Visas for study abroad
Check and obtain the necessary visa documentation for your host country as soon as possible, so that your arrival isn't delayed.
Applying for your Visa
In order to study abroad legally you will need to apply for and obtain the relevant student visa or residence permit for your host country. However, if you hold an EU passport and wish to study in the EU, or if you hold a passport for the country you will study abroad in, you may be exempt from this requirement. If you’re not sure, contact us to confirm your individual situation.
Every country sets its own immigration requirements, and no two countries are the same. You may also find that your own situation is different to that of a friend travelling to the same country. However, the majority of people will find themselves following some or all of these basic steps when preparing to apply for a student visa.
Do your own research!
How much will it cost? Do I have to show evidence of my funding? Will a criminal record stop my application from being successful? Do I need to hand in my passport over the summer when I apply?
Get your acceptance letter.
You can’t apply for your student visa before being accepted for studies at your host university: your formal acceptance letter should be sent to you in plenty of time for you to then make your visa application. You may also be sent other documents by your host university that you will need for your visa application, e.g. a DS-2019 for the USA, or a Confirmation of Enrolment for Australia. If hard copies of documents are sent to Leeds we will contact you to confirm your preferred address and forward them on via special delivery.
Prepare your application and book an appointment (if necessary).
If you need to book an appointment, you should do so as soon as you receive the necessary paperwork from your host university. Depending on the process for your destination, you may need to fill in an application form, pay any visa processing fees required by the consulate, prepare various supporting documents and pieces of evidence. Check the consulate’s estimated processing times if possible, and submit your application in plenty of time.
Need help with your visa application?
Immigration law is complex, it changes often, and is different for evey country. Therefore, the Global Opportunities Team at the University of Leeds are not able to offer detailed visa advice. However, we can help with the following:
- Directing you to consular websites showing details of how to apply, costs involved, and contact details for the consulate from which you can seek more detailed guidance.
- Answering basic questions about obtaining and completing paperwork.
- Directing you to the immigration information provided by your host university.
- Assisting you in contacting the relevant staff at your host university for more detailed guidance.
Visa Processing Fees
Before you apply for a study abroad year, it’s important to know how much your visa application will cost, and what level of funding you may be required to prove access to in order for your visa to be approved.
The below figures are based on fees for UK citizens using standard (rather than express) visa services. If you do not hold a British passport, this information may not be relevant to you.
The visa costs below may be subject to change without warning. They were last checked in August 2023. Confirm up-to-date figures on the relevant embassy or consulate websites.
European destinations:
- Austria: €150 visa application fees
- Belgium: €180 Processing Fee + €228 Contribution Fee
- Cyprus: €140 + ACRO Certificate (£55) + Medical Certificate & Chest X-Ray (Speak to your GP for fees), plus travel to the Consulate.
- Czech Republic: £90 + ACRO Certificate (£55). You may also need to pay for professional document translations and travel to the Consulate.
- Denmark: DKK 1890 processing fee and embassy fee DKK 1600
- Finland: €350 for an online application, plus a potential cost of an ACRO certificate (£55)
- France: €99 for visa application, plus £31.89 service fee
- Georgia: €20 visa processing fee
- Germany: €75, plus €32.90 service fee
- Greece: €75 + €150 admin fee + Medical Certificate (Speak to your GP for fees) + ACRO Certificate (£55), plus travel to the consulate.
- Hungary: €70 for residence permit
- Iceland: 16 000 ISK (around £92). Application and all supporting documents must be received by the Directorate no later than June 1st, in order to process the application before the semester starts
- Italy: €60 for visa administration
- Latvia: €60 visa processing fee
- Netherlands: exempt from long stay visa but need to apply for a residency permit. The fee for a residency pemit is €210 and the host university submit the application for a residence permit for study. In some cases you maybe asked to demonstrate you have access to fund of £10,000 to support your year abroad. Depnding on the university this may be demonstrated by a bank statement or a direct transfer of funds which will be returned by the host unviersity.
- Norway: NOK 5,900 application fee
- Poland: €80
- Portugal: €75 for a temporary stay visa (less than one year) or €90 for a residency visa (more than a year). Following this, you will also have to pay to submit an application for a residence permit (€83) and to receive the residence permit from the SEF (€72).
- Slovenia: €130.47 EUR for application, residence permit and residence card.
- Spain: £174 + ACRO Certificate (£55) + Medical Certificate (Speak to your GP for fees) + travel to the consulate. Please note that some documents must be translated into Spanish by a translator and legalised at a fee, please contact the local Spanish Embassy/Consulate or refer to the website for details and fees.
- Sweden: SEK 1,500
- Switzerland: €80
- Turkey: €45
Worldwide destinations:
- Argentina: $250 consular fee, plus £55 ACRO Police Certificate and immigration tax
- Australia: A$650 plus cost of the medical certificate (if requested)
- Brazil: $215 USD for a long-term visa (over 180 days)
- Canada: C$150 for the Study Permit, C$85 biometrics fee, plus C$116 for the certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ) if studying in Quebec
- Chile: £41 plus travel to the consulate
- China: £151 for the visa, plus £35.25 application service fee and the cost of the medical certificate (if requested)
- Hong Kong: HK$350 – HK$900 – this will vary depending on the university
- Indonesia: Study permit: IDR 550,000, VITAS: IDR 650,000 & KITAS: IDR 770,000 for 12 months
- Israel: £42 visa processing fee
- Japan: 3,000 Yen (single-entry visa) or 6,000 Yen (double or multiple-entry visa).
- Jordan: It is recommended that students apply for an Entry Visa on arrival at the airport in Jordan, for a fee of JOD 40. This visa should then be converted into a residence permit within two weeks of arrival.
- Mexico: £42.34 consular fee
- Morocco: $23 for a single-entry tourist visa, which will need to be updated to a residency card on arrival, costing $11 per year.
- New Zealand: NZ$430 for the online application
- Singapore: S$30 processing fee and S$60 issuance fee, and approximately S$80 for the required medical report. Please check if the issuance fee and the required medical report will be needed.
- South Africa: £84.89 service charge, plus £55 ACRO Police Certificate and £50-100 medical certificate plus cost of chest x-ray (speak to your doctor about this)
- South Korea: £180 for single entry visa fee or £225 multiple entry visa fee plus £60 for service fee
- Taiwan: $66 USD (resident visa), plus £55 ACRO Police Certificate. Please note: Applying for a visa on arrival in Taiwan costs approximately $800 USD
- Thailand: £60 for Non-Immigration Education Visa, plus £150 to have the visa extended after 90 days.
- USA: $510 +185 for visa application fee & SEVIS fee, plus trip to London for visa interview (if required)
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS FOR VISA APPLICATIONS
What you are required to provide and when you are required to provide it will depend on which country you intend to study in. Common documents that you may need to provide include:
- Acceptance letter, or certificate proving your student status at the university abroad: this will usually be posted or emailed to you by your host university in good time for you to submit your visa application. You should not book a visa appointment (if applicable) without this.
- Police certificate: police certificates for immigration purposes, showing your UK police record, can be ordered online. There is a charge for this service.
- Medical certificate: some countries require you to complete specific medical checks, or to submit a letter confirming your general good health. You should expect to pay for any certificates or letters, even if they are completed by your own GP. Certain health checks, e.g. chest x-rays, can be quite expensive. GP surgeries can quote long turnaround times for completing certificates and letters, so request these well in advance.
- Evidence of your UK student status: Leeds can provide you with a letter or certificate confirming that your study abroad is a recognised part of your Leeds degree.
- Legalising documents: sometimes referred to as the ‘Hague Apostille’, you may find you need to have your UK-produced documents ‘legalised’ to confirm their authenticity. There is a charge for this service.
- Evidence of your finances: you will usually have to prove you have access to sufficient funds to last you for the duration of your study abroad period. See below for more information on this process.
FINANCIAL EVIDENCE FOR VISA APPLICATIONS
The majority of countries expect you to show evidence of your financial support at the point of applying for the student visa, which can be anywhere between May and September.
However, students selected to study in the USA, Hong Kong, and at some Japanese universities will be asked to provide evidence of financial support at the point of formal application to the host university between January and March. If you are selected to study abroad at any of these destinations should be aware that you cannot usually use your student loan as evidence of funds as you cannot usually apply to Student Finance early enough to receive your loan statement in time for the host university’s application period. This does not mean that you can't use your student loan to pay for your study abroad year; it just means that you can't use it as evidence that you can afford your study abroad year.
The figure you are asked to evidence will be advertised on your host country’s embassy website or will be communicated to you by your host university directly. The figures given are a minimum amount - you should try and show access to as much money as you are able, as exchange rates can change on a daily basis.
The amounts listed below are based on the information provided by embassies or by our partner universities for immigration purposes only. While the amounts listed here are not necessarily an exact reflection of how much you will spend on a year abroad, you should expect to spend at least the amount shown here and should budget accordingly. A breakdown of expected costs is sometimes available on the host university’s website or fact sheet.
STUDY OVERSEAS: FINANCIAL EVIDENCE
The countries detailed require UK nationals to show evidence that they have enough money to cover the cost of living for one year in the host country.
Please note that these figures are subject to changes made to immigration laws introduced by each country. Please make sure you check relevant embassies' websites for most updated information. The amounts below were last checked in August 2023.
- Argentina: access to funds amounting $50USD/day for the entire duration of the period of stay in Argentina.
- Australia: evidence of enough funds to cover the costs of your travel and stay in Australia (AUD21,041), or evidence of a household income of at least AUD62,222 in the past 12 months
- Brazil: $150 USD per day for duration of stay.
- Canada: Quebec: C$1095 per month; other provinces: C$833 per month
- China: $2500 for the full academic year
- Hong Kong: Varies depending on the university, for example CUHK ask for a minimum balance of HK$38,000 for an academic term - contact host university for guidance
- Indonesia: $2,000
- Israel: contact the consulate for details
- Japan: The amount required varies, depending on tuition fees, length of stay and living circumstances. However, it is recommended that you can show access to approximately 2,000,000 Yen for the fist few months of your stay.
- Mexico: Average monthly balance equivalent to one hundred days of the general minimum wage in force in Mexico City
- New Zealand: NZ$1,667 per month of study
- South Africa: There is no fixed amount that students need to prove but students will need to demonstrate that they are financially sound and that they able to maintain themselves financially support themselves throughout their time in the country. Previously students have been expected to show R3000 > 126.20 GBP per month
- South Korea: approximately £9,500 – to be confirmed with your certificate of acceptance
- Singapore: Proof of sufficient financial means required - contact host university for guidance as this varies
- Thailand: 20,000 Baht
- USA: see "Estimated living expenses: USA" below
STUDY IN EUROPE: COUNTRY-SPECIFIC FINANCIAL EVIDENCE
The countries detailed require UK nationals to show evidence that they have enough money to cover the cost of living for one year in the host country.
Please note that these figures are subject to changes made to immigration laws introduced by each country. Please make sure you check relevant embassies' websites for most updated information. The amounts below were last checked in August 2023.
- Austria: €515.30 per month for duration of stay for students up to 24 years old, €933.06 per month for students over 24 years old. This amount must be available on the account after fixed costs are deducted (rent, health insurance etc.)
- Belgium: €789 per month of stay
- Cyprus: €7000 for the full academic year
- Czech Republic: For a long-term visa, a foreign national is obliged to prove the availability of funds that are 15 times the amount of the existential minimum (as of January 1st 2023, this minimum is equal to 3,130 CZK) for the first month and double the amount of existential minimum for every month afterwards.
- Denmark: DKK 6,589 per month of stay
- Finland: €560 per month of stay
- France: €120 per day for duration of stay if you hold no proof of your prepaid accommodation, or €65 per say if you have proof of accommodation.
- Germany: €11.208 for duration of stay evidence via bank statement
- Greece: €50 per day for duration of stay
- Hungary: $830 per month for duration of stay
- Iceland: ISK 212,694 per month of stay
- Italy: at least €6000 per year
- Latvia: €430 per month for duration of stay
- Netherlands: €957.87 per month for duration of stay. In some cases
- Norway: Approximately 12,537 NOK per month for duration of stay (approximately £930)
- Poland: €187 per month for duration of stay. Polish embassy/consulate want proof that students have a minimum of 300 PLN or 67.76€ per 3-day stays
- Portugal: €705 per month of stay
- Slovenia: €465.34
- Spain: €600 per month of stay
- Sweden: 9,450 SEK per month for duration of stay
- Switzerland: €27.70 per day for duration of stay
- Turkey: €50 per day for duration of stay
STUDY IN THE USA: COUNTRY-SPECIFIC FINANCIAL EVIDENCE
If you are placed at a US institution, you must demonstrate to your host university that you are able to afford the cost of living for the year you will spend there. Your host university is responsible for issuing your visa documents and evidence of your finances must be provided to them with your formal application for admission, usually in February, March or April. Your host university is bound by US immigration law and exceptions cannot be made to financial evidence requirements.
Amounts listed were given for the 2023/24 application period (full academic year) unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to change for later applicants.
- Arizona State University: $23,838
- Bentley University: $22,505
- California State University at Monterey Bay: $20,000
- California State University at San Marcos: $19,200
- California State University Sonoma: $19,292
- Colorado School of Mines: $27,000
- Drexel University: $19,449
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: $14,144
- Florida International University: $21,160
- George Washington University: $19,585
- Georgia Institute of Technology: $20,300
- Juniata College: $19,493
- North Carolina State University: $15,840 - $18,639
- Northern Arizona University: $19,713
- Penn State University: $26,200
- Rensselear Polytechnic Institute: $19,400
- State University of New York – Stony Brook: $25,658
- State University of New York – Brockport: $21,471
- Towson University: $21,100
- University of California Santa Cruz: $24,633
- University of Hawaii: $18,616
- University of Kansas: $15,500
- University of Kentucky: $16,654
- University of Louisville: $14,652
- University of Minnesota: $20,360
- University of Mississippi: $20,064 – $23,939
- University of Nebraska: $21,771
- University of New Mexico: $17,500
- University of North Texas: $19,430
- University of Rochester: $22,842
- University of Vermont: $16,000
- University of South Carolina: $27,527
- University of Wisconsin-Madison: $17,600
How do I show access to funds?
Bank statements
The most straightforward way to evidence your finances is to provide an original bank statement in your own name, showing access to the correct amount of funding. Points to bear in mind, and to check with your host university immigration adviser if applicable, are:
- You may be able to show statements from multiple bank accounts to meet the total required (e.g. current account, savings account, ISA, etc.).
- You may be able to use bank statements in other peoples’ names (e.g. parent, relative), but these may need to be accompanied by evidence of your relationship and/or a letter from the account holder confirming that they will make these funds available to you.
- Bank accounts must usually be ‘instant access’ and statements must usually be originals.
- Online statements are sometimes accepted, but they must be full statements with the account number, account holder's name, bank logo, and the date. A simple screenshot of transactions is not normally acceptable.
- Bank statements will usually need to be less than three months old at the time of your application. If your bank only issues annual or quarterly statements, you may need to request additional statements or letters from them. Make sure to leave enough time for your request to be processed (this can sometimes be a week or two) before any deadlines you are given.
- Sometimes the funds must have been in your account for a specified length of time. Check instructions on this topic carefully.
Letter from your bank
Letters must be on headed paper, with a logo and stamp if possible. If you are providing a bank letter, it is usually acceptable for the bank to include an indemnifying clause to indicate that they can't guarantee the funds beyond the date the letter is written.
Student Loans
Some countries will accept your student loan statement as evidence of your funds for your study abroad year. If using your loan statement, you should ensure it is for the correct academic year, i.e. the year you will be abroad. We therefore recommend that you re-apply for your student loan as soon as the application becomes available, usually in early March. This will ensure you have a loan statement in good time ready for your visa application. Please note that if applying to the USA, Hong Kong, or some Japanese universities, you may not be able to use a student loan statement as evidence of your funding. This is because these universities will require evidence of your funds before student finance has processed your application and sent out your student loan statement for the academic year you’ll study abroad in.
