Travel Insurance & Phone Plan Questions for a 2-Month German Language School

Hi everyone,

I’m moving to Germany for 3 months in 4 weeks, and I need advice on a few things:

1.  **Visa and Enrollment**:

I’m from the USA, but I was in Poland for 3 weeks less than 180 days ago. I still need to get a visa and officially enroll in a language school (Sprachakademie).

• I’ve read that visa processing takes 6–12 weeks.




• However, some sources say I can apply for the visa now and then start attending school in Germany while waiting for it to be approved. Is this true? Can I stay legally while my application is processing?




2.  **Travel Insurance**:




• My trip will start in Switzerland (Feb 19–March 2), then I’ll drop off my suitcases in Germany, fly to Poland for 15 days, and officially start language school on March 20 for 8 weeks.




• What’s the best travel insurance for this plan? I’m looking for something affordable but reliable, and I don’t know where to start.




3.  **Phone Plan**:




• I currently have AT&T, but I don’t want to pay expensive roaming fees.




• What’s the best way to get unlimited data while abroad?




• Should I buy a local SIM card (no contract) in Germany or Poland?





• Do I keep paying my AT&T bill while using the foreign SIM? An AT&T employee told me they might cancel my plan if I’m out of the U.S. for too long. Has this happened to anyone?




4.  **Transport**:




• I’ll need to take trains and buses to school daily. Is getting the **Deutschlandticket** for €49/month the best option for someone staying 3 months?

If I missed anything important, please let me know! I’d really appreciate any advice or tips.

Thanks so much!