Guide
Student Visas
What is a student visa?
A student visa lets you live in a country while enrolled at a recognized school or university. You generally qualify by securing admission first and proving you can cover tuition and living costs, sometimes with a language requirement. Many double as a foothold abroad — a number of countries let graduates stay on to work afterward, which can become a path to permanent residency.
About this guide
This guide compares student visas side by side — tuition, the funds you must show, whether you need an acceptance letter first, and language requirements — plus the post-study routes that let graduates stay on to work.
Pathways compared
54
Countries covered
30
See which of these you qualify for
Answer a few quick questions and we'll match you to the specific pathways that fit your background. It's free, and takes just a few minutes.
Find your pathway matches →Student visas
Filter by
Switzerland Student Residence
|
Study Residency | Varies by institution and program | Sufficient funds for the full stay, as accepted by the canton | Yes | Program and canton specific |
Norway Student Residence
|
Study Residency | Varies by institution, program, and fee status | NOK 170,368 for the 2026-2027 academic year, plus tuition where applicable | Yes | Program specific |
Iceland Student Residence Permit
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
Iceland Volunteer or Au Pair Residence
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Denmark Student Residence
|
Study Residency | Varies by institution and program | Current monthly self-support amount for the required period | Yes | Program specific |
Sweden Student Residence
|
Study Residency | Varies by institution and program | Current monthly maintenance amount for every permit month | Yes | Program specific |
Germany European Study Internship Visa
|
Study Residency | Internship-specific | Host commitment | Yes | Internship-specific |
|
Germany Language Course Visa
|
Study Residency | Course fees vary | Living costs required | Yes | Intensive German course |
|
Germany School or Exchange Student Visa
|
Study Residency | School-specific | €11,904/yr or host/commitment | Yes | School-specific |
|
Germany Student Visa
|
Study Residency | Free-low (public) | €11,904/yr | Yes | Program language; often B2 |
|
Germany Vocational Training Visa
|
Study Residency | Free–low (public) | €11,904 (blocked acct) | Yes | German (or English program) |
Ireland Stamp 2 Student Residence
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Australia Student Guardian Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
Australia Student Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Netherlands Student Residence Permit
|
Study Residency | Set by the institution and program; not included in the IND study norm | €1,130.77/month for living costs in 2026, normally shown for 12 months | Yes | Set by the institution and program; no single residence-permit language rule |
Finland Student Residence
|
Study Residency | Varies by institution and program | €800 monthly; normally €9,600 for the first year, plus unpaid tuition | Yes | Program specific |
Belgium Student Residence
|
Study Residency | ~€4k+/yr (non-EU) | ~€750/mo | Yes | Dutch/French (or English) |
UK Child Student Visa
|
Study Residency | Independent school fees | Course fees + living costs | Yes | School/sponsor assessed |
|
UK Student Visa
|
Study Residency | £12k–38k/yr | £1,023–1,334/mo (9 mos) | Yes | English (IELTS) |
New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
UAE Outstanding Student Golden Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
UAE Student Residence Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Canada Study Permit
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Luxembourg Student Residence Permit
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
U.S. Academic or Vocational Student Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
U.S. Exchange Visitor Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Spain Student Stay Authorization
Lowest
|
Study Residency | — | 100% IPREM monthly, separate from tuition | Yes | — |
France Student Visa
|
Study Residency | Varies by institution, program, nationality, and fee or exemption status | At least €877.50/mo from 1 August 2026; indexed | Yes | The level required by the chosen program and application process |
Italy Study Visa
|
Study Residency | — | Yes | Yes | — |
Czech Long-Term Residence for Studies
|
Study Residency | Free (Czech) / paid (English) | Required under the current age- and stay-length formula | Yes | Czech (or English) |
Poland Temporary Residence for Studies
|
Study Residency | — | Required | Yes | — |
Portugal Student Visa
|
Study Residency | ~€1k–7k/yr | ~€870/mo (min wage) | Yes | Portuguese (or English) |
|
Portugal Training or Volunteer Residence
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Uruguay Student Residence
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Mexico Temporary Resident Student Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Ecuador Student Residence Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Fiji Student Permit
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
Vietnam Student Residence Visa
|
Study Residency | — | — | — | — |
No pathways match that filter.
After you graduate
Filter by
|
Iceland Post-Study Employment-Seeking Permit
|
Study To Pr Residency | — | — | — | — |
Hong Kong Graduate Residence
|
Study To Work Residency | Graduates of qualifying Hong Kong-linked programs | Normally 24 months for recent graduates | Potential after 7 years of ordinary residence | Yes |
|
Germany Post-Study Job Search Residence
|
Study To Pr Residency | German graduates, researchers, trainees, or recognition completers | Up to 18 months | Via later work or self-employment | Yes |
|
Ireland Graduate Residence Permission
|
Study To Pr Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
Australia Temporary Graduate Visa
|
Study To Pr Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
Netherlands Graduate Job-Search Residence
|
Study To Pr Residency | Recent graduates (zoekjaar) | 1 year | 5 years | Yes |
|
Belgium Post-Study Job Search Residence
|
Study To Pr Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
UK Graduate Visa
|
Study To Pr Residency | Graduates of UK universities | 2 years (3 for PhD) | Via Skilled Worker | Yes |
|
New Zealand Post Study Work Visa
|
Study To Pr Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
Canada Study-to-Permanent-Residence Path
|
Study To Pr Residency | Graduates of Canadian DLIs | Up to 3 years | Via Express Entry | Yes |
|
Luxembourg Post-Study Job Search Residence
|
Study To Pr Residency | — | — | — | — |
Austria Graduate Work Residence
|
Study To Work Residency | Graduates of Austrian universities | Job-seeking permit | 5 years | Yes |
|
France Post-Study Job Search Residence
|
Study To Pr Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
Poland Graduate Job Search Residence
|
Study To Pr Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
Poland Post-Research Residence for Job Search
|
Study To Pr Residency | Researchers who completed qualifying work in Poland while holding the Polish researcher residence permit | 9 months | Requires a later qualifying work, business, or other residence permit | — |
|
Portugal Post-Study Work Residence
|
Study To Pr Residency | — | — | — | — |
No pathways match that filter.