Perhaps you are a foreign student who wants to study in Canada, the UK, or Germany. The first thing that you will need is an international student visa to enable you to enter and study in these countries, especially if you are from Africa or the Asian continent. The application process for international student visas for Canada, the UK, and Germany is not the same; hence, it is important that you know the processes for each country so that you can apply for and get your student visa with ease.
Getting an international student visa for Canada, the UK, and Germany is not difficult since the application process can be completed online without endless paperwork. However, before you can apply for and get this international student visa for any of these countries, there are certain requirements that you are expected to meet. If you do not meet these criteria, you may not be able to get the student visa.
As a sequel to that, we are going to show you how to get an international student visa for Canada, the UK, and Germany. In addition, we are also going to enumerate the basic requirements that you must meet as a foreign national before you will be able to get an international student visa for any of these countries. We are going to take the countries one after the other. Let’s get started!
How to Get an International Student Visa for Canada
Canada is one of the dream destinations for international students, especially those from developing countries who want to advance their academic pursuits. Although getting an international student visa for Canada is not all that difficult, there are certain requirements that foreign students must meet before their application can be accepted.
However, before we proceed with the requirement and How to Get an International Student Visa for Canada, it is important to note that there is only one type of student visa in Canada, and it is called a study permit. Meanwhile, as an international student, if you don’t have a student visa, you can also enter Canada using electronic travel authorization (eTA).
Requirements for Applying for an International Student Visa for Canada
Before you can apply for an international student visa for Canada, you must meet certain eligibility criteria. The requirements are listed below:
- You must have gotten admission to study at a designated learning institute (DLI) in Canada
- You must be mental and physically healthy to study in Canada; you may need to present  medical result
- You must be free from any criminal record; you can prove that through a police certificate.
- You must provide evidence of financial support. You must have at least $10,000 CAD (nearly £6,000 GBP) a year for your feeding apart from your school fees.
- You must provide proof of identity
- You will need to present acceptance letter from your designated learning institute (DLI) in Canada
- If you want to study in Quebec, you will need to present a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) in addition to the above requirements.
How to Apply for a Canada Student Visa
Now that you know the requirements, let’s look at the procedures that you will need to follow to apply for a Canada Student Visa as a foreign student.
- Check the requirements and gather all the supporting documents
- Visit the official website of Canadian Government to start your online application
- Once you visit the site, kindly create an account using your name.
- Complete the online application form by entering the necessary details
- Once you are done filling out the application form, you can then upload the supporting documents online
- Pay the visa application fee
- Review your application to ensure that there is no mistake and the documents are intact.
- After reviewing your application, you can go ahead and submit your application.
N/B;
It takes around seven weeks (or more) for the Canadian immigration officials to review student visa applications and make decisions. So you will need to wait after your student visa application to know your fate.
How to Get an International Student Visa for Germany
Germany is also another top destination for international students seeking to advance their studies. Germany has a good environment that supports learning and their cultural heritage is top-notch; it offers amazing hospitality to foreign nationals. Just like in Canada, before you can get a student visa for Germany as an international student, you must meet some requirements.
In Germany, there are different types of study visas that international students can use to enter the country and study. Some of the student visas for Germany are the full-time academic studies international student visa, the German language courses for studies international student visa, the state preparatory college ‘Studienkolleg’ visa, the propaedeutic course international student visa, and the mandatory preliminary internship student visa.
However, if your study in Germany will not be up to three months (90 days), like if you are going on an exchange study program, you don’t need to apply for any of the student visas mentioned above; rather, you should apply for the Schengen visa because that is the visa that is designed for short-term study in Germany.
Required Documents to Get an International Student Visa for Germany
To be able to get an international student visa for Germany, you are required to have certain documents handy so that you can upload during your student visa application. The requirements are listed below:
- Valid international passport
- Your passport’s biometric page copy
- Acceptance letter from a German university
- Certified copy of your previous academic records, like transcript
- English proficiency certificate, like ÖSD, IELTS, TOEFL, Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, Cambridge Assessment English.
- Travel insurance proof
- Complete and comprehensive CV
- Your motivational letter
- Proof of finance to ensure that you will be able to take care of your needs when you are in Germany.
How to Apply for a German Student Visa
Follow the simple steps below to apply for a student visa for Germany.
- Visit germanyvisa.org/student-visa to complete the application form
- Schedule visa appointment
- Upload all the supporting documents that we mentioned earlier
- Review and submit your visa application
- Wait for your application to be reviewed; if approved, you will receive your visa and relocate to Germany for your studies.
How to Get an International Student Visa for UK
We can’t discuss the best destination for studies for international students without mentioning the UK. Over the decades, the United Kingdom has been a choice destination for many international students who want to get hands-on academic experience to broaden their knowledge. However, just like other international student visa application processes that we discussed for other countries above, the UK is not an exemption because before you enter the UK as a student, you must have a student visa and there are requirements that you must meet to be able to get an international student visa for the UK.
There are different student visas that are available for international students that they can use to enter the UK. The study visas are Student Route Visas, which are for international students who are above 16 and want to study in a higher institution in the UK. This student visa type lasts for up to five years. Another student visa type for the UK is short-term study; it lasts for about 6 months and is available for students that want to study for a short time in the UK. The last student visa for the UK is the Child Student Visa; it is made for children between 4 and 17 years old. The child student visa lasts for up to 6 years.
Requirements for Applying for an International Student Visa for the UK
If you are interested in applying for a student visa for the UK, you meet some requirements and have essential supporting documents. The requirements are listed below:
- Valid international passport
- Proof of finance
- Acceptance letter from the UK institution you want to study
- English proficiency certificate
- Tuberculosis test results
- Academic transcript and recommendation letter
- Statement of purpose
- Immigration Health Surcharge payment receipt.
- Recent passport photograph
How to Apply for The UK Student Visa
The application process for the UK student visa is pretty easy; follow the steps below to get started:
- Apply to your university of interest in the UK and receive an unconditional offer
- Receive Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS)
- Start your UK student visa application by visiting gov.uk/student-visa/apply-online and complete the form
- Pay the visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
- After payment, upload all the supporting documents.
N/B:
The UK student visa application fee is £490 for each international student. So, you must pay this application fee before your student visa application can be reviewed.
Meanwhile, if you are 16 years old or above, and you want to study at any UK university for that more than six months, you may also be required to apply for a student visa via the Student Route. Once you visit the website, you can start your UK student visa application by completing the application form.