Visa and residence regulations
Students from the European Union
/ European Economic Area
Students from the European Union and from the European Economic Area normally don't need to apply for visa. They should check national formalities to obtain their residence permit.
Other students
Other students must normally obtain a visa to study in Europe. This visa can be obtained at the embassy of the European country where you want to study. See the 'Studying in ...' section of the relevant country on this website.
Links to "Studying in ..." on the right hand side of this page.
The embassy will explain the formalities and the kinds of documents you need in order to obtain the visa. This may vary from country to country.
Higher education institutions or national higher education agencies provide students with advice and letters which normally facilitate the process. However, it should be noted that it may take several months to obtain the necessary visa. It is advised to request your visa as early as possible.
Students may also need a second visa when they move from one country to a second host country in Europe. For example, when studying at an Erasmus Mundus programme.
Schengen Area
If you have a visa issued by one of the Schengen countries, it is automatically valid for all other Schengen countries.
The Schengen Area facilitates the free movement for all citizens of the signatory EU Member States, other EU Member States or specified third countries.
The dark blue countries are part of the Schengen Area. The UK and Ireland only take part in the police and judicial co-operation but not in the regulations covering visas and border controls. Romania and Bulgaria have signed the Schengen Agreement and will join in the near future.
| Links |
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| Introduction to travelling in Europe on Europa.eu |
