Visas and Study Permits

Most students who complete a semester or year abroad will be required to apply for a visa, study/work permit and/or residency permit, depending on their individual status, the country they are travelling to and the duration of their placement. International students should also seek guidance from Swansea University's Visa Advice team to determine how their participation may affect their current Student Route visa.

All students are responsible for researching which visa or permit they need and should review information provided by:

their host university (for study placements)
the host country Government and/or Embassy webpages
the FCDO Travel Advice pages

Below are some useful links to get you started but this should not replace any information provided by all of the above listed resources.

PLEASE ENSURE YOU FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY YOUR HOST UNIVERSITY/EMPLOYER AND HOST COUNTRY GOVERNMENT/EMBASSY CAREFULLY

Failure to secure the relevant study permit or visa in advance of your travel and required arrival date (as confirmed by your host organisation) may result in you being unable to proceed with your planned semester/year abroad placement. This may mean transferring off the degree scheme which includes a year abroad. You should therefore ensure you submit your visa/study permit application and the correct supporting documentation in plenty of time for your application to be processed and the relevant visa/permit to be granted.

General Guidance

Recommendations for all passport holders

You will need a current passport with enough time on it before it is due to expire. If you are planning to work/study abroad for one year and your passport expires halfway through your stay, your visa application will likely be rejected.
Visa application processes can take at least several weeks so make sure to check the expiry date within your passport, and where needed renew your passport, before you begin.
You also need to know how long you need left on your passport after your planned return date. This information can be found within official travel advice and/or on the country embassy pages within the visa section. For example a country may require your passport to have a minimum of 3 months validity beyond your planned return date. This is so that if you decide/need to apply to extend your stay, this will not be impacted by your passport expiring during that time.
To see how much time you have left on your passport, you simply need to look at the ‘expiry date/valid until’ within your passport. You will then need to consider your travel dates and determine if you have enough time to meet the requirements of the visa you are considering applying for.
For UK nationals, you can renew/apply for a new passport online.

UUKi General guidance
Universities UK International's Visa Group has produced some general guidance for UK based students wanting to study and work abroad. This information was published in February 2024 and therefore does not constitute formal visa advice. It does not guarantee that any visa application will not be rejected or refused and is only intended as best practice guidance to help you prepare for your visa/permit research and applications. It should not substitute information provided by your host university/organisation and the appropriate government and embassy information available. To view the guidance, click here.

Government webinars
Some governments and consulates will provide webinars for students to provide them with guidance on their country's application process. The Go Global team will share information about these webinars with the appropriate students once we have received notification of dates and times.

Australia

Students usually require a Subclass 500 Student Visa to spend a year abroad in Australia. As part of your application, you will be asked to evidence funds to support yourself while you are in Australia. You will need to be formally accepted by your host university before you can apply.

Australian government webpage: Subclass 500 Student visa
FCDO Travel Advice webpage: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/australia

Austria

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in Austria. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

Austrian government https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/en/themen/menschen_aus_anderen_staaten/visum_fuer_oesterreich.html
FCDO Travel Advice page: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria

Belgium

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in Belgium. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

Belgium Embassy: https://unitedkingdom.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/travel-belgium/visa-belgium
FCDO Travel Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/belgium

Denmark

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in Denmark. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

Danish Immigration Service: https://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/You-want-to-apply/Study
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://um.dk/en/travel-and-residence/how-to-apply-for-a-visa
FCDO Travel Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/denmark

Canada

Students will require a Study Permit to spend a year abroad in Canada on exchange. This is not a visa, but when you are issued with a Study Permit by the Canadian Government, they will also issue you with an electronic travel authorization (eTA) or visitor visa as appropriate. You will need to be formally accepted by your host university before you can apply. As part of your application, you will be asked to evidence funds to support yourself while you are in Canada.

Canadian Government webpage: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit.html
FCDO Travel Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/canada

Finland

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in Finland. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

Finnish Immigration Service: https://migri.fi/en/instructions-for-exchange-students
FCDO Travel Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/finland

France

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in France. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

French Government study abroad page: Étudiant | Campus France Studying in France
FCDO Travel Advice: France travel advice - GOV.UK

There are also upcoming webinars aimed towards providing valuable information for students heading to France on placement. The webinars take place each month and is hosted by Campus France, the official public institution that promoted French higher education internationally. The webinar is designed specifically for UK students and will cover essential topics such as visa procedures, tips for settling into life in France, and advice on securing accommodation.

For more information and to register please follow this link: 2025 Webinars Schedule | Campus France UK

Germany

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in Germany. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

German Embassy: https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/university-studies-2449178
FCDO Travel Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/germany

Hong Kong

Students usually require a visa/entry permit to spend a semester or year on exchange in Hong Kong. You will normally apply for the visa/entry permit via your host university and as part of your university application so please refer to all information sent by your host university. You will need to provide financial evidence to show you have funds to cover the expected living costs for the time you will be in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong government webpage: Students | Immigration Department
FCDO Travel Advice page: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/hong-kong

Italy

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in Italy. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/Static/Visto
FCDO Travel Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy

Netherlands

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in the Netherlands. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

Ministry of Asylum and Migration: https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/study
FCDO Travel Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/netherlands

Poland

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in Poland. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange: https://study.gov.pl/visa-application
Republic of Poland government website: https://www.gov.pl/web/unitedkingdom/visas
FCDO Travel Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/poland

Singapore

Students usually require a valid Student’s Pass (STP) issued by the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to spend a semester or year in Singapore on exchange. Your host university will provide you with details about how and when to apply for this.

Singapore ICA webpage: https://www.ica.gov.sg/enter-transit-depart/entering-singapore
FCDO Travel Advice webpage: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/singapore

South Korea

Students usually require an exchange student visa (D-2-6) and are responsible for applying for the visa by submitting the Certificate of Admission provided by their host university to the Korean Consulate in their home country.

South Korean Embassy webpage: https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/gb-en/index.do
FCDO Travel Advice webpage: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-korea

Spain

Students usually require a visa/permit to study/work in Spain. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided by your host university/employer and the relevant government and embassy resources.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/Manchester/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Visado-de-estudios.aspx
FCDO Travel Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain

United States of America

Students will require a J1 visa (or in some cases an F1 visa) for study placements. Your host university will let you know which type of visa to apply for when they issue your formal acceptance and the corresponding DS2019 or I20 document, which shows you have been accepted.

As part of your application to study abroad at one of our USA partner universities, you will be required to submit evidence of your financial situation. The required amount you will need to evidence and the documents you can submit as evidence will be confirmed by your host university. The amount is different for each university.

US Embassy webpage: Study & Exchange - U.S. Embassy and Consulates in the United Kingdom
US Dept of State webpage: Exchange Visitor Visa
SEVIS information: https://www.ice.gov/sevis
DS160 Visa application page: https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/
FCDO webpage: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa