Country-specific guidance

SWAY has collated the following, country-specific visa information for our most frequently visited destination countries.

The purpose of this is to signpost you to guidance issued by the relevant visa authorities.  Please be aware that the content published is based on information available at the time of writing. Regulations tend to change over time, and SWAY cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies.

Asia

The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Kazakhstan:

Kazakhstan Student Visa – Application, Funding and Eligibility – Work Study Visa


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Singapore:

Student Visa in Singapore: Requirements, Fees & Online Application Guide


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Taiwan:

Taiwan Student Visa – Obtaining a Visa to Study in Taiwan 

Taiwan Student Visa Process Guide 2025 | Complete Application Steps | Qogent Global


Australasia

The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Australia:

Your guide to visas | Study Australia

Work hours limit for student visa holders to be re-introduced | Study Australia


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for New Zealand:

Exchange Student Visa :: Immigration New Zealand


Europe

The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Austria:

Residence Permit – Student mobility programme


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Belgium:

Student Visa | FPS Foreign Affairs – Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation

For foreign students | Student At Work


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Denmark:

Denmark Student Visa Guide 2025: Visa Types, Costs and More


The following information was provided by Campus France during a Visa Information Session held in April 2025:

Campus France online visa session 2025

Campus France helps you to prepare for your outward mobility to France:

Download the Campus France visa information presentation slides

Non-EU students going to France on a study placement for a period longer than 90 days will need to apply for a study visa as follows:

  • Submit your host university application on time in order to obtain your acceptance letter. This is required for your visa application.​​​​​​
  • Register on the Etudes en France platform, submit all required documents and pay the administrative fee. The registration process can take up to two weeks.

Etudes en France

  • Fill in a student visa application form on the government website France-Visas and upload your supporting documents (or a student trainee visa application if you are planning to do a work placement in France).

Student visa applications

Student trainee applications

  • Make an appointment at your local TLS visa centre to submit your passport and supporting documents (including confirmation of registration on Etudes en France).
  • Your appointment should take place between 3 months and 3 weeks before the start date of your activity in France, and generally, your passport will be returned with your visa within 2 weeks of the appointment. 

Make an appointment at your local TLS visa centre

  • Important – If you are doing a study placement in a different country in semester 1 and studying in France in semester 2, you will need to apply for your French visa at the French Consulate of the country where you will study in semester 1.
  • After arriving in France, activate your student visa on the French government website. There is usually an activation fee to pay.

Activate your student visa

Useful links and contacts

France-Visas is the official French government website on visas for living and studying in France.

  • If you are going to France on a study exchange:

Visit the France-Visas student webpage 

  • If you are going on a work placement or internship in France:

Visit the France-Visas trainee webpage 

Campus France UK is the website for information on visas and practicalities of living in France (including housing, health, transport, culture, and more).

Learn about the different visa types for France

For any queries, contact: 

CampusFranceUK@ambascience.co.uk

Accommodation and settling in

Useful information on finding accommodation in France, opening a bank account and healthcare


The following link(s) and information may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Germany:

German Student Visa, Permit, and Requirements (Updated for 2025)

D-Visa: University studies including year abroad/exchange placement 

Working while studying in Germany

Other useful links and contacts

German Embassy and Consulate in the UK 

Contact the German Consulate General

DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) 

Further information

The information below was provided by the German Consulate at a Visa Information Session held in January 2024 for outgoing students:

Students who are British nationals going to Germany to study for a period longer than 90 days can enter Germany without a visa and can apply for a residence permit once they arrive in Germany at their place of residence. It is strongly recommended to arrange an appointment to apply for the residence permit at the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) as soon as possible after arriving in Germany as a residence permit needs to be filed within the first 90 days of your stay. 

You’re not allowed to leave and re-enter Germany after these 90 days if you’re yet to receive your German residence permit. In some areas of Germany there are significant delays with issuing residence permits: you should follow advice from your host university if they ask you to apply for a visa in advance of your arrival to ensure you receive this in time. 

Nationals of other countries that don’t have special agreements with Germany to travel visa-free will need to apply for a student visa before travelling to Germany.  

Once you have arrived in Germany, you'll need to register your residence with the local authorities (Meldebehörde) within two weeks. You must also apply to your local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) for your Electronic Residence Permit.


The following link(s) and information may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Italy:

Italian Consulate General – exchange and mobility programmes

VFS Global – Visa Booking Services

Types of Visas explained

How to Work as a Student in Italy

Non-EU students going to Italy to study for a period longer than 90 days must complete a long term visa application form. Once you are allocated to a host university, you will receive a fact sheet with further information on how your host institution can support you with your visa application for Italy. You will need your acceptance letter from your host institution in order to apply for your visa. Once you have your acceptance letter you can book a visa appointment with the Italian consulate. 

Booking your visa appointment 

The Italian Consulate's visa appointment booking system updates each day at around midnight (CET) - we strongly encourage students to check the online booking system of the Italian Consulate regularly as some students have experienced issues with the availability of visa appointments.  

Some consulates outsource services – including visa appointment reservations – to VFS Global agencies, and through them you may be able to pay an additional fee for a premium visa appointment. 

If your visa appointment is not scheduled in a timeframe that is useful for your arrival in Italy (that is, late August/early September, according to the semester dates at most of our partners), we recommend reaching out to your host institution who may be able to support with this.  

Note: You should not be required to provide either the bilateral exchange agreement between Edinburgh and your host university, nor a declaration specifying the type, hours and dates of your proposed courses at your host institution – your letter of acceptance from your host, and confirmation of exchange letter from Edinburgh should suffice.  

Getting further information 

The University of Bologna and Bocconi University websites have some general information which may be useful for all students travelling to Italy. 

Please contact your host university for further information, or reach out to the consulate contacts listed below.

University of Bologna 

Before leaving home: pre-enrolment and entry visa  

On arrival in Italy: declaration of presence and residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) for exchange students  

Bocconi University, Milan 

Student visas  

Useful contacts


The following link(s) and information may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for the Netherlands.

British students do not need an entry visa but you do need a Dutch residence permit if your stay is for more than 90 days. Under Dutch law, students cannot apply for a residence permit individually and your host institution must do this on your behalf. 

The residence permit allows a foreigner to live in the Netherlands for a period longer than 90 days. It is issued in the form of a card for the purpose of 'study'. 

Students are required to evidence that they can access funding of 15,000 euros as part of the application process for the residence permit. 

Upon arrival in the Netherlands you first need to go to an Immigration and Naturalisation Services (IND) Desk to give your biometric information (fingerprints, passport photo and signature) in order for the IND to be able to make your residence permit and determine your identity. 

After approval of the application and receival of your biometric information, the IND will produce your residence permit card. The ISD will inform you when your residence permit card is ready and how and where to collect it.

Find more information on the IND website

SWAY and Nuffic Dutch visa session

Download the presentation slides from the SWAY and Nuffic Dutch visa session


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Norway:

Student Visa In Norway: The Ultimate Guide – Globaloptimizer.com

Student Visa FAQs for Norway: Ultimate Guide for International Students


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Spain:

Study visas

Can I work in Spain with a student visa?

2025 Spanish Consulate visa session

A Spanish visa information session was hosted by the University of Edinburgh in June 2025 in collaboration with the Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh:

Download the presentation slides from the Spanish Consulate visa session

Download the study visa checklist from the Spanish Consulate visa session

Please note that SWAY does not advise students to travel on their 90-day tourist allowance – you should only travel to Spain once the authorities have confirmed your visa is secured and have advised on the next steps to take once in Spain. 

The following further information was provided by the Spanish Consulate for outgoing students:

Applying for your visa

Non-EU students going to Spain to study for a period longer than 90 days must apply for a student visa as follows:  

  1. The application has to be made in person at the Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh. You must arrange an appointment well in advance as the visa process can take up to two months, or even longer if there are further requirements.
  2. Gather the documents you need for your visa appointment, including your visa application form and associated fee. Your visa application will not be accepted if any documents are missing. Students going to Spain for more than six months will also need to submit an ACRO police certificate and a medical certificate – only these documents may be accepted after the visa appointment if needed. If the application is not accepted, a new appointment will be required.

Learn about ACRO police certificates

As part of the visa process, you may be required to provide a letter, in Spanish, confirming that, as an exchange student, you are not required to pay tuition fees to your host university in Spain, but that you will continue to pay tuition fees here at Edinburgh. If this is required, please contact your host institution in the first instance.  

Contact SWAY if you have any issues with this: 

europe.outgoing@ed.ac.uk

Please check your local visa requirements as these may vary between regions. We are aware that regional differences can exist – including in areas such as Castilla y León – particularly, though not exclusively, regarding the number of credits you are required to take.

Contacts

Consulate General of Spain (Edinburgh): cog.edimburgo.vis@maec.es

Sworn Translators registered in Spain


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Sweden:

How to Apply for Sweden Student Visa – Studying in Sweden

How much money I need to show for Sweden study visa? – Visa Hub BD Consultancy


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Switzerland:

Student – Studying in Switzerland


North America

The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for Canada:

Study in Canada as an international student – Canada.ca

Working in Canada as an international student – Canada.ca


The following link(s) may be helpful in finding information about visa requirements for the USA:

Study and Exchange Visas

Visa Fees | Official U.S. Department of State Visa Appointment Service

More detailed information

You will most likely be required to apply for a J1 student visa which is for students participating in an exchange programme. F1 student visas are usually for students not participating in an exchange but, in recent years, more US institutions have started to process their incoming students through the route of an F1 visa. Please follow the guidance from your host institution on which visa you should apply for.

Your host university will send you a visa document which you'll be required to take to the Embassy for your interview. All students going to the USA must attend an interview.

The USA visa system is complicated and requires you to produce financial proof at an early stage within the application process. Original financial documents are required to show you can cover the cost of your time in that country. Parents/relatives can be used as sponsors if required. Your host university will inform you what amount requires to be evidenced, but you can see an approximate amount if you view the relevant notes of guidance for your host institution.

View Partner Notes of Guidance

For US visas, you can apply for an expedited appointment if the processing times look lengthy. To do so, you will need to make an initial appointment and then request a subsequent, expedited one.

Proof of funding requirement

You will be required to prove in advance that you have access to sufficient funds to support yourself for the duration of your exchange. This is a visa and immigration requirement and you will not be issued a student visa without displaying proof of funds prior to your exchange.  

Proof of finances is usually included as a required component in the official application to your host institution and you should, therefore, be aware that you might need to prove access to funds as early as March/April depending on your application deadline.  

The amount you need to prove varies depending on your destination.  Each host institution calculates their average cost of living for exchange students for the academic year - this includes being able to cover the cost of administrative fees, insurance, books, living expenses and travel. (Exchange students do not need to prove they can cover tuition fee costs.) Some destinations will be more expensive than others so it is important to keep this in mind when considering your budget and expenses. Costs tend to range from circa 12,000 United States dollars to 25,000United States dollars. 

You will need to prove you can access this figure in liquid funds. You can prove the amount in numerous ways including:  

  • Personal bank account funds (providing a bank statement or letter)
  • Sponsors' bank account funds (family members or friends who agree to sponsor you all or some of the amount – they will need to provide a bank statement or letter from their bank)
  • Student loan award letters (maintenance loans can count toward proof of funds)
  • Bursary or scholarship letters (you will need proof that you will be receiving this when abroad).  

The following will not be accepted:  

  • Documents older than three months
  • Income or salary statements
  • Funds that are not immediately accessible (stocks and shares etc.)
  • Assets that are not in liquidated form (house, car, etc.)
  • Life insurance policy statements
  • Pension funds
  • Tax return forms or documents 

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