Student Visa Guide for Study Abroad: Choose your country for higher studies

Studying overseas has become attainable with information being easily available with a click of a button. Studying abroad has over the years evolved with an increasing number of students travelling abroad for higher education. While most countries exhibit unique rules for entry, however, it is mandatory for all students to apply and successfully get a student visa to be allowed to travel abroad for further studies. Read on to understand the various student visa directions that applicants need to comply to be successfully granted a student visa to be allowed to travel to their country of choice for higher education.!

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Study in Australia

Students looking to pursue higher education in Australia, are required to apply to the recently introduced Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF) that has been initiated on July 1, 2016. As per the recently introduced visa guidelines implemented by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Government of Australia, all students planning to study in Australia need to apply for visas under Subclass 500 which has been newly introduced. Earlier, applications were accepted under different subclasses. Recent changes have combined the erstwhile subclasses 571 - 576 under one subclass i.e. Subclass 500.

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Study in Canada

Canada continues to attract a steady volume of students from India. While getting admission to top Universities in Canada continues to require excellent academic scores, the permission to study is validated by means of a Study Permit. If you wish to take academic, professional or vocational training at a university, college or other educational institution in Canada, you will require a study permit before you enter Canada. The study permit is issued to students on their arrival in Canada. However, for the acquisition of the study permit, a student must first apply for a Temporary Resident Visa which is provided by the Canadian High Commission and facilitated by the Visa Application Centers. VFS Global Services is the appointed VACs for Canadian visa services.

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Study in France

Students looking to pursue higher education in France are required to apply to the 82 state universities, five Catholic universities or the many private institutes spread across the length and breadth of France. Universities award three types of degrees - Licence (UG), Masters (PG) and Doctorate (PhD). The country offers aspirants different types of student visas and they include, Visa de court séjour pour etudes (‘Schengen’ short-stay student visa), Visa de long séjour temporaire pour etudes (temporary long-stay visa) and Visa de long séjour etudes (long-stay visa), for education purpose. Candidates are advised to submit their visa application and the collection of passports are to be done either in person or through a self-appointed travel agent authorized by the Embassy of France, New Delhi.

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Study in Germany

Education in Germany is a very serious affair and they have everything calculated to the last cent. Every year, according to the prevailing economic conditions as well as the relevant fee structure, every university would request that a monthly sum is provided for the student to facilitate his living expenses in the country as well as for completing his education, this money is deposited in a Blocked Account. Students who are required to stay for over 90 days in Germany for their education are required to apply for a Residence Permit. It is mandatory for applicants to show proof of finances for one year. A residence permit is issued to students and is valid for a maximum period of two years. Students are required to renew their residence permit if the duration of the course is longer than the stated two years.

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Study in Ireland

Ireland has over the years become a popular study destination among international students. The language of instruction used in the universities is English and international students can benefit from the comparatively lesser tuition costs and living expenses as compared to the United Kingdom. International students wanting to study in Ireland and belonging to non-European countries would be required to apply for an Irish Student Visa. Only after being accepted by the Irish university, can a student apply for the Ireland study (student) visa, as their acceptance letter would be required during the visa application process. So Indian students, need to acquire a student visa to enter Ireland for the purpose of education. Read on to understand the entire process of applying for an Irish student visa.

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Study in Netherlands

An Indian Student planning to study in the Netherlands requires a Visa to enter and stay there for the purpose. Students are required to apply for the relevant student visa, depending on the kind, of course, he/she is planning to undertake – Schengen Visa (for courses less than 3 months) and Entry Visa - MVV and VVR or Residence Permit for Bachelors/ Masters from the Netherlands. A student planning to take up a course which is over 90 days in duration would need a Residence Permit to stay in the Netherlands for the purpose of completing their education. As per the IND (Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service), for students planning to stay in the Netherlands for a period of more than 90 days, the university/ institute is their ‘Recognized Sponsor’. Under the TEV (Entry and Residence Permit) Procedure, the visa for the student would be applied for by the recognized sponsor.

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Study in New Zealand

Students looking to travel to New Zealand to study for more than three months are required to apply for a student visa. A student visa allows applicants to study full-time in New Zealand for a limited period of duration. A student visa may have conditions you must meet – for example, it may include, the name of the program you are allowed to pursue, the name of the educational provider, the local location of the provider, and the requirement to hold acceptable insurance

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Study in Singapore

Students who want to pursue higher education in Singapore are required to apply for a student visa upon receiving the offer letter from the desired education institute for a particular course. Institutes in Singapore will file the Singapore Student Pass for Indian applicants on behalf of students to the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA). Candidates are required to submit their applications through the Student’s Pass On-Line Application & Registration (SOLAR) system. New applications for a Student’s Pass are required to be submitted at least a month and not more than two months before the commencement of the course period.

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Study in the United Kingdom

Aspirants wanting to pursue their higher education in the United Kingdom (UK) are required to apply from the two student visa categories available under Tier 4 of the UK points-based system. Tier 4 (General) student category is for students coming to the UK for higher education and the applicant is required to be at least 16 years of age. Or the Tier 4 (Child) Student category is for children between 4 and 15 years old coming to the UK for their education. Children who fall between the age category of 4 and 15 years can only be educated at independent fee-paying schools. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland constitute the United Kingdom, where each enjoys a distinct culture and feel of its own UK contains over 80% of the total population.

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Study in the USA

Touted as the most sought-after study destination for students planning to study abroad millions, millions aspire to travel to the dreamland but only a few make the leap. If you are among the few who aspire and have gotten admission into your aspired university in the USA, applying for Student Visa is the next important step to realizing your study in the USA dream. Aspirants looking to pursue their education in the United States of America (USA) are required to apply for the various visas available to them depending on the nature and duration of the course in perusal, these include, F1 Student Visa, J1 Exchange Visitor Visa, and M-1 Vocational/ Non-Academic Student Visa.

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Average Visa Processing Time

Students looking to apply for their Student Visa to study in their country of choice are always advised to apply earlier, at least 1-3 months prior to the course commencement date, depending on which country they are applying to. The main reason is, that every country has a different visa processing time and it is always advisable to apply early to avoid last-minute hassle. The average processing time is generally calculated from the time taken for the visa to get approved/rejected post application. The table below depicts the various Visa processing time for the most sought-after study abroad destinations.

* Note: Candidates should note that visa issuing offices continue to deal with a significant backlog of visa applicants who could not travel in 2020 and 2021, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to this, processing time can take longer than what is mentioned above. Candidates can also get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors for assistance with university admissions.