Student Visas

Studying abroad in the renowned colleges is linked to more career opportunities and professionalism. Most people choose to study in the universities and colleges in the US, the UK, Europe at large and Australia. The catch is when applying for the student visa, where it can get very complicated and tiring since each country has a different procedural requirement. To get it right once, we believe that you should be familiar with some questions students ask, and the guidelines for acquiring a student visa.

So if you are planning to go abroad to study, which visa will you need? When going abroad to study for your post-16 education, you will need a general student visa. This kind of visa has different names in different countries of destinations. For example, in the US, the general visa is called F-1 visa, in the UK it is referred to as a Tier 4 visa while in Australia, the required visa will depend on your chosen subject and your country of citizenship.

Where do you start with the student visa application? Unless you have been accepted to a particular institution to pursue a specific course, you cannot apply for a student visa. This gives the most fundamental step, applying for the course you want to study. But that's not all, the course you have decided to pursue in the foreign country should meet the visa requirements of the respective country. Among other factors, the success of your visa application will depend on:

Student Visas

Studying abroad in the renowned colleges is linked to more career opportunities and professionalism. Most people choose to study in the universities and colleges in the US, the UK, Europe at large and Australia. The catch is when applying for the student visa, where it can get very complicated and tiring since each country has a different procedural requirement. To get it right once, we believe that you should be familiar with some questions students ask, and the guidelines for acquiring a student visa.

So if you are planning to go abroad to study, which visa will you need? When going abroad to study for your post-16 education, you will need a general student visa. This kind of visa has different names in different countries of destinations. For example, in the US, the general visa is called F-1 visa, in the UK it is referred to as a Tier 4 visa while in Australia, the required visa will depend on your chosen subject and your country of citizenship.

Where do you start with the student visa application? Unless you have been accepted to a particular institution to pursue a specific course, you cannot apply for a student visa. This gives the most fundamental step, applying for the course you want to study. But that's not all, the course you have decided to pursue in the foreign country should meet the visa requirements of the respective country. Among other factors, the success of your visa application will depend on:

• Your country of citizenship
• The course you wish to pursue
• Your foreign country of choice
• The institution in which you want to study

How you will finance your study

As stated earlier, student visa application is nothing like passport application. Different countries have different systems of visa application procedures as well as accepting the application. However, some steps apply across the board. To shed some light into the requirements of student visa applications to different countries, consider the following examples.

• The US

To be accepted to study in the US, you will need to prove some things. First, that you have a permanent residence in your country of citizenship, you intend to return home once the period of your study elapses, and that you have the finances to fund your education and stay in the country, among others.

• The UK

You need to earn a minimum of 40 points to get a chance to study in the United Kingdom.  How do you earn the points? You will be awarded 30 points after doing and passing a course with an approved educator, also known as a sponsorship. The remaining 10 points are awarded once you have proven that you have the necessary funds in your account to support your living and studying.

• Australia

Your assessment for the qualification of a student visa will depend on the subject you wish to pursue and your country of citizenship. Also, just like in the above examples, you will have to prove that you have the necessary money for living and studying in Australia.

The center where you will apply for your visa is usually in your country. Here, you will be required to avail your application paperwork and submit your biometric information. Locate a UK visa application center if you would like to study in the UK. For studying in the US, you will be required to attend an interview at the embassy. The student visa application documents can be submitted online and the biometric information provided to an Australian visa application center.

While you may have passed your written English courses during the request for a student visa, you will need to prove that your communication is top notch too. Immigration rules are tighter in most English-speaking countries such as the UK where when you are not able to effectively communicate in English; you are to be denied entry into the country. It is imperative to sharpen your English communication skills beforehand.

Many students want to take their relatives with them to the foreign country. Respective countries have rules governing such needs. The bottom line is that you will need to prove that you have enough funds to support their living in the foreign country. For added information, be sure to check the requirements in the respective country.

Generally speaking, a student is allowed to work for 20 hrs/ week. Usually, you or the dependent you traveled with can only start working when your course has started. Once you have completed your studies, as it was specified in the visa, different countries will allow you to overstay your time for a short while. In many cases, it is anything from 2-4  months.

Students  aspire to study in the best universities of the world; nevertheless to study abroad is not all that easy as one has to secure student visas of that respective country. Why so?

1. Necessary documentation requirements are there for issuing of visa
2. The visa process adheres to certain visa guidelines laid down by a respective country
3. One has to acquire all related information pertaining to visa processing so that one does not miss out on any related documentation that could delay the visa process

To resolve all issues pertaining to documentation in order to process the student visa it would be better to approach Sowrya to seek necessary guidance and advice.

Good luck with your student visa application, and remember that early preparation is crucial. You don't want to be stuck on the last day since your application is not complete.