The Foreign Office has launched a new travel guide, Plan.Pack.Explore., aimed at students travelling abroad on their own for the first time.
The guide contains travel health advice, visa guidance and information on exactly what the FCO can and cannot do if you get into trouble abroad.
It follows statistics showing young people travelling are often uninsured and unprepared for health issues.
The guide is available as an app for iPad, iPhone and android phones.
Khalida Cox from the Know Before You Go team at the FCO said: "Now that exam results are out and people start considering a gap year, preparation can be daunting for young people and their parents – particularly if it is a trip away without family for the first time.
"Statistics show that over the last six months, one in four of 16-24 year-olds travelled without insurance and only a quarter made health related preparations before going overseas."
