Getting a Visa Is Easier Than You Think

When you're studying abroad, a visa can feel like a fairy-tale dragon guarding the gates of a castle. In reality, though, it's simply a set of papers that aren’t so hard to gather, as long as you follow a few rules. 

What kinds of visa are there?

Tourist — for short trips: to see the country, get to know a university, or brush up on the language for a couple of weeks. Easier to obtain, but it doesn’t give you the right to study in earnest.

Student — for programmes lasting from a few months to several years. This is the visa you need for school, college, a Bachelor’s or a Master’s. It often lets you work a limited number of hours and can be the first step towards a residence permit.
 

Can you go without a visa?

Yes, for tourist trips. Citizens of Kyrgyzstan can enter 27 countries visa-free, including international education hubs such as Turkey and Malaysia. That's enough for language courses and summer programmes, but for serious study even in these countries you'll need a student visa.
 

Where it’s harder, where it’s easier

Countries fall roughly into three camps:

• The “New World” (USA, Canada, Australia) — high requirements for financial guarantees and a serious interview at the embassy. In the USA, for instance, they even check your public social media. Canada and Australia now rigorously filter out anyone coming to work rather than study. But if everything is above board, your chances are good.
• Europe — usually you need a national category D visa (a Schengen visa won’t do for studies longer than 90 days). The requirements are clear and transparent: secure your place and have the money in your account, and you’ll get the visa.
• Asia (China, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia) — the procedures are becoming simpler and more transparent. A medical certificate and on-arrival registration are often required, but there are fewer refusals over «vague suspicions» than in the West.

 

The main pitfalls — common to many countries

Mistakes in your documents. A typo in your name or address, and it's a refusal. An unpleasant but critical detail.
Money in your account. Most countries ask you to prove you can pay for tuition and accommodation. But the required amount, the «settling» period for the funds and the form of the statement vary from place to place. There is no universal recipe.
The interview. The embassy wants to see a genuine student, not a tourist planning to stay. You need to answer questions clearly in English or the local language — though this is a skill you can build up.
Travel history. If you've had refusals before, or spent a long spell neither studying nor working, you'll need to explain it.
 

How do we help?

We don’t get the visa for you. But we make sure you don’t trip up over nothing — we check your documents before submission, advise on the best way to prove your finances without overspending, prepare you for the interview, and help with letters of explanation if there are any «blank spots» in your history.

A visa is just one stage, and with our help it stops being frightening. Choose your country, and we’ll work through its visa subtleties together. And remember the main thing: with no panic and proper preparation, it will all come good.