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by Piyal Saha
Photo by: Piyal Saha

At 3 AM, on 10 September 2020, I found myself at the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, with a heavy backpack and a big luggage after a 14-hour-long flight from my home, Bangladesh. To chase my dream, being an enthusiast in immunology, I started my master as an Erasmus Mundus Scholar in Leading International Vaccinology Education then. After almost two years, on 1 September 2022, I discovered myself as a Ph.D. student of the Medical University of Vienna, waiting at the Vienna Central station. This time there was one more luggage! Quite a journey it was. A journey through which I got to know myself.

Lessons from my four relocations

My voyage in the European Union had several stops including Barcelona, Antwerp, Lyon, and Stockholm throughout my master studies. I stayed in these places at best six months at a stretch. It was a dynamic experience with a huge logistical challenge. And the biggest hurdle appeared when I first “sailed” for Barcelona from my home, Bangladesh. Because, when I stepped out of the airport in Barcelona, I had no network on my phone, and it was already past midnight. So, it was quite difficult to find my way to the student residence that I had booked for myself. Following the lesson learned from this experience, I always try to book a flight that would not leave me after midnight. Foreseeing the mobile network issue, I took a contract from a mobile operator which would allow roaming throughout the European Union. Later, while moving to Antwerp from Barcelona, I made a mistake being lazy to book accommodation in good time. Hence, I ended up finding substandard accommodation in Antwerp, which I paid much higher rent for than usual. Eventually, I needed to change my residence in Antwerp, which meant I had to go again through the hassle of moving. This incident taught me to be proactive for booking good accommodation in due time before moving to Lyon and Stockholm. One is also well advised to take advantage of any existing staff/student housing opportunities on campus. Hence, the next two relocation were smooth for me. But there is a twist in my story when I reached Stockholm. Here for the public transport, they have their own mobile app which gives the accurate information. I relied on Google, and it took a long time to reach my accommodation in Stockholm, even though the flight landed at a convenient time. Hence, before moving to Vienna, I downloaded the mobile app for transport in Vienna. This time my boat reached the shore of Vienna without any hazard.

Throughout this dynamic movement, I always tried to arrange my luggage with only the necessary elements. Start a digital book collection to avoid travelling weight and commit to it 100%. I like to travel with my luggage while I am taking flights. As I have seen my colleagues to have a big concern while using delivery companies, I think it is better to take luggage with myself. For all the musicians, it is a good idea to talk to the representatives of the flight companies to ensure safe transport for the beloved musical instrument.

Be on top of the administration game

Being an International student, I also want to share some administrative experience for the newcomers. During the application procedure, an aspirant should look at the requirements for visa and residency for the respective country. Preparing administrative documents always takes time, and it often leads to frustration even after a successful Ph.D. hunt! So, it is always better to be safe than sorry! 

Many countries ask for birth certificate and police clearance certificate to be attached with the application for residence permit. In addition, the educational certificates are absolute necessary in these cases. For the non-EU aspirants, it is a good idea to legalize these documents through the diplomatic consulates of the respective countries. On top of that, some countries e.g.: Spain, Austria etc. ask for translated documents. So, it is better to ask the respective authorities via email about this.

All these administrative procedures can take very long, so the aspirants should apply for the visa/residence permit as soon as they get the offer. But there is also a catch. Most of the offices ask to book an appointment beforehand, and sometimes getting an appointment becomes more difficult than collecting a dragon’s eye. Hence, the aspirants should always check the availability for an open slot continuously. Don't worry, we all made it. On the bright side, administration will teach you patience - a trait that proves to be useful in every walk of life.

Documents and records for your relocation

  • Passport
  • Visa papers
  • Birth certificate
  • Academic records
  • Marriage certificate
  • Medicine/Vaccination records
  • Biometric profile photos (EU format) for your settlement permit

A Ph.D. offer is always amazing. But that is not actually the end of the journey. Rather, it is the beginning of a new life. And the challenges are daunting at the beginning. So the new aspirants should be careful about these less discussed issues in terms of relocation.

Useful links for your relocation to Vienna