THE STUDENT VISA PROCESS
USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, Germany, Ireland and Singapore
Considering the
amount of formal procedures required for international admissions, it can be
causing anxiety to many who wish to study in the top universities of the world.
If you have not been yet selected/applied for universities, trust us when we
say – Everything will follow. Your current venture should be to ace the
application, but if you are the kind to be gripped by a fear of the unknown and
missing out on vital aspects, feel free to read along and get a strong idea of
the visa process for the country of your desired university. Those who have
been successful in clearing a jury panel or exam and have received the letter
of acceptance, this is the right place for you to begin with: The next step
being the visa process.
We have covered
some of the most common study destinations and their processes so that there’s
something for everyone – Feel free to jump right to your country and get all
the necessary details a student would need before applying, as well as the
causes of rejection, the most common being flaws in financial documents.
Therefore, it is best advised to always consult an independent visa consultant
or check in with your university, irrespective of the availability of
information on the interest.
USA
If you’ve never
gone international (even to travel), let us tell you – Visas have types. While
a J1 visa is ideal for tourists or to gain experiences in training, conducting
research and teaching, to be a full-time student requires an F-1 Visa.
Documents Required: You would need
§ A passport and a coloured photo
§ I-20
§ An evidence of financial liquidity
§ Travel itinerary
§ Dates of the last five visits to US
§ Resume/CV
§ Form – DS 160 confirmation page
§ Fee Receipt for the Visa Application
§ Certificate for Eligibility of non-immigrant (F-1) Student Status
Fund
Requirement: You will need
§
Adequate funds for one year
long worth of tuition and living costs (mentioned in I-20)
§
Provisions for future years
Medical
Insurance
Not required at
the time of F-1 Visa Application
Reasons for
Rejection
§
Not a genuine student
§
No strong reason/family ties to
return to the home country
UK
To be eligible
as an international student in the UK, the visa application happens through
their website gov.uk, where you need to apply for a Tier 4 General
Student Visa.
Documents
Required: You will need
§
The Tier 4 Visa Application
form
§
A Valid Passport
§
Confirmation of Acceptance for
Studies (CAS)
§
Evidence for Financial
Sufficiency
§
English Language Proficiency
Results
§
Unconditional Written Consent
of the Sponsor
§
Criminal Record Certificate
§
Tuberculosis Test Results
Conditional Documents
§
Parent/Legal Guardian’s Letter,
for applicants under 18
§
Academic Technology Approval
Scheme (ATAS), if required
Fund
Requirements: You will need
§
If the course duration is less
than 9 months –
1.
Full course fee
2.
£1265 for London residents, and
£1015 for others
§
If the course duration is more
than 9 months
1.
1st year course fee
2.
£11,385 for London residents,
and £9,135 for others (With living costs of about £6,120)
§
Visa Application Fee - £348
Medical
Insurance
An annual
‘Immigration Health Surcharge’ of £300
Reasons for
Rejection
§
Ill-prepared Credibility
Interview
§
Not meeting Tier 4 rules
§
Financial documents not issued
by a credible source
CANADA
The Canadian
Government has made it relatively easier to their country once accepted into a
college – all you’re going to need to apply directly online through Student
Direct Stream to obtain a Student Permit.
Documents
Required: You will need
§
Your Acceptance Letter (from a
Canadian University)
§
Proof of Identity
§
Proof of Financial Support
§
A Valid Passport
§
Biometrics
Conditional/Additional Documents you may or may not need
§
Letter of Explanation
§
Certificat d’Acceptation du
Quebec (CAQ)
§
Medical Documents by a
certified doctor
Fund
Requirements: You will need
1.
Outside Quebec –
§ CAD 10,000/year or CAD 833/month
§ Tuition fee
2.
In Quebec –
§ CAD 11,000/year or CAD 917/month
§ Tuition fee
Medical
Insurance
Health and
medical insurances in Canada are arranged and handled by the students’
respective institutions.
Reasons for
Rejection
§
No strong reason or family ties
to return to home country
§
A mismatch between the
background and intended course
§
Insufficient job prospects in
home country
AUSTRALIA
The Australian
Student visa that you would require is a Subclass 500 student visa, where
immense importance is given to the requirements of Genuine Temporary Entrant
(GTE) while issuing the visa, and thus, must be carefully paid heed to.
Documents
Required: You will need
§
Confirmation of Enrolment (from
an CRICOS registered institution)
§
Valid Passport
§
Passport-sized Photograph
§
GTE Statements
§
English Proficiency
§
Evidence of Financial Stability
§
A Visa SOP – strongly defending
yourself as a GTE, with firm reasons, ties and incentives to return to your
home country with sufficient employment opportunities
§
Other educational and work
documents
Fund
Requirements: You will need
§
Funds to last one year –
1.
Tuition fee
2.
Living cost of AUD 21,041
§
Provisions for future years
Medical
Insurance
A proof of
adequate health insurance is to be presented beforehand, and is generally
provided by enrolling in the Overseas Student Health Cover or OSHC.
Reasons for
Rejection
§ Not meeting the GTE Clause
§ Not meeting the Academic Qualification Requirements
NEW ZEALAND
For Indian
residents, arriving in New Zealand is most commonly based on a Fee-paying
Student Visa after having been admitted to one of their universities
Documents
Required: You will need
§
Letter of Acceptance (by a NZ Qualification Authority approved
University)
§
Proof of Identity
§
A Valid Passport
§
Passport Sized Photographs
§
Medical Certificate
§
Proof of a Genuine Intention to
study in NZ
§
English Language Proficiency
§
A copy of return tick or fund
to buy one
§
A Police Clearance Certificate
§
Conditional Documents
§
A proof of accommodation
guarantee, when the applicant is less than 18 years of age
Funding
Requirements: You will need
§
Tuition fees or proof of
funding
§
NZD 15,000 per annum for living
expenses and maintenance
Medical
Insurance
The student must
comply with the requirements for insurance under the “Code of Practice for the
Pastoral Care of International Students”
Reasons for
Rejection
§
No genuine intention
GERMANY
One of the most
desirable countries to live in with some of the most prestigious educational
programmes, Germany issues National Visas but don’t forget to apply as a
student right after receiving your acceptance offer.
Documents
Required: You will need
§
Letter of Acceptance
§
A Valid Passport
§
Three passport-sized
Photographs
§
German and English proficiency
§
Higher Education Entrance
Qualification
§
Visa-fees payment receipt
Funding
Requirements: You will need
§
10,236 Euros in a blocked
account to be presented
Medical
Insurance
A medical
insurance has to be filed mandatorily with a cost of around 110 euros per month
Reasons for
Rejection
§
Inadequate academic credentials
or language skills
§
Poor visa interview
IRELAND
There are
primarily two types of visas granted by the government of Ireland based on the
duration of your stay – a C-type Visa and a D-type Visa. A C-type visa is for
students with courses lasting less than three months while a D-type is
apparently for those staying longer than three months.
Documents
Required: You will need (D-type)
§ A signed Letter of Application
§ Letter of Acceptance
§ A valid passport along with a copy of previous passports
§ 2 passport-size coloured photographs
§ Fee payment receipt of the University
§ English Proficiency
§ Academic transcripts/credentials
§ Visa Refusal History
Funding
Requirements: You will need
§
Immediate access to a minimum
of 7,000 euros
§
Cost of living for 1 academic
year
§
Ready access of 7,000 euros
each subsequent year
§
Course fees
Medical
Insurance
Like most other
countries, medical insurances are mandatory in Ireland as well, but have to be
arranged by the student himself/herself
Reasons for
Rejection
§
Improper justification for gaps
in education or employment
§
No strong reason or family ties
to return to home country
SINGAPORE
The key note
about Singapore is that it requires two permits – your visa and a student pass.
In most cases, the university files the application for the Student Pass on the
applicant’s behalf to the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoint Authority.
Documents
Required: You will need
§ A Valid Passport
§ Completed Visa Application form (ICA Form 16 and V36)
§ Letter of Acceptance
§ 2 Passport sized photographs
§ Transcripts/credentials
§ Test scores
Funding
Requirements: You will need
§
Non-refundable Visa Processing
fee ($30 to be paid to ICA)
§
$60 for a Student Pass
§
$30 for a multiple-entry visa
fee
Medical Insurance
It is also
mandatory to have a medical insurance in Singapore and has to be catered to by
the student himself/herself.
Reasons for
Rejection
§
Not disclosed by the ICA
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