If you’re studying abroad in Europe, you can get student discounts for airfare (Aer Lingus offers a study abroad discount and Student Universe lets you search for them across various airlines).
Otherwise, try to book your flights at least 5 weeks in advance to get the best deal. You can set price alerts and search for flights on sites like Kayak.

For the most part, the health standards are high in Europe. Foreign students not part of the E.U. will most likely have to purchase their own health insurance for the duration of there study abroad program. You may also not be able to drink the water in a few countries, so it’s always good to ask before you arrive.

One of the biggest safety risks for study abroad students in Europe is petty theft. To avoid this, make sure you don’t leave valuables unattended (like on the back of your chair at a cafe) and stay alert in crowded areas. Have your pockets zipped up and wear your backpack or purse in front of you in crowds.
Since safety is also a major concern for study abroad parents, our best advice there is to keep up to date with the news and register for the State Departments STEP program to get alerts from them as well.

Your best bet for cell phones while you’re in Europe — especially if you’re studying abroad for longer than 2 weeks — is to come with an unlocked phone (most phones in the U.S. are unlocked for international usage or, if not, you can easily make this request to your phone carrier) and get a local SIM card and pay as you go plan.