Studying abroad is a welcoming prospect for most young students seeking higher education. It helps enrich one’s portfolio and broadens their horizon. But being popular makes student visas a high-demand commodity, as most countries limit the number of foreign students at any given time.

A student visa also comes with many more restrictions than other visas and has a lot of stringent requirements in most cases. This article will help you understand the intricacies of student visa restrictions so that you can plan ahead.

An Overview Of Student Visa

A student visa is a temporary visa for completing higher education abroad. While all student visas have the same essential purpose, each country has its own way of handling the details. These details can range from the duration of the stay to the things you can and can not do while abroad.

For example, the Australian student visa has a predetermined validity of up to 5 years. On the other hand, a Canadian student visa allows one to stay there for the duration of their course plus ninety days. The USA sets the student visa limits the validity to just one year, and you will need to renew it to stay there longer.

Likewise, Germany’s student visa starts with a three-month or six-month validity, depending on your course. But you can get a permanent residence permit later if you need to stay for a long time. Every country has separate rules about student visas, so research before deciding where to go.

Requirements For Getting A Student Visa

Most countries have a list of requirements for accepting foreign students. These are pretty uniform for most countries, with a few minor details being different. Here are some of the primary conditions:

1. A Letter Of Acceptance

The letter of acceptance is the first and most important thing you’ll need to apply for a student visa for any foreign country. It’s a two-step process. First, you will need to apply to a university in a foreign country and wait for their reply.

They will reply to you with course details; those are your options. You will need to select the course and apply for enrolment. The university will then complete your registration and send you the enrolment confirmation.

2. Health and Character Requirement

Most countries need a certification of good health before allowing international students to enter their country. This helps prevent medical complications and other unnecessary trouble. To that end, they set some health requirement standards, and you’ll need to submit a medical document citing that you do, indeed, meet those conditions.

You will also need to provide proof of character, which usually includes a police background check of sorts. They will mainly check for any criminal history and other such things.

3. Proof Of Funds

In most countries, international students need proof that they can finance their stay and education in that country before applying for a visa. You can do this in many ways. First is showing your scholarship information if you have that.

You can also give a bank statement, grants or anything else to show that you have enough money to stay there. Parents’ and partners’ annual income also counts towards “funds,” but it needs to reach a certain threshold. For example, in Australia, your parents or partner must have an annual income of 62,222 AUD or more.

4. Proof Of Language Proficiency

Language proficiency is crucial for foreign education. You need to have some form of proof stating that you do indeed know their primary language. In most countries, it’s English, but some countries may have additional requirements.

For countries like China, you will need to take mandatory Chinese courses if you get the CSC scholarship. But in most countries, you’ll be fine with just English. The exact level of proficiency you need can vary depending on the level. But there are many forms of such tests, and you can take them anywhere.

5. Genuine Entrant Statement

A genuine entrant statement is a statement that clarifies that you are going over to that country to get higher education and nothing else and that you will not overstay your visa.

You can still stay there after completing your education. But you will need to apply for permanent residence later, and that’s an entirely different process.

Work Limitations Of Student Visa

Regardless of their differences, student visas in every country come with certain restrictions. These restrictions act as an incentive for the students to focus on their studies. Some of these details can change depending on the country, but they are essentially very similar.

Most student visas have a work-hour limit, and the jobs you can take are also confined within the campus ground of your educational institution. The USA lets students work off campus, but it has to be a job in their field of study. One can upgrade their visa after completing their studies for an H1B visa, allowing them to work there for up to 6 years.

In the UK the students can only work 40 hours every fortnight. The country also bans them from engaging in any freelance work or commercial activity intended for making money. However, they also allow the students to work full-time during the summer and winter vacations.

Australia also has a similar system with 40 hours per fortnight policy. However, they relaxed that limit during the pandemic for various reasons. However, the rules shall change back to the 40-ish hour fortnight from July 2023.

What Can You Do For Emergency Funds?

Most countries allow international students to take temporary loans for emergency financial needs. These can range from university-based loans to international loans or even private loans from independent companies.

University loans are the most straightforward. Most universities have a loan system for both their international and local students. But the exact amount varies based on institution and region. They usually allow international students to take less than local students. For example, In Australia you can also take private loans from your home country or country of study. If you need any help regarding this, we at EFT Capital are always there to help.

Conclusion

That covers all the basics of a student visa and its limitations. As you can see, there are plenty of restrictions in terms of work and financing yourself overseas. While they seem stringent, they are still quite decent for most students. And there are plenty of options for loans if you really need them.