20 Student Visa FAQs: Fees, Finances, Interviews, Refusals, Entry, and Post-Graduation Work Visas

This article compiles the most frequently asked visa questions from students and parents, providing a brief answer to each. For more details, please click on the corresponding featured article. All answers are based on information previously verified against official government websites.

I. Before Applying

1. When can I start applying for a student visa?

You must first obtain the documents issued by your school: the I-20 for the US, the CAS for the UK, the Letter of Acceptance for Canada (which in most cases also requires a Provincial Attestation Letter, PAL/TAL), and the CoE for Australia. After that, each country has its own visa application window: for the UK, overseas applications can be submitted up to 6 months before the course starts; for the US, visas can be issued up to 365 days before the program starts; for Singapore, the Student's Pass can be applied for between two to three months before the course starts. See Visa Application Timeline for details.

2. How much are the visa fees?

Key official fees: US SEVIS fee is $350 (plus the visa application fee); UK visa fee is £558, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year; Canadian study permit is CAD 150, plus CAD 85 for biometrics; Australia is AUD 2,500 (from July 1, 2026); Singapore Student's Pass processing fee is SGD 45, with an issuance fee of SGD 60 upon approval. See Comparison of Student Visas in Six Destinations for details.

3. How much funding do I need to prepare?

UK: One year of tuition plus living expenses, which are £1,529 per month in London and £1,171 per month outside London, calculated for up to 9 months, and must be held for 28 consecutive days. Canada: Outside Quebec, first-year tuition plus CAD 23,448 per year for living expenses (for applications submitted from September 1, 2026). US: The amount stated on the I-20. Australia: First-year tuition, living expenses, and travel costs. See How to Prepare Visa Financial Documents for details.

4. Can the funds be in my parents' names?

Yes. The UK requires proof of relationship and a written consent letter from your parents allowing you to use the funds; for Canada, the sponsor letter must state their occupation, relationship to you, and the amount of sponsorship, accompanied by proof of employment and identity.

5. Didn't the UK say Chinese students don't need to submit financial documents?

Mainland Chinese applicants are on the UK's "Differentiation Arrangement" list, meaning financial documents generally do not need to be submitted with the application, but the caseworker may request them. Therefore, the funds must still be held according to the rules.

6. What are the English language requirements for the visa?

For degree courses in the UK, CEFR level B2 is required, and universities can assess this themselves; for the Australian student visa, the minimum IELTS score is 6.0 (or equivalent), and at-home online tests are not accepted. The visa's English threshold is usually lower than the university's admission requirements.

7. Do I need a medical exam?

Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong applicants going to the UK for courses longer than 6 months must take a tuberculosis test at a Home Office-approved clinic, with the certificate valid for 6 months; for stays in Canada longer than 6 months, you generally need a medical exam by a panel physician designated by IRCC, with results valid for 12 months. See How to Prepare for the Visa Medical Exam for details.

II. Visa Application and Interview

8. What documents do I need to bring?

There are basically five categories: identity documents, school documents, financial documents, explanatory documents (study plan, Genuine Student responses, etc.), and situation-specific documents (medical exam, ATAS, minor documents, etc.). See How to Prepare the Visa Document Checklist for country-specific lists.

9. Can I still get a US visa interview waiver?

The US Department of State tightened the interview waiver policy in 2025. Starting October 1, 2025, the vast majority of nonimmigrant visa applicants will generally need to attend an in-person interview. Whether you qualify for a waiver depends on the official embassy or consulate website. Additionally, applicants should schedule their interview in their country of nationality or residence.

10. What will they ask at the visa interview?

The consular officer wants to confirm a few things: that you are admitted to an accredited school, can afford the expenses, are prepared for your studies, intend to stay temporarily, and have a plan for how you will use your education after graduation. Instead of memorizing a "question bank," it is better to think through your plans clearly and answer concisely and directly in English. See How to Prepare for the Visa Interview for details.

11. Is it true that US visas require public social media?

Yes. Starting in June 2025, the US Department of State will review F, M, and J visa applicants, including publicly available online information, and requires social media account privacy settings to be set to "public."

III. After a Visa Refusal

12. Why would a visa be refused?

The five most common reasons: unclear study purpose, insufficient funds or unclear source of funds, failure to demonstrate intent to leave after studies, missing documents, and concealment or submission of false documents. See Why Student Visas Get Refused for details.

13. Can I reapply immediately after a refusal?

Yes, but reapplying with the exact same application will likely result in the same outcome. For a US 214(b) refusal, you must provide evidence of a significant change in circumstances when reapplying; for Canada, a new PAL/TAL is required for reapplication; for the UK, reapplying generally requires the school to issue a new CAS. First, understand the refusal letter, then address the specific reasons. See What to Do After a Visa Refusal for details.

14. Can I appeal a visa refusal?

The US has no appeal process. For UK overseas application refusals, you can apply for an administrative review within 28 days for a fee of £80, but it may take over 12 months. In Canada, you can apply for judicial review at the Federal Court, with overseas decisions to be filed within 60 days. The Australian decision letter will state whether you can apply for a review.

15. If I was refused before, do I need to declare it on my next application?

You must always answer truthfully. The UK considers concealing previous visa refusals as failing to disclose a material fact; once deemed to have engaged in deception, all applications for the next 10 years will be refused.

IV. Entry and During Your Studies

16. Does having a visa guarantee entry?

Not necessarily. Taking the US as an example, final entry is determined by the border officer at the port of entry. Documents required for entry should be kept in your carry-on luggage. New students can enter the US up to 30 days before the program starts; for UK courses longer than 6 months, you can enter up to 1 month before the course starts. See International Student Entry Guide for details.

17. How much cash can I bring?

Bringing cash is not illegal, but amounts exceeding the threshold must be declared: over $10,000 in the US, £10,000 or more in the UK, CAD 10,000 or more in Canada, and AUD 10,000 in Australia.

18. Can I work while studying?

Yes, but with restrictions: in the US, on-campus work is limited to 20 hours per week during the semester; in Canada, off-campus work is up to 24 hours per week during the semester and unlimited during breaks; in Australia, it is up to 48 hours per fortnight during the semester; in the UK, it depends on the conditions stated on your visa.

19. What if my visa is about to expire?

An expired US visa does not affect your student status; you can simply renew it abroad after leaving the country; for the UK, if extending your visa from within the country, you must apply before it expires; in Canada, apply for an extension at least 30 days before expiration; in Australia, reapply with a new CoE before it expires. See How to Renew Your Student Visa for details.

V. After Graduation

20. Can I stay and work after graduation?

US: OPT for 12 months, with an additional 24-month extension for eligible STEM majors. UK: Graduate visa, 2 years if applied by the end of 2026, and 18 months for applications from January 1, 2027. Canada: Post-Graduation Work Permit for up to 3 years, available only once in a lifetime. Australia: Subclass 485 Graduate visa, generally 2 to 3 years for bachelor's degree and above. Hong Kong: IANG visa, initially 24 months.

Final Notes

Visa policies change rapidly, and the answers here reflect the situation verified in September 2026. Before applying, please be sure to check the official government websites of each country for the latest regulations. For more common misconceptions, you can read our Top 10 Common Misconceptions About Student Visas. If your question is not covered here, feel free to chat with our admissions counselors.

Verification Note: All answers in this article are sourced from our featured visa articles (Articles 41–47, 51–61), which were verified in September 2026 against official sources including the US Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, UK GOV.UK, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Canada Border Services Agency and Federal Court, Study Australia, Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, and the Hong Kong Immigration Department. Specific sources for each point are detailed in the corresponding articles. The US Department of State, US embassies and consulates in China, and the Australian Department of Home Affairs websites use CAPTCHA verification; related content here is compiled from search summaries of their official websites, so please refer to the official sites for the most accurate information. Policies are subject to change, so please refer to the latest official information.