers are considered a luxury. Also, not sure about theft of laptops when students live abroad and how to insure them. Thank you so much for your responses.</p>
<p>My daughter took her laptop all over Europe. There were no customs fees anywhere anymore than there were customs fees for our other belongings. I don’t know of any countries that charge customs fees for items that visitors are bringing in temporarily. The US charges customs fees if people are bringing good over a certain value that they plan to leave in the US. Not if you are bringing them and taking them back when you leave. Most countries are the same.</p>
<p>We lived in Egypt for several years and they were very strict about any electronics and appliances we brought in with us had to leave with us. A bit tiresome as we had come from England and had to bring our microwave/stereo etc etc to the US where it was not really useable. But they did not charge customs fees on those items because we were not going to leave them there.</p>
<p>If you are still concerned then check the rules with the country you are thinking of going to. I would be surprised if there are any customs fees to worry about. By the way if there are customs fees you would pay them whether you shipped them in or carried them in. Shipped items go through customs too.</p>
<p>There will be theft risks just as there are here in the US. May be worse in some places than others. You just have to be sensible and careful just as you would be here.</p>
<p>My son took his to England for a study abroad and had no problems - instead it was stolen this summer in North Carolina!</p>
<p>Daughter took hers back and forth to China, also no problems.</p>
<p>Laptops travel easily; both my children used theirs in England and in western Europe. As others have noted, you simply bring it in a carrying case just as you would for domestic air or rail travel. I’m not aware of any problems bringing a laptop overseas–think of all the businesspeople who routinely travel internationally with theirs.</p>
<p><<we lived=“” in=“” egypt=“” for=“” several=“” years=“” and=“” they=“” were=“” very=“” strict=“” about=“” any=“” electronics=“” appliances=“” we=“” brought=“” with=“” us=“” had=“” to=“” leave=“” us.=“”>></we></p>
<p>LOL!!! Yup - we were there too! Did you have a “dead appliance box” …with all the stuff that “died” while you were there but you couldn’t dispose of because it was on your customs list???</p>
<p>We had 2 VCRs, 1 monitor, 1 computer, 1 printer, 1 waffle maker, and a few other items that all died while we were there. But they were beautifully packed up and sent out of the country with the rest of our stuff!</p>
<p>I don’t recall having any dead appliances. I do however still have a huge old English microwave and an English stereo system still sitting in my garage 21 years late because my husband could not bring himself to get rid of perfectly good, though unuseable, items. Well he can’t gt rid of stuff that is broke either - always thinks he will find a use for them! A shame as we would happily have given them to someone there. Luckily our major appliances were provide by the company we worked for. And personal computers were not really around back then. It was still the giant main frames and punch cards to enter data.</p>
<p>D took her laptop to Chile for study abroad and again when she returned to do research and had no problems. She just needed a plug adaptor so she could plug her power cord into the wall.</p>
<p>swimcat - we didn’t have any big appliances - just little things (kitchen stuff). We had friends who moved from Aberdeen to Cairo and they had purchased all their small kitchen/personal electronics there. Of course, couldn’t get rid of it in Cairo, so - like you - it ended up in their garage in Houston!</p>
<p><<d took=“” her=“” laptop=“” to=“” chile=“” for=“” study=“” abroad=“” and=“” again=“” when=“” she=“” returned=“” do=“” research=“” had=“” no=“” problems.=“” just=“” needed=“” a=“” plug=“” adaptor=“” so=“” could=“” power=“” cord=“” into=“” the=“” wall.=“”>></d></p>
<p>I would also recommend a good surge protector.</p>
<p>
DS brought his laptop to Japan this summer. Carried it in his backpack for the flight.<br>
As for insurance, while at college his stuff including his laptop is insured through College Student Insurance. Coverage is worldwide and specifically covers everything while students are abroad whether its traveling during the summer or for study abroad programs. Their website is [CSI</a> College Student Insurance Home](<a href=“http://www.collegestudentinsurance.com%5DCSI”>http://www.collegestudentinsurance.com)</p>
<p>I have never heard of this as an issue at all. My daughter has studied abroad in Italy and took two laptops on the plane. She has worked in France for three summers and taken her laptop in her backpack on the plane each time. She has traveled all over Europe with it as well. She also has a lock for her laptop, no different than at home. We also have insurance for it too.</p>
<p>IMO, it depends on where you’re headed. D spent spring semester in India, China, & S. Africa. Program was very clear that students should not bring laptops. D said that was the right decision. Most places they were able to find/use internet cafes when they needed to.</p>
<p>My daughter has traveled all over the world with her laptop. India, Egypt, Russia – as well as throughout western & eastern Europe.</p>
<p>However, I would highly recommend a netbook if you can deal with the smaller screen. MUCH lighter more portable and they are less expensive, so there is less worry about theft. (Not that it can’t get stolen – just that you will shed less tears over the loss of a less expensive item.) But I think the netbook is less likely to be stolen because it is less visible – as they are small enough to fit in a large handbag or small carry on bag. </p>
<p>Also – this last trip, she got a blackberry. This was quite expensive in terms of the monthly cost for unlimited international data plan – about $65/month on top of regular fees for the cell phone – but it was worth every cent. She was out of the country for 8 months-- but no matter where she was, she could always send and receive emails and check the internet, posting updates to facebook & twitter. (I hate twitter, but while my daughter was traveling solo & hosteling her last 2 months, I insisted that she set up a twitter account and “tweet” at least once a day to let family and friends know she had safely arrived at her destination — we ended up not really needing that, but it certainly gave me more peace of mind.)</p>
<p>I also suggest that you get software so that if computer is stolen, that you can have the computer lockup when the first access to internet. Backup before you leave and leave backup at home.</p>
<p>I travel all over the world - probably every continent- with my laptop, I’ve not had a problem bringing it with me. I’ve also visited for extended periods on visas etc. during sabbatical, again never had a problem.</p>
<p>Netbook is a great idea too…especially as they have gotten so cheap now.</p>