Moving to another country for school brings more than just academic change, it completely shifts how you live day to day.
Things you’ve probably always taken for granted, like ordering food, getting around, or staying in touch, suddenly require new tools and systems.
From figuring out transportation systems to managing finances in another currency, the little day-to-day things can pile up quickly if you're not prepared. That’s where the right set of apps can make a real difference; not to glamorize the experience, but to keep it manageable
This guide pulls together the best apps across essential aspects of student life abroad. Whether you’re heading to Tokyo, Toronto, or Turin, this is the toolkit you'll want in your pocket.
Top Categories
The categories ahead are compiled around the core routines most students face when settling into life abroad, like getting around, staying in touch, managing money, accessing food, and keeping up with academics.
Most of the apps listed below are widely used and accessible in major cities around the world, especially in student-heavy destinations. Wherever possible, we’ve included local standouts that are deeply embedded in everyday life across different regions.
Once you know your destination, it’s worth asking current students, checking app reviews, or browsing local forums to find tools specific to your city or campus. Many universities rely on their own platforms for things like public transport, safety alerts, or campus services.
Navigation (Maps, Trails, Wayfinding)
When you first arrive in a new city, knowing how to get from one place to another isn’t always intuitive, especially if the local language or signage is unfamiliar.
Navigation apps quickly become essential tools, helping you move around confidently whether you're commuting to class, finding your way to a meetup spot, or just exploring on foot.
In a study abroad context, a good navigation helps you get your bearings, avoid tourist traps, and discover spots you’d otherwise miss.
This category goes beyond just point-A-to-B travel. While city navigation is crucial, many students also use time outdoors as a way to decompress, exercise, or get familiar with their surroundings. That’s where trail-focused apps add value.
Whether you’re running through a new neighborhood, cycling out to a nearby park, or hiking on the weekend, these apps let you track your movements, stay safe, and engage more deeply with your environment.
- Google Maps: Offers real-time directions for walking, driving, biking, and public transport, plus offline maps and local business info.
- Komoot: Specialized in outdoor exploration, with curated hiking and cycling routes and offline trail maps.
- Strava: Fitness-focused app to track runs, walks, or bike rides while exploring new terrain, complete with route history and social features.
Flights & Travel Booking
Planning travel during your study abroad experience is almost a given: weekend getaways, holiday breaks, or even day trips to nearby cities become part of the lifestyle.
Whether you're booking budget flights in advance or figuring out a last-minute escape, having the right travel apps makes the process smoother and often cheaper.
These tools help you search across dozens of carriers, monitor price trends, and keep your plans organized without needing to dig through old confirmation emails.
Beyond flights, many destinations in Europe and other regions have extensive train and bus networks. Travel booking apps that combine multiple transportation modes can help you plan more flexibly and navigate unfamiliar systems with less stress.
Having tickets stored digitally, along with real-time updates, is a huge help when you're traveling across borders or language zones.
- Skyscanner: Compare prices across airlines, travel sites, and booking platforms to find the cheapest and most flexible options.
- TripIt: Automatically compiles travel confirmations from your email into a single, organized itinerary with offline access.
- Omio: One-stop platform to book and compare trains, buses, and flights across Europe, often with regional discounts.
- Eurail: Official app for pass holders, allowing you to plan and manage multi-country train travel across Europe with live schedules and seat reservations.
Local Transit (Ride-Hailing, Carpooling, Public Transport)
Getting around in a new city is one of the first practical hurdles you’ll face, and local transit apps are key to navigating unfamiliar systems smoothly.
Ride-hailing services are useful when public transport isn’t running or you’re traveling late, while carpooling platforms help cut down costs on longer journeys. These services are helpful in cities where you don’t yet speak the language or aren’t confident using cash-based transit systems.
But transit isn't all cars, many cities rely heavily on buses, metros, and trams, each with their own apps, schedules, and quirks. Using local apps means you get real-time updates on delays, accurate route planning, and in some cases, even live vehicle tracking.
Regional rail and national train services also tend to require country-specific apps for planning and ticketing, especially in Europe and Asia.
- Uber: On-demand ride-hailing available in most major cities worldwide.
- Bolt: Budget-friendly ride service popular in Europe and parts of Africa.
- FreeNow: Licensed taxi booking app operating in many European urban areas.
- BlaBlaCar: Peer-to-peer ridesharing platform for long-distance travel across Europe.
- Eurail: Plan and manage journeys with a Eurail pass across multiple European countries.
- SBB Mobile (Switzerland): Comprehensive transit app covering Swiss trains, buses, and trams.
- Deutsche Bahn Navigator (Germany): Real-time schedules and booking for national and regional trains.
- SNCF Connect (France): Covers French rail, including high-speed TGV, local trains, and metro.
- NS (Netherlands): Official app for Dutch rail travel with up-to-date route and fare info.
- TfL Go (UK – London): Real-time navigation for London’s Tube, bus, and rail services.
- Moovit: Public transit navigation in hundreds of cities, with live bus and tram updates.
- JR-EAST Train Info (Japan): Details for train travel across Eastern Japan’s rail network.
- RTA Dubai: Plan trips via metro, bus, tram, and taxi within Dubai.
- Transit (North America & Europe): Real-time bus, subway, and commuter rail info in major cities, with offline options.
Accommodation
Finding a reliable and affordable place to stay is one of the first tasks you'll tackle when studying abroad.
Whether you're securing a room for the semester or booking weekend trips, accommodation apps make it easier to browse options, compare reviews, and book directly from your phone. Flexibility is key, especially if you’re juggling changing travel plans, visa delays, or budget constraints.
Each of these apps serves a slightly different purpose: hostels for budget-minded travelers and social stays, short-term rentals for more local-style living, and hotels for convenience and flexibility. It's worth comparing across platforms before booking. Availability and prices can vary.
- Hostelworld: Specialized in hostel stays, with detailed reviews, photos, and traveler ratings.
- Airbnb: Offers private rooms and full apartments, ideal for longer stays or more independence.
- Booking.com: Wide range of accommodations from hotels to apartments, often with flexible cancellation policies.
Health & Safety
Living abroad brings new routines, but it also means adjusting to unfamiliar healthcare systems, emergency procedures, and public health conditions. You might not know the local emergency number, where to get medication refills, or how to check air quality before heading out.
Health and safety apps help bridge that gap, letting you track your wellbeing, prepare for emergencies, and access medical help when needed. Universities and city governments often have their own alert systems too, so it’s smart to pair general-purpose tools with location-specific ones.
Whether you're monitoring chronic medication, checking symptoms, or staying connected to campus security, these apps help you stay informed and prepared in environments that might not operate like home.
- AirVisual (IQAir): Tracks global air quality, with detailed pollution forecasts and health recommendations.
- First Aid: American Red Cross / St John Ambulance: Offers emergency instructions for treating burns, injuries, allergic reactions, and more.
- Medisafe: Sends pill reminders and lets you manage prescriptions with custom alerts.
- MySOS (Japan): Used nationally for health reporting, location sharing, and disaster communication.
- bSafe: Personal safety tool with location tracking, check-ins, and an SOS alarm.
- SafeZone: Campus-specific safety app with alerts, emergency contacts, and direct security access.
- Ada: AI symptom checker that helps assess your condition and suggests next steps. Available offline.
Communication (Messaging, Video, Connectivity)
Whether you're staying in touch with family back home, collaborating with classmates, or navigating new friendships, having reliable communication apps is non-negotiable.
These tools let you call, message, and video chat across time zones, without racking up international charges. They also help you coordinate group projects, schedule meetups, and stay connected even in areas with limited mobile service.
Different regions favor different platforms, so it’s smart to keep a few options installed. Some prioritize privacy, others are better for large groups, and some are so ubiquitous they’re practically required for local communication.
Together, they give you flexibility across formal, casual, and academic settings.
- WhatsApp: End-to-end encrypted messaging and calling, widely used across continents.
- Zoom: Video conferencing tool for classes, meetings, and catching up with friends and family.
- Telegram: Popular for group chats and broadcast channels, with cloud-based syncing.
- Signal: Open-source messaging app focused on security and user privacy.
Local Discovery (Events, Culture)
Whether you’re looking to meet people, attend events, or get a feel for the culture beyond tourist spots, local discovery apps can help you feel more connected to your surroundings.
These tools make it easier to tap into what's happening around you, even if you're not fluent in the language or plugged into local networks yet. They’re especially useful during your first few weeks, when orientation events end and you’re figuring out how to build a routine.
From small concerts and free talks to niche interest groups, these apps help surface experiences that aren’t always easy to find on social media or university notice boards.
- Spotted by Locals: Curated guides written by local residents, focused on non-touristy recommendations.
- Eventbrite: Directory of nearby events, workshops, exhibitions, and festivals, often with free entry options.
- Meetup: Find and join social or professional groups based on shared interests, from hiking to language exchanges.
Food Delivery
When you're settling into a new country, especially in the early days, cooking every meal or navigating unfamiliar grocery stores isn’t always realistic.
Food delivery apps give you access to local restaurants, international chains, and convenience items, often with student-friendly pricing and late-night hours.
They’re useful not just for comfort food, but also for discovering what locals actually eat, which can be a helpful step in getting acclimated to the local food culture.
Different regions rely on different platforms, and in many cases, local apps offer better prices, faster service, or a wider range of options than global ones. It’s worth checking what’s most commonly used in your area, especially if you’re outside of North America or Western Europe.
- Uber Eats: Available globally, offering food delivery from major chains and local favorites.
- DoorDash: Leading service in the U.S. and Canada with a wide range of restaurant and grocery delivery.
- Zomato: Popular across India and the Middle East, also includes user reviews and restaurant listings.
- Glovo: Operates across Southern Europe and North Africa, delivering everything from meals to household items.
- Deliveroo: Widely used in the UK and Ireland, with curated restaurant partnerships and scheduling features.
- Meituan: One of China’s most widely used platforms for food, grocery, and convenience deliveries.
Quick Commerce
Quick commerce apps fill the gap between traditional grocery delivery and convenience stores, offering near-instant access to everyday essentials.
Whether you're stuck in your dorm during a study session, need a charger at 10 p.m., or just want snacks without heading out, these services deliver everything from groceries to hygiene products, often in under 30 minutes.
They're especially useful for students without a car or those living in cities with unpredictable store hours. What’s available depends heavily on your location. Some apps are hyperlocal, operating only in specific cities, while others are expanding aggressively across regions.
Knowing which platform dominates in your area can save you time, money, and hassle.
- Gopuff (USA, UK, France): Convenience items, snacks, and essentials delivered fast, 24/7 in many cities.
- Blinkit (India): Known for ultra-fast 10-minute delivery of groceries, electronics, and toiletries.
- Getir (Turkey, UK, Germany, Netherlands): Delivers groceries and household items in under 20 minutes.
- Flink (Germany, France, Netherlands): Focuses on fresh produce and everyday staples with quick turnaround.
- Zapp (UK): London-based app offering late-night delivery of snacks and essentials.
- JOKR (Brazil, Mexico, Colombia): Latin American app delivering groceries with a focus on local brands and sustainability.
- Gorillas (Germany, France, UK – limited): Bike-based delivery service offering real-time grocery delivery in urban areas.
- Wolt Market (Nordic countries, Central Europe): Integrated within the Wolt app, offering fast grocery and essentials delivery.
- Rappi Turbo (Latin America): 10-minute delivery service for food, drinks, and small household items.
- Instacart Express (USA & Canada): Offers same-day delivery from grocery chains and retailers, useful in areas without fast delivery networks.
Language Tools (Learning & Translation)
Learning the local language (even just the basics) can make a big difference when you're studying abroad. It helps you handle everyday interactions, understand your environment, and connect with people in ways that go beyond the classroom.
These apps support everything from structured lessons to real-time translation, helping you bridge communication gaps whether you're ordering food, asking for directions, or participating in class.
What makes language tools especially valuable for students is their flexibility, you can use them on the go, fit them into a busy schedule, and tailor them to your goals.
Some focus on grammar and vocabulary, while others offer real-time conversational practice or instant translations for signs, menus, and conversations.
- Duolingo: Gamified language lessons for building vocabulary and basic grammar in over 30 languages.
- HelloTalk: Connects you with native speakers for casual language exchange through text and voice.
- Babbel: Structured courses with a practical focus on real-life conversation and cultural context.
- Google Translate: Instantly translates text, speech, and images (great for navigating unfamiliar environments).
Finance & Budgeting
Managing money abroad comes with its own set of challenges, different currencies, unfamiliar banking systems, and fluctuating exchange rates. These apps help simplify daily financial tasks, from splitting bills with roommates to tracking your overall travel budget.
For international students, tools that handle currency conversion and reduce transaction fees can make a noticeable difference over the course of a semester.
Many of these apps also offer real-time tracking and categorization, making it easier to stay on top of spending habits in a new environment. Whether you're budgeting tightly or just want to avoid surprise charges, having a few of these tools on hand is well worth it.
- Revolut: Digital bank offering a multi-currency card, budgeting features, and low-fee international payments.
- Wise: Specializes in transparent, low-cost money transfers across borders, with real exchange rates.
- Splitwise: Lets you track and settle shared expenses easily, great for roommates or travel groups.
- TravelSpend: Budget tracker designed for travelers, with features like currency conversion and trip summaries.
- Venmo: Peer-to-peer payment app popular in the U.S., ideal for splitting rent, meals, or group costs.
Productivity
Staying organized while studying abroad means more than keeping up with classes. It also includes managing travel plans, group projects, shifting schedules, and communication across time zones.
Productivity apps give you structure in the midst of change, offering ways to capture notes, plan tasks, store passwords, and stay on top of deadlines. Having a few well-chosen tools on hand can make the difference between barely keeping up and feeling in control.
Some of these apps are designed for solo workflows, while others shine in collaborative settings. They help you avoid the pitfalls of digital clutter and scattered information, especially when you're working across devices, languages, or school systems.
Whether you're tracking a group assignment or just trying to focus for a study session, this category covers the basics.
- Notion: Versatile workspace for notes, project planning, to-do lists, and collaboration.
- Obsidian: Markdown-based note-taking app built for linking thoughts and organizing complex ideas.
- OneNote: Flexible notebook that supports text, handwriting, audio, and images, ideal for class notes.
- NotebookLM: AI-powered tool that helps you understand and connect your own research materials.
- Fathom: Automatically records and summarizes video calls meetings, with searchable highlights.
- Bitwarden: Secure password manager to store and access logins across devices.
- Forest: Encourages focus by growing a virtual tree when you stay off your phone.
- World Time Buddy: Visual time zone converter and meeting planner, especially useful for group projects across continents.
Bonus: Region-Specific Must-Have Apps
No global list can fully capture the local tools that dominate daily life in every country. In some regions, one app might handle everything from rides to payments, while in others, the most trusted services are available only in the local language.
Once you know your destination, it’s worth looking into which apps locals rely on for transport, food, messaging, and logistics. Here are a few to get you started:
- WeChat (China): Messaging, mobile payments, transport, and more. Essential for daily life in China.
- Botim (UAE): Voice and video call app often used as an alternative to blocked services like WhatsApp.
- Grab (Southeast Asia): Super app for ride-hailing, food delivery, and digital payments.
- KakaoTalk (South Korea): Dominant platform for messaging, scheduling, and media sharing.
- SBB Mobile (Switzerland): Swiss rail app for train schedules, ticketing, and real-time updates.
- Citymapper (Western Europe & North America): Smart, user-friendly app for navigating public transport in major cities.
- TMB App (Barcelona): Official app for navigating metro, bus, and tram networks in Barcelona.
- Gojek (Indonesia): All-in-one app for rides, deliveries, services, and payments.
- Too Good To Go (Europe): Discover unsold food from local restaurants and bakeries at a discount.
- Bolt Food (Africa): Expanding food delivery service available in select African cities.
- Mr D (South Africa): Widely used app for food and essentials delivery.
- PedidosYa (South America): Food and grocery delivery in countries like Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.
- Cornershop (South America): Grocery delivery service available in urban centers across Latin America.
- Talabat (Middle East): Leading food delivery app across the Gulf region.
Setting Yourself Up Abroad
As you prepare for your time abroad, sorting out the right apps might seem like a small task, but it has a big impact.
From navigating your new city to managing daily tasks and staying connected across time zones, these tools support the practical side of adjusting to unfamiliar routines. They won’t replace local knowledge or in-person experience, but they’ll make that transition a lot easier.
That said, this list is just a starting point. Every city, school, and social circle has its own go-to tools, and part of the experience is figuring out what works best where you are.
Stay flexible, ask around, and be ready to download a few new apps along the way. And don't forget the occasional digital detox for your mental wellbeing!
