Before going to study abroad you will have to carry out a series of procedures. Depending on age, type of study and the duration of these may be one or the other.

It is not the same to be a minor, to take a summer language stay, to participate in an exchange program or to take a master abroad. Also depending on the country where you want to study the procedures will be one or the other.

Studying inside or outside the a country makes important differences, both in terms of mobility facilities, as well as the possibilities of scholarships and programs for foreign students.

What is important is that you keep in mind, in all cases, that you must prepare it well in advance, since most of the procedures are slow, and you have to have all the papers in order before you leave.

If you do not complete the procedures on time, you may miss the deadline to enroll in some studies, lose an airline ticket for not having a valid visa to travel, you may have to wait another year to request a scholarship application or apply to an official language exam, for example.

The best place to go to find out about all the legal procedures is the consulate or embassy of your destination country. Many countries and large training centers such as universities have an Information Agency or Office for Foreign or International Students., where you can also find a lot of information about the procedures to be carried out, legal aspects of the country, the country’s culture, aspects of student life, useful resources, etc.

If it is an organized stay within the framework of programs, your overseas education consultant can also help you. All of them can advise you on what to do and where to go to request the different documents.

Basic documentation

Each country and training center may require specific steps, but in general they may ask you:

Visa as a student: Some countries require a visa, which can be of different types depending on nationality, age, type of studies you want to do, the length of stay you request, etc.

It is necessary to check the expected times to carry out the entire visa application and issuance process, because depending on the case, it will be necessary to provide a sufficient time to gather all the necessary documentation, make an appointment, do a personal interview, a time review of the application to determine if the resolution is positive or not, pay fees, etc.

They can ask you for documents to verify that you have sufficient financial means to make this stay in the country (such as a bank account or the resolution of the scholarship) or the criminal record certificate, issued by the Ministry of Justice.

It should be borne in mind that if the application is rejected, there are measures to claim or add documents that may be necessary. It is also important that you know if you have to appear in person at the appointment (in most cases), especially if the embassy or consulate is far from your residence and, therefore, plan a trip.

For example, to apply for UK student visa, you have to personally appear in Madrid. Some countries, such as the United States, also require a biometric or electronic passport. The thing you should not forget is that by contacting consultants, you can make this process easier and quick.