Sure JobsTo study in any European country as an international student, you will need either a Schengen Study Visa or a National Study Visa. Some of these visas are suitable for short-term study in Europe, while others are for a longer study period.
The student visa requirements and application processes for international students in Europe is not fixed; it vary depending on the European country that the foreign student want to study in.
Types of Student Visas in European Countries
In Europe, there are two major types of student visas: Schengen Study Visa and National Study Visa. Each of the student visa types has its own features, which set it apart. For clarity purposes, we are going to shed more light on them in the sub-sections. However, before we proceed, it is important to note that this visa is only for non-European countries since students from European countries do not need visas to enter Europe. Having said that, let’s now hit the nail on the head.
1. Schengen Study Visa
This is one of the most common student visas in Europe. This type of visa is for international students who want to take short-term courses in Europe. The validity period of the Schengen Study Visa is usually 3 months. With this visa, foreign student can travel freely in across all the 29 Schengen countries, like
- Germany
- Austria
- Belgium
- Croatia
- the Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- the Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland.
Foreign students with this type of visa will experience the rich cultural heritage of Europe without restriction. Meanwhile, if you are a foreign student residing in a country that has a visa-liberation agreement with the Schengen countries, you may not need a visa to study in Europe, as long as your stay is under three months. However, international students residing in countries that have a visa-liberation agreement with the Schengen Area will need ETIAS starting in 2025, even if they don’t need visas. The ETIAS serves as travel authorisation and permits holders to enter European countries multiple times, up to 90 days within the five-month period.
2. National Study Visa
The National Study Visa is the second and last student visa in Europe. This visa is for international students who want to spend more than three months in a European country. However, the National Study Visa is country-specific. This means that each country has its own rules and regulations concerning the national study visa. To this end, if you want to get a national study visa as a foreign student, you should conduct your due diligence to enable you to know the student visa requirements for your European country of interest. Now that you know the two major types of student visas in Europe, let’s take a closer look at the specific requirements for student visas in different European countries.
Student Visas for Different European Countries
There are many European countries, and each has its own specific visa requirement. Hence, as an international student, it makes sense to know the student visa information for your European country of interest, especially if you want to apply for the National Study Visa. We are going to take these countries one after the other. Let’s begin!
1. Student Study Visa for France
France has different study visas for international students who want to study in their country. They have about three different study visas and they vary depending on the course duration. Apart from getting a student visa in France, foreign students from non-European countries are required to register with the French Office of Immigration and Integration for proper documentation. The student visas in France are:
i. Schengen short-stay student visa (Visa de court séjour pour études): This is one of the student visas in France. It is for international students who want to study in France for a short time, especially for less than 3 months. This type of study visa in France is for students who want to take a short-term study program or language course in France.
ii. Temporary Long-Stay Visa (Visa de long séjour temporaire pour études): If you are an international student who wants to study in France for the period of 3 to 6 months, then this is the ideal visa for you.
iii. Long-Stay Visa (Visa de long séjour études): Just as the name implies, if you are a foreign student who wants to study in France for more than 6 months, then you should opt for a long-stay visa. However, in this type of visa, you will need to apply for a residence permit in France for a stay extension. However, this visa is valid for one year, after which it is subject to renewal if the bearer meets certain conditions.
2. Study Visa in Germany
Germany, as a European country, also has its own requirements and processes for study visas for foreign students. The detailed information about the study visa in Germany is on the Consular Services Portal. However, it is worthy of note that Germany offers three types of visas to international students. They are:
i. Student applicant visa: this is the first visa option for foreign students in Germany. This visa allows prospective foreign students who want to study in German universities to visit and explore their study option. The student applicant visa has a validity period of three years. Meanwhile, it can be extended to 6 months if the prospective international student has not gotten admission in any German university.
ii. Student Visa: This is another type of German visa for international students. This visa is for a foreign student who got admitted into a German foundation course of a degree program. At the beginning, this visa is valid for three. However, when the three months expire, you will need to apply for a residence permit to enable you to continue your studies in Germany.
iii. Language Course Visa: If you are a foreign student who wants to attend a German language course, you should apply for a language course visa. This visa is normally valid for one year.
3. Study Visa in Italy
Italy has two different student visas, and they are grouped based on how long the foreign student wants to study. The student visas in Italy are:
i. Type C Short-Stay Visa: In Italy, the type C short-stay visa is the same as the Schengen Visa. This visa allows international students who want to study a short-term course or a language in Italy to enter the country and spend less than three months for their studies.
ii. Type D Long-Stay Visa: If you want to study a course in Italy that requires at least 80 hours of coursework per month, i.e., 20 hours weekly, as an international student, you will need to apply for an Italy Type D Long-Stay Visa. This visa lasts for more than three months.
4. Study Visa in the United Kingdom
Both European and non-European students need to apply for student visas before they can study in any UK university. The visa type is dependent on the duration of the foreign student’s course of study. The student visas in the United Kingdom are grouped into:
i. Standard Visitor Visa: This visa type is appropriate for international students who want to take a short course in the UK that will last less than 6 months. If you want to take an English language course in the UK, this is the ideal visa option for you.
ii. UK Student Visa: If you want to study in the UK for more than six months as an international student, then you should apply for a UK student visa. Although this visa doesn’t last long, once it expires, you can apply for an upgrade into a graduate visa. With a graduate visa, you can stay in the UK for more than two years.
Requirements for Student Visa in Europe
Although the visa requirements for student visas in Europe may vary depending on the country, we are going to list the general requirements for all the student visas in Europe. They are:
- Valid international passport
- Proof of acceptance from European university
- Proof of fund, which could be bank statements, scholarship, or a letter of sponsorship
- Proof of accommodation arrangements in European country
- Health insurance coverage  policy
N/B;
Each European country has their own specific requirements for student visas; hence, the requirements that we listed above are the tips of an iceberg when compared to the country-specific requirements. As a sequel to that, we strongly recommend that you go through the student visa requirement for the particular European country you want to study in as a foreign student.
Application Process for Student Visas for European Countries
While the application process may vary slightly depending on the country, the processes below will be of the utmost guide for you.
- Get all the necessary documents, like a valid passport, acceptance letter, proof of fund, Â health insurance coverage, evidence of accommodation arrangements, etc., ready.
- Book a visa appointment with the embassy or consulate of the European country in your home country. The earlier the better.
- Submit all the necessary supporting documents during the visa appointment
- Wait for your visa application to be processed and after processing, you will be notified of your fate.
Conclusion
There are two student visas in Europe: the Schengen Study Visa or the National Study Visa. The requirements and application processes for each of these visas vary depending on each European country. If you are an international student who wants to study in any European country, you should know the requirements and application processes to enable you to apply for and get the student visa in the European country of your choice.
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