[sine wave killer]

Look into what type of stipends/scholarships are available to you (you can get anywhere from 1-3k usd to help you out). Also be sure to have an account with a bank that has some global reach, or has branches in the country that you plan on studying in (if not just exchange your $$ before going). Also as mentioned there are host families that you can be set up with. I had a great experience with this, I still keep in contact with my host family and I visit them when they come to the states for vacation. I know that I always have a place to rest my head, along with a nice home cooked meal when I visit Europe.