"Comprehensive Guide to 2023 Student Visas for International Study"
This article encompasses all the crucial aspects of Student Visas for international education.
Key Highlights
“International students are granted student visas, which are intended for individuals seeking to pursue education in a foreign country. Each nation has its unique immigration regulations, which encompass varying documentation prerequisites and financial substantiation demands. Nevertheless, there exist certain universal elements shared across all student visa applications.
Acquiring a comprehensive comprehension of the student visa procedure empowers you to proactively prepare and navigate the process smoothly, ensuring a hassle-free experience.”
What is a Student Visa?
What are the Intakes for a Student Visa?
- Semester 1: Late February/early March to late May/early June
- Semester 2: Late July/early August to November
- September (Fall intake)
- January (Winter intake)
- May (Spring intake)
- August to December (Fall term)
- January to April (Spring term)
- May to August (Summer term)
Intakes Related FAQs
The opportunities for Fall and Spring intakes in the USA can be divided into two parts.
Fall Intake:
- Scholarship Opportunities: More scholarship opportunities for a student. Better networking options.
- Work Part-Time: More part-time work opportunities for a full-time student. Teacher assistant and research jobs available.
- Options for Courses: Broad range of course options available.
- Internship Opportunities: Applying for an internship is easy. 9-month criteria are easily met.
- Leadership Positions: A fall student can easily lead a social group.
- Work Opportunities: Placement drives at universities start during this time.
Spring Intake:
- Scholarship Opportunities: Scholarship opportunities are less for a student. Most scholarships are available at the beginning of the year.
- Part-time Work: Fewer opportunities for research and on-campus employment.
- Options for Courses: Limited number of courses.
- Internship Opportunities: A spring student has to face the 9-month eligibility problem. So it’s difficult to enroll with a company.
- Leadership Positions: By spring, they already form the social groups. Leadership opportunities are hard to find.
- Work Opportunities: By Spring, companies have employed the Fall applicants. Hence, job opportunities are limited.
Which are the Top Universities for Studying Abroad?
- The University of Melbourne
- The University of Queensland
- The University of Sydney
- The University of Western Australia
- Australian National University
- Monash University
- University of New South Wales
- University of Toronto
- McGill University
- University of Sherbrooke
- The University of British Columbia
- McMaster University
- University of Alberta
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- Princeton University
- The University of Chicago
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- California Institute of Technology
- Yale University
- The University of California – Berkeley Campus
Universities Related FAQs
The top Master’s programs in different countries for an international student are:
The USA:
Masters in Business Administration (MBA):
- It is one of the most popular courses in the USA.
- Universities like Stanford and Harvard are the top universities offering this course.
Engineering:
- Popular engineering courses include Civil and Structural Engineering, Chemical, Electronics, and Computer Science.
- Stanford and MIT are some of the top universities.
The United Kingdom:
Masters in Business Administration (MBA):
- This is the top choice for a student completing their Master’s in the UK.
- The best universities for this course are Cambridge and Oxford.
Natural Sciences:
- This course is slowly gaining popularity among students in the UK.
- Oxford and Cambridge are the top universities offering this course.
Canada:
Engineering:
- One of the most popular courses in Canada
- Top specializations are for Electrical, Mechanical, and Aerospace Engineering
- Top universities offering Engineering courses include the University of Waterloo and the University of British Columbia.
Masters in Business Administration (MBA):
- Canada is the most popular choice for MBA courses.
- The University of Toronto and McGill University have maximum intake for this course.
Dentistry:
- One of the oldest courses in Canada
- Top universities offering Dentistry courses are the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia.
Australia:
Masters in Business Administration (MBA):
- MBA is one of the top choices for Masters in Australia.
- It covers areas like marketing and finance.
- Top universities offering this course are the Australian Graduate School of Management and Melbourne Business School.
Engineering:
- Master’s courses in Electrical and Civil Engineering are popular in Australia.
- Top universities include the University of South Wales and the University of Melbourne.
Germany:
Masters in Business Administration (MBA):
- This is the second most popular Master’s course in Germany.
- The Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat München and the University of Mannheim are the top institutes offering this course.
Engineering:
- Most popular course in Germany
- More than 71,000 international students are currently pursuing it
- Top specializations are for Electrical, Mechanical, and Automotive Engineering
- Top universities include The Technical University of Berlin and the Technical University of Munich.
The cheapest places to study in the Schengen area are:
Hungary:
- High education standard and low tuition fee
- The average tuition fees are $1000
- Scholarship available for an international student
- Top universities include the University of Szeged, Eötvös Loránd University, and the University of Debrecen.
Finland:
- One of the cheapest countries in Europe for an international student
- Cheap tuition fee
- University of Helsinki and Aalto University are some of the top institutes in Finland.
Sweden:
- Superior living standards
- No tuition fee needed
- An international student can access partial scholarship
- Some of the top universities in Sweden are Urban Center University and Karolinska Institute.
Poland:
- Low tuition fee
- Low cost of living
- Top universities include the University of Warsaw and Jagiellonian University.
What Documents are Required for a Student Visa?
Documents Related FAQs
The requirements for the bank account statement documents are:
- Must be scanned copies of original statements
- They must be signed and duly stamped by the bank
- The bank statement must be on the bank’s letterhead
- Should clearly specify the tenure
The Affidavit of Support is one of the financial documents for studying abroad.
- It is a notarized document.
- It clearly mentions that another person would be sponsoring your living expenses and tuition fee.
- This should be provided by a blood relative or a spouse.
How to Apply for a Student Visa?
- Step 1: Get your acceptance letter from a university in Canada.
- Step 2: Check the Canadian study permit tool to see if you need a student visa.
- Step 3: Apply online on the CIC website.
- Step 4: Visa applicants submit documents online or offline.
- Step 5: Provide the application letter.
- Step 6: Provide proof for sufficient financial resources.
- Step 7: Present proof confirming the absence of a criminal record.
- Step 8: Submit clinical records and health insurance related documents.
- Step 9: Prepare all the documents required for a Canadian student visa.
- Step 10: Submit proof for English language proficiency.
- Step 11: Have your biometrics taken at a visa application centre.
- Step 12: Pay the application fee at the visa application centre.
- Step 13: Attend your visa interview.
- Step 14: Wait for the visa to be processed.
- Step 1: Complete the online visa application form
- Step 2: Take a printout of the confirmation page
- Step 3: Upload a photograph following the guidelines
- Step 4: Schedule a visa interview at the nearest US embassy or consulate
- Step 5: Pay the visa application fee
- Step 6: Gather all the required documents
- Step 7: Attend the visa interview
- Step 8: Obtain your visa after the visa processing time is over.
Student Visa Related FAQs
You can expedite the visa interview appointment date for the USA by getting in touch with the consulate. You can do this in case of urgent situations like school start date, medical emergency, or a funeral. You need to provide proof for the same.
The University Entrance Qualification for German Universities is a certificate. It is required to confirm that your foreign education certificate is equivalent to a German Abitur.
It may be that your earlier education is not on par with HZB. As such, you might need to take a test. The prerequisite for this is satisfying the admission requirements for the university.
How Much Does it Cost to Get a Student Visa?
- The fee for General UK visa for students is 348 Pound sterling (Rs 33,036.26)
- The fee for a short term student visa is 97 Pound sterling (Rs 9208.38) for 6-month and 186 Pound sterling (Rs 17,657.31) for an 11-month visa.
- Service fee of $350 (Rs 25701.48)
- Application fee of $160 (Rs 11749.25) for F, J, and M type of visa
- Sevis fee for an exchange visitor is around $220 (Rs 16155.22)
How Long Does it Take to Get a Student Visa?
- Processing time is usually around 4 weeks.
- Might take longer because of the high volume.
- Scheduling a visit to the embassy takes around 3 days but might take longer.
- Application processing time is between 3 days to a few weeks.
Why Choose Ahad Global?
Other Important FAQs
Yes, you need a student visa to study abroad in most countries. In Canada, however, you don’t need a study permit if the duration of your course is less than six months.
- The student visa is valid for 5 years in the USA.
- In Canada, the study permit is valid for the duration of the study program, plus 90 days.
- In Australia, the student visa is valid for a maximum of 5 years.
- In Germany, it is valid for three months.
- After three months, you need to apply for a residence permit.
