Study Abroad

Passports and Visas

Passports

Your passport is your most important legal document while travelling overseas. In some countries it is required that foreigners carry their passports at all times. Guard your passport carefully and do not travel away from your study abroad site, and particularly away from your host country, without your passport. MAKE SURE YOUR PASSPORT WILL BE VALID FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION OF YOUR TIME OUTSIDE THE UK.

Obtaining a Visa

Once you receive your acceptance letter from your host institution, you can apply for your visa.

If you are a national of an EU member state and you are studying at one of our partner institutions within the EU you will not need a visa. If you are from outside the EU or you are going to study at one of our partner institutions outside the EU, you should consult the appropriate embassy / consulate for advice and to find out what other documents you will need. Also make sure you ask how long it will take to get your visa!

You should not enter your destination country without obtaining the appropriate visa. Do not leave your application for your student visa until the last minute. Increased levels of security mean that visas can take several weeks (or even months) to be processed. The responsibility for obtaining the appropriate visa remains with YOU.

Page last updated 10/3/2007

"It has been a really exciting year at RBS London and I’ve learned so much during my time here, as well as meeting some great people along the way. When I arrived I was rather nervous of all the challenges that a year abroad would bring, but was relieved to find so many people in the same boat as me - in a new city with strange surroundings."

Evanna Barrington