UK students studying abroad

Visas and formalities

Study in the EU

If you are an EU national you have a right to live and study in any other EU country on the same basis as nationals of that country, eg paying the same level of fees. General information about those rights, with some specific information about individual countries, is available on the European Union’s Your Europe webpage or from the Eurodesk office.

Study outside the EU

Studying in non-EU countries may involve applying for a student visa, and you may find yourself subject to different procedures and regulations from the nationals of that country with respect to residence, permission to work, etc. Check with the embassy or consulate of the relevant country. In some cases there may also be specific organisations providing information to international students - see our country-specific contact page for details of some of these

Finding out about other education systems and their admission processes

For information on a country’s education system, contact its embassy or consulate in the UK, or the ministry of education in country. Some countries have separate organisations which provide information about studying in that country (see country specific contacts). Unlike the UK, few countries have centralised admissions systems. In most cases you will need to apply directly to the university at which you wish to study.

If you have some idea which institutions you wish to study at, go direct to their web pages - even in non-English speaking countries there will often be an English version of the site, at least for relevant parts such as the International Office. Institutions which welcome international students will have plenty of practical information about visas and other formalities, and may have staff able to advise you.

There are also a number of commercial organisations or agents which can help you explore international study opportunities. You shouldn't normally have to pay a fee for such services, although they may receive a commission from the colleges and universities for whom they recruit. Always check whether they are presenting you with the full range of options, or only those institutions which have agreed to pay them a commission. In most cases agents are unregulated.

If I study abroad, will my degree be recognised in the UK?