Student Visa Requirements

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Studying hard and getting the required academic grades for admission into your target universities is the first step of your journey to study abroad. The last step is the tedious and yet extremely crucial step of applying for a student visa- the document that will grant you permission to stay in the country where you will be studying. Knowing about the required documentation can help you be properly prepared when it’s time to apply and your fears will be lesser when you apply. All the small details of this process can leave you exhausted so here is a broken down picture of the whole process.

Types of student visas

When applying for the visa, the country’s embassy websites provide a huge amount of information for all kinds of visas. You go into the student visa section and get even more confused by all the pathways in front of you. There is a solution out of this maze- confirm with the program what kind of visa they will be requiring by emailing them. Every country has its own types of student visas depending on the location of the city and the subject- you will have to look which one is applicable to you before applying for the visa and collecting your documents

US student visas

F1 visa- for studying in any college, university or English language school
J1 visa- for exchange programs at high school or university level
M1 visa- training for non academic purposes

UK student visas

Short term student visa- for less than 6 months of study
Tier 4 student visa- The general student visa required for study of more than 6 months

Canada student visas

Study permit- for long-term study purposes
Travel visa- for less than 6 months of study

Australia student visas

Student Visa (subclass 500)- for international students coming to study for more than 5 years
Visitor Visa (subclass 600, 601, 651)- for international students coming for three months or lesser
Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417 and 462)- for study of four months or less
Student Guardian Visa (subclass 590)- this is for guardians of students who have to study for 3 months or less or have to fulfil ELICOS requirements
Training Visa (subclass 407)- for vocational training or professional development purposes

Turkey student visas

Internship visa- 90 days visa for exchange programs, short courses or trainings
Turkish language course visa- visa issued for up to 11 months
General student visa- for more than 6 months of study

These requirements will differ for students applying in Northern Republic of Cyprus

Germany student visas

Language course visa- for three months to a year in order to study German language
Student applicant visa- issued for three to six months for students who have to appear for entrance exam and have not received admission letter yet
Student visa- for students who have received their admission letter

Eligibility criteria for a student visa

The eligibility criteria for all of the visas mentioned above is different. It depends on the country you are applying to and the purpose of your travel but here is a general list of documents that you must keep prepared if you are planning to study abroad

Valid passport- check the exact requirements of the visa and for how long it should remain valid even after the course of your studies is over
Proof of enrollment from the institute you will be attending
Language proficiency– you have to prove that you can speak in the language of the natives in the country you are going to. For this, you have to take the required test and fulfil the minimum score threshold
Proof of financial capability to show that you can afford your living expenses while pursuing your education in the country
Be of sound character with no criminal records (a police clearance certificate will be required)

Required documents for a student visa application

As you can see in the eligibility criteria above, there are certain things you need to prove to the immigration authorities before moving to the country. All of these abilities require a certain proof by submitting certain documents. As soon as your acceptance letter arrives, you will be rushing to collect all these documents and arranging for the visa fee so having the proper knowledge of the documents required can keep you prepared for the visa process

Completed visa application form

Properly and clearly fill everything on the application form and see if any extra documents need to be attached

Passport

A valid passport with space for at least two visas and it should not expire during your stay in the country (check the requirements of the visa you are applying for the exact duration of passport validity required)

Acceptance letter

Official document from the university which confirms that you have got admission in the institute

Language proficiency test scores

These scores are either IELTS, TOEFL or PTE exam scores that prove your proficiency in English. For Germany, you would require a CEFR (The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)

Personal ID documents

These could be your National ID documents, your birth certificate or your marriage certificate (if applicable)

Evidence of financial resources

There is a list of documents required for proof of sufficient funds:

Record of parents’ bank accounts and assets

Provide a record of the minimum amount of money in the bank account to prove that you can sustain yourself during your education. If there is someone sponsoring you, provide a letter of commitment of the sponsor
If you have earned scholarship, provide the scholarship certificate with details about what it will cover

Payment of language course

Proof of tuition payment of the language course (this is for Germany particularly but check if the country you are going to needs this as well) that you will be studying

Academic records

Certificates of all your previous education transcripts and in some cases, a leaving certificate will be required. Copies of these documents should be attested

Health and travel insurance

These are provided by the government of the host country usually and you must have proof of this insurance coverage. You might also be required to provide results of a health examination

Proof of intent

This is a document that proves you are moving to the country only for the purpose of education and not permanent settlement. This may not be required in some cases

Proof of payment of visa fees

Attach the proof of payment of visa fee with the application

Applying for a student visa

You have to check the visa processing time and apply for the visa accordingly (sometimes it can even take several months). The timing should be such that the visa should arrive at least a month before the commencement of your study program

After you fill the online application form and attach the required scanned copies of documents (or send copies through courier to the embassy), you will get a date for the visa interview. You must take your documents on the day of the interview.

Visa interview process

The interview is meant to check the authenticity of your intent to study so the questions are also centred around your motivation and reason to study. Keep original academic and financial documents with you for this process and answer as honestly as you can.

Maintaining legal status while on a student visa

You must abide by all the rules of your student visa in order to maintain your legal status in the country. These rules will differ for each country but the general expectations from you would be to:

Abide by the country’s and university’s laws
Register with the authorities for residence permit and keep them updated about residence changes or transfer to new school
Study the minimum amount of courses each semester and maintain attendance
Abide by the working hours allowance in your student visa

Extension of stay or change of status

There are certain ways to extend your stay in the country after the grace period of your period of study ends. Keep in mind that there is a processing time for applying for a different visa so apply accordingly. You can change your status by doing the following:

Getting a job or training opportunity in a related field
Studying further
Getting a permit to look for job in a certain period of time
Applying for a work holiday or tourist visa

Departing from the host country after completing studies

After the completion of studies, there is a grace period allowed by the authorities (usually 30 days) during which you can prepare to leave and take care of any financial or residential business.

Dependents and family members of a student visa holder

As an international student, you are allowed to bring your dependents- which includes your partner and children under a certain age (and in some cases, support for their work visas as well) to the country you are moving to. There is only one problem for this, you will have to apply for a permit and this could influence the decision of the visa officer as it makes the officer suspect that you might not return after the study permit expires.

Working while on a student visa

In order to work while studying, you must have work authorization under the type of student visa you have. You must not exceed the number of hours you are allowed to work as your primary focus should be on your education.

When you work with a student visa, you are given the same rights and protection as other full-time workers in the country.

Travel and reentry considerations for student visa holders

After a certain period of time has passed in the country, you can apply for international travel by submitting certain documents. When you are re-entering the country, you must not carry any illegal substances so read the list of things that you are not allowed to bring.

Resources for international students seeking a student visa

You can check out the following resources for further reading up on student visa policies and application details: