For every aspiring student out there who has plans to pursue their studies abroad, there might be a ton of questions going through their minds. From which university and course to choose to financial resources and visa processing, there are many crucial decisions they have to take. Of these, one of the most common yet the most pertinent question would be regarding obtaining a student visa.
The process of obtaining a student visa is not as cumbersome or stressful as you might think. With the right people to guide and help you, you can get your student visa in a hassle free manner. You can approach a well reputed and experienced study abroad consultant like Apachia Institute, Kuwait to get all the right and relevant information about student visas.
Common Doubts/Questions About Student Visa
Keep your worries at bay with our answers to the 7 most common questions/ doubts you may have about student visas:
- What is the first step?
- Does the eligibility criteria differ from country to country?
- What are the different types of student visas?
- How much fund do I need to have?
- Can I get financial support to fund my studies?
- Can I work part time while studying?
- How long can I stay on my student visa?
Let us now take a detailed look at each of these questions one by one.
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What is the first step?
For you to start your application process, you need to be accepted by the university of your choice. So if you haven’t done that yet, first you need to apply to universities and get accepted by one of them.
Once you have been accepted, you need to start your visa application process. There might be differences in the process for different countries, but as a general rule of thumb, these are the points that countries take into consideration while processing student visa applications:
- Your country of citizenship
- The course you have applied for
- The university you wish to study in
- The country you wish to study in
- Your means of funding your studies
These are the factors that determine whether you will be accepted to study in that country or not.
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Does the eligibility criteria differ from country to country?
The short answer, yes. Different countries have different eligibility criteria when it comes to student visa applications. It is important to know these differences before you start your application process so that you can choose the country which is suitable for you. Here are some of the different basis of criteria of few of the most popular study abroad countries:
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- UK – proof of acceptance from university
- Canada – pay the first year’s tuition fees before application for visa
- USA – should be a permanent resident in your own country
- Australia – proof of sufficient funds for education
Make sure you research well before applying and find the country that meets your requirements best.
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What are the different types of student visas?
The type of student visa differs from country to country.
- For the UK, you need to apply for a Tier-4 or General Student visa
- If you want to study in the USA, you need an F-1 visa
- For Australia, the type of student visa will depend on various factors such as age, number of years you wish to study there and the course you have applied for. The most common type of student visa is the Subclass 500 visa.
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How much fund do I need to have?
This is one of the most important factors to take into consideration while studying abroad. Most of the countries would stipulate that you need to have sufficient funds to apply for a student visa, but the amount may vary from country to country. Some countries require that you have the entire course fee at the time of application while others only require the fees for the 1st year. You need to ensure that you have sufficient funds to cover your education expenses and enough funds on hand at the time of student visa application as well.
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Can I get financial support to fund my studies?
Many universities provide scholarships, grants and other financial aid to many of its international students. You can get more information about the same through the universities’ websites. Alternatively, you can also supplement your financial resources by availing an educational loan from any financial institution, which you can then pay off after you start earning for yourself.
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Can I work part time while studying?
Although this also differs from country to country, generally countries do allow students to work part time while pursuing their education. Working part time helps a student to learn more about the country, gain relevant work experience and earn a little extra income on the side. The following entails the different part time work parameters for students in different countries:
Germany – 120 days in a year
Australia – 20 hours a week
Canada, UK and USA – 20 hours a week + full time work between semesters
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How long can I stay back on my student visa?
You can stay for the duration of your course. Some countries permit students to stay back for a specific period after their course is over, which can help them find full-time jobs in that country. The duration of post work stayback differs from country to country.
- The UK allows students to stayback for a period of 2 years through their newly approved Graduate Immigration Route.
- The USA allows students on a F-1 visa to work for a period of 12 months under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) scheme.
- In Canada, students have the option to work for up to three years after completion of the course.
- Germany provides students the opportunity to get a residence permit for 18 months to seek jobs.
If you are an aspiring student, you would know that these are just a few of the major doubts/questions you may have while applying for a student visa. We have tried our best to answer them to your satisfaction.
