Student visa guidance
Your student visa, planned step by step
Check what your destination requires, see what it costs, and know when to start. Then work with an advisor who handles the paperwork with you.
- 30
- destinations
- 10
- free tools
- 1
- official source per guide
Quick visa check
VisaNational visa for study (D4)
Typical processingAbout 12 weeks
Funds to show€920 a month for 12 months
Application fee€90
Issued byPortuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE) visa portal
Figures reviewed October 2026. Confirm with Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE) visa portal before you apply.
Free visa tools
Know your next step before you pay anyone
Destinations
Student visa rules, country by country
Each guide shows the visa name, funds rule, fees, timeline and the official source, with a review date.
| Destination | Student visa | Typical processing | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | National visa for study (D4) | Consulate decisions commonly take several weeks and can take longer in busy periods, and the residence permit step with AIMA after arrival can take additional months. | Read guide |
| United Kingdom | Student visa (UK) | GOV.UK says a decision is usually made within three weeks when you apply from outside the UK, counted from the date you give biometrics. | Read guide |
| Canada | Study permit | IRCC processing times vary by country and by time of year, so check the IRCC processing time tool for the current estimate for Nigeria. | Read guide |
| Germany | National visa for study (D) | Decision times vary by mission and season. Appointment waits in Nigeria can be long, and the decision after the appointment can take several weeks. | Read guide |
| France | Long-stay student visa (VLS-TS etudiant) | You complete the Campus France file and interview first, then attend a visa appointment. The consular decision then usually takes a few weeks. | Read guide |
| Netherlands | Residence permit for study (MVV and VVR) | The legal decision period for the IND is up to 90 days, and complete applications are often decided sooner. Summer is the busiest period, so allow extra time. After approval you collect the MVV at the Dutch embassy, then your residence card within about two weeks of arriving. | Read guide |
| Spain | Student visa (long-stay study visa) | Consulates cite a legal decision period of about 38 days for study visas, counted once the application is accepted. You also need to wait for an appointment, and approved visas must be collected in person within two months. | Read guide |
| Italy | Study visa (national visa, university enrolment) | Consulates usually decide within several weeks of a complete application, but timing differs by post and season. The consulate may also invite you for a short interview, and a university acceptance does not guarantee a visa. | Read guide |
| Ireland | Study visa (type D) and Stamp 2 permission | Decisions for applicants in Nigeria are made in Dublin, and ISD publishes its current processing times for visa applications. A typical wait is around 8 to 12 weeks from submission, but busy periods can be longer. | Read guide |
| United States | F-1 student visa | Appointment wait times vary by location and season. Many decisions are given at the interview, but some cases go to administrative processing, which can take weeks or longer. | Read guide |
| Australia | Student visa (subclass 500) | Home Affairs publishes processing times in its visa processing time guide tool and processes offshore student applications under Ministerial Direction 115 (see the Student visa processing priorities page). Times vary, so check the tool for recent decisions before you plan travel. | Read guide |
| New Zealand | Fee Paying Student Visa | INZ shows that 80% of applications from Nigerian applicants are currently decided within 7 weeks. INZ also publishes wait times by education provider. Student visa processing is busiest between October and March. | Read guide |
| Sweden | Residence permit for higher education studies | The Migration Agency reports that 75% of recently decided first-time applications for higher education studies were decided within 3 months. It handles cases in the order received and may call you for an interview before deciding. | Read guide |
| Finland | First residence permit for studies | Migri publishes expected processing times on its processing time page, so check it for the current estimate. Appointment availability at the Abuja VFS centre also affects your timeline. | Read guide |
| Denmark | Residence permit for higher education studies | SIRI's normal processing time for this permit is 2 months, and up to 3 months if it needs more information. | Read guide |
| Norway | Study permit (residence permit for studies) | UDI does not give a fixed time here. The University of Bergen says processing may take several weeks and that applications submitted by 1 July (autumn) or 1 December (spring) will be processed in time for the semester start. Check UDI's processing times page. | Read guide |
| Belgium | National long-stay visa D for studies | The Belgian authorities must decide within 90 days of the date the embassy issues a receipt for a complete file. The Embassy in Abuja warns that long-stay visas may take several months, and that the Immigration Office refuses a significant number of applications it could not examine in time. | Read guide |
| Austria | Residence Permit - Student (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student) | The residence authority decides within 90 days of a complete file, and the period is extended by a further 90 days if more documents must be submitted. After you are told the application is accepted you have three months to apply for visa D. | Read guide |
| Switzerland | National visa D for studies (with cantonal permit) | The embassy says the procedure takes at least 8 to 12 weeks, because the complete file goes to the cantonal immigration authority, which decides. Once approved you hand in your original passport at the embassy to receive the visa. | Read guide |
| Poland | National visa D for study | The embassy says student visas are considered within 15 to 21 days, extended up to 30 days if documents need closer examination. Decisions are collected in person or by an authorised person between 13:30 and 14:30 on the date given on your receipt. | Read guide |
| Hungary | Residence permit for the purpose of studies | OIF says the authority decides a study residence permit application within 60 days of submission. Time spent fixing missing documents or answering requests does not count towards that period. | Read guide |
| Czech Republic | Long-term visa or long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies | The Ministry of the Interior must decide within 60 days of submission, not counting periods when the proceedings are suspended. Getting an appointment in Abuja adds time, because study slots are allocated through a monthly draw. | Read guide |
| Malta | National (D) visa for study and student residence permit | Identita's visa FAQ says the D visa process may take up to 8 weeks from the VFS appointment, and VFS advises a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks. Identita says the residence permit decision typically takes a few weeks after you apply in Malta. | Read guide |
| Cyprus | Student entry permit and temporary residence permit (Republic of Cyprus) | The Migration Department says entry permit applications for students are examined within one month when complete, by the Migration Department and the Ministry of Education. Missing or weak documents add time. Residence permit applications made after arrival are examined within 3 months. | Read guide |
| Lithuania | Temporary residence permit for studies (with national D visa) | MIGRIS says a TRP decision for students is made within 2 months under the general procedure, or within 1 month under the urgent procedure. The EU Immigration Portal says national visas are issued within 15 days. | Read guide |
| United Arab Emirates | Student residence visa | ICP lists 2 days to complete the entry permit and the residency permit services once a complete application is filed, and 5 days for a new Emirates ID. In practice you also need time for the university to file, for the medical test and for biometrics. | Read guide |
| Malaysia | Student Pass with electronic Visa Approval Letter (eVAL) | The EMGS client charter is 14 working days for a complete application. Incomplete or incorrect documents add time, and Nigerians also need time for the Single Entry Visa after the eVAL is issued. | Read guide |
| Turkey | Student visa and student residence permit | The Sefa Visa centre says results are usually announced in an average of 7 to 30 business days, and some cases take longer. In Turkey, the law says residence permit applications are finalised within 90 days. | Read guide |
| South Korea | Study visa (D-2) and Korean language training visa (D-4) | The Korean Embassy in Nigeria says processing usually takes around 10 to 15 business days (2 to 3 weeks), and up to a month when application numbers are high. | Read guide |
| Japan | Student visa (status of residence "Student", Ryugaku) | The Immigration Services Agency gives a standard processing period of 1 to 3 months for the COE. After that, the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria says the minimum time from visa application to passport collection is 12 working days in Abuja and 14 working days in Lagos, and longer if many people apply or the file needs review in Tokyo. | Read guide |
United Kingdom
Canada
Germany
France
Netherlands
Spain
Italy
Ireland
United States
Australia
New Zealand
Sweden
Finland
Denmark
Norway
Belgium
Austria
Switzerland
Poland
Hungary
Czech Republic
Malta
Cyprus
Lithuania
United Arab Emirates
Malaysia
Turkey
South Korea
JapanHow it works
From first question to first week abroad
Step 1
Check requirements
Run the student visa wizard to see exactly what your destination asks for, what it costs and when to start.
Run the wizardStep 2
Prepare documents
Build your checklist. We help with apostille, certified translation, single status certificates and attestation.
Build your checklistStep 3
Secure admission
Shortlist programmes and scholarships, write a clear statement of purpose and submit complete applications.
Browse universitiesStep 4
Apply for the visa
Book the appointment, show your funds correctly and prepare for the interview with practice questions.
Practise the interviewStep 5
Prepare to travel
Sort accommodation, flights, insurance and arrival documents so the first week abroad is calm.
Read the guides
Services
Hands on help when the paperwork gets real
- Study Abroad ProgramsExpert guidance on international university admissions, scholarships, and academic programs.from ₦50,000
- Visa Processing GuidanceStep-by-step visa application support for study, work, and travel visas.from ₦25,000
- Apostille ServicesProfessional assistance with document apostille for international use.from ₦25,000
- Single Status CertificateGuidance on obtaining single status / celibacy certificates for international purposes.from ₦20,000
- Translation & NotarizationCertified document translation and notarization services for official use abroad.from ₦20,000
- Legalization & AuthenticationEmbassy legalization and document authentication support for foreign recognition.from ₦25,000
- Flight & Hotel BookingsTravel booking assistance for international flights and hotel accommodations.from ₦15,000
- Job Applications & Work PermitsGuidance on international job applications, CV support, and work permit processes.from ₦30,000
- Holiday Travel SupportFull holiday travel planning, itinerary support, and booking assistance.from ₦15,000
Straight talk
What we do, and what we never do
Visa outcomes are decided by the authorities. Our job is to make your application accurate, complete and on time.
We do
- Explain what your destination requires, in plain language
- Review your documents before you submit anything
- Arrange apostille, certified translation and attestation
- Prepare you for the interview and the appointment
- Stay in touch on WhatsApp and in your client dashboard
We never
- Promise or guarantee a visa, an admission or a scholarship
- Submit false or edited documents, ever
- Act as an embassy or a government office
- Ask you to pay official visa fees to us instead of the authority
Questions
Before you start
Can you guarantee my student visa?
No. Only the immigration authority decides. We help you understand the rules, prepare complete and honest documents and avoid the common reasons applications are refused.
Are the visa tools free?
Yes. The wizard, calculators, planner, checklist and interview practice are free and need no account. Paid services are listed with their prices on the pricing page.
How early should I start my student visa process?
Most students should start four to nine months before the intake, because admission, funds, documents and the appointment each take time. The visa timeline planner gives dates for your destination and intake.
Which countries do you cover?
Portugal, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Ireland and the United States, with a visa guide and tools for each.
Are the fees and amounts on this site exact?
They are indicative and carry a review date. Authorities change fees and funds rules, so always confirm the current figure on the official website linked on each visa guide.
More answers on the FAQ page.
Talk to an advisor about your plan
Thirty minutes to review your destination, documents and timeline, with a written next steps list.