When traveling abroad, having a car might make all the difference in getting to your destination, whether it’s your campus on a typical school day or the famous site you’re going to during the weekend.
After all, driving is quicker, more practical, and far more comfortable than riding the bus or train.
The good news is that you will have the chance to gain a driving license if you intend to do so while studying abroad. What’s even better is that you will be able to convert your international driving license when you return home!
Find out how to obtain a driver’s license while studying abroad by reading on.
Getting Your International Driving License While Studying Abroad
1. Australia
You can apply for and complete the requirements for an Australian driver’s license if you are at least 16 years old.
In order to confirm and establish your identification, the process begins with you sending in documents such as your passport, birth certificate, and academic transcripts for a 100-point verification.
You can then begin learning and practicing driving with an instructor after passing an online test and receiving a learner’s permit.
The Practical Driving Assessment (PDA) can be taken when you’re ready. If you pass, you’ll receive a Red P or P1, which you’ll have for a year, and then a Green P or P2, which you’ll keep for another six months.
After that, you will have your whole license.
When applying for your learner’s permit, you will need to present your current driver’s license and provide a copy of it during your 100-point check.
You will receive a full license after passing your PDA if you have been driving for at least six years prior to applying for an Australian driver’s license.
2. Canada
To obtain your driver’s license, you must complete a Graduated Licensing Program in the majority of Canadian states.
Taking a written exam and perhaps an eye test is the first of three steps in this process.
After passing this, you will receive a learner’s permit, which you will have for a minimum of a year and use to start driving by observing an experienced driver.
Once you feel comfortable enough, you will take a road test to obtain an instant permit. This permit will be with you for the following one to two years of driving until you are able to take the road test for a full license.
Because the conversion procedure differs from state to state, you will need to check depending on the state in which you want to be stationed if you want to convert your driver’s license to a Canadian one.
3. United States
Because it not only enables you to drive but also acts as identification, a driver’s license is a crucial document for anyone moving to the United States or staying for a long time.
The procedure of getting your driver’s license is primarily dependent on where you’re based because different regions of the United States have varied requirements.
In order to obtain a driving permit that allows you to practice with a buddy or instructor, the majority of states require you to take a written exam. You will eventually submit an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for your license.
You will need to renew your driver’s license in the United States if you currently possess one from your native country. The rules and regulations, however, vary depending on the state in which you live.
Some US states need you to take a theory test, while others ask for a vision test and other documentation, or they may require you to complete a practical test.
4. UK
To obtain a full license in the UK, you must first apply for a provisional license and then take both a theory and practical driving test.
You must be under the supervision of a skilled driver who is at least 21 years old and has had a valid driver’s license for at least three years in order to obtain a provisional license. Additionally, using a freeway while in possession of a provisional license is prohibited.
You don’t need to take any more tests to exchange it for a UK driver’s license if you’re from one of the nations that the UK has accepted.
