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General information and safety tips
The UK is a great base from which to travel to Europe whilst you are studying in the UK. When arranging travel for holidays in Europe please ensure that you are travelling out of official term time and at a time when you will not miss any academic commitments. If you require a visa for your travel, you may need to show that you are in an official university vacation period for the duration of your visit.
Student Life International do not specialise in travelling to Europe. Our role is to ensure you understand how travelling to Europe may affect your Student visa status and to provide basic information regarding the documents you might need for a Schengen visa application. It is not intended to substitute official guidance provided by each individual embassy and you should contact them in the first instance if you have questions about the application process.
Stay Safe when Travelling
It is important to keep your bags and other belongings safe, especially your passport. If your passport is lost or stolen, you will not be able to return to the UK until you have replaced it. Do not leave your belongings unattended whilst travelling and store them securely in your accommodation when you arrive. If your passport is lost/stolen abroad, please take a look at our ‘Lost Documents’ page and email Student Life International for advice.
Missing Teaching
You should ensure that trips or vacations do not interfere with your scheduled academic commitments. If an embassy requests you provide a No Objection Certificate as part of your Schengen application, it is important to note that UEA may not be able to provide you with a letter if you are travelling in term time. If your travel in term time is unavoidable, this is something you need to discuss further with your School.
You should report any absences online through the Online Absence Reporting System (OARS) available from the Portal. This will allow your School to confirm whether you need to be engaged on campus during the time that you are away and whether your absence is something that can be authorised. Do not travel until your absence request has been authorised.
If you miss more than 2 weeks of teaching at UEA for an unscheduled reason such as losing your BRP abroad, you may have to interrupt your studies because you have missed too much of your course. This means that you will have to stop studying, return home and then re-join your course later. Please email Student Life International if this happens to discuss the visa implications of this.
Tips to keeping your Passport safe
Keep your passport safe in your hotel room; do not take them out with you if possible and do not leave them lying around in the hotel room.
Never put your passport in your purse or your pockets (especially your back pocket) - keep it separate and somewhere safe.
If you have your passport stolen, contact us for information on what to do.
Healthcare while abroad
If you are legally living in the UK (with a Student Visa or other residence permission) and you do not have healthcare cover provided by an EU country or Switzerland, you may be eligible to apply for a UK GHIC card. This card enables you to access medically necessary state-provided healthcare when you're visiting an EU country.
If you are a resident in the EU and you have an EHIC card, you should be able to access healthcare. However, you must check for the country or countries you are travelling to and if your EHIC card can be used there.
It is important that you have insurance in case you need medical treatment while travelling. An EHIC or GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance. It may not cover all health costs and never covers repatriation costs. Make sure you have travel insurance as well as your card.
If you already have insurance, check to see if it will cover you for your travels to other European countries. You can purchase travel insurance from the UK before you travel. Travel insurance tends to cover medical costs, lost baggage, delayed travel and more. It is recommended that you buy this before travelling. If you need a visa to visit other European countries, you will usually need to make sure you have medical insurance, or travel insurance that includes medical insurance, as part of your Schengen visa application.
Stay Up to Date
We would always advise that you keep up to date with the travel advice for the country you are intending on visiting. You can do this on the GOV UK website.
Visas for travelling around Europe
If you are not a European Economic Area national and want to travel to Europe, you may be required to apply for a Schengen visa before you travel. You need to check the embassy websites for all countries you plan to visit. Non-visa nationals do not need a visa to travel to Europe but changes will be coming in the near future (see 'upcoming visa changes' below).
The Schengen Visa Scheme is a scheme that allows you to visit and to travel between certain countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland using only one visa. Together the following countries make up the Schengen space:
Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
If you are travelling to countries outside of the Schengen space, you should contact that country’s embassy in the UK for information about immigration procedures there.
Where do I apply for a Schengen visa?
If visiting only one country in the Schengen space, you should apply to the embassy of that country.
If visiting several countries, you should apply to the embassy of whichever country is your 'main destination' - the country in which you plan to spend the most time during your trip.
If visiting several countries in the Schengen space without having a main destination, you should submit an application to the embassy of the country where you will first enter the Schengen space.
How do I apply for a Schengen visa?
Visa fees, eligibility criteria and documentation required vary, according to which type of visa you need and the country you are applying to. You should check the website of the relevant embassy or visa application centre, or contact them to check what needs to be submitted with your application.
You will have to fill in an application form, which you can download from their website. If the website does not have the information you need, you will need to telephone the embassy. Alternatively, you can email them. You can find details of the Schengen area's individual Member States' dedicated websites on the European Commission website, under 'Where to Apply?'.
When do I apply for a Schengen Visa?
Applications should be made as early as possible, in case there are any unexpected delays in processing your application. All countries require you to give your biometrics in person. Some require you to collect your passport after your visa is approved, or you may be able to provide a self-addressed envelope with Special Delivery prepaid, for your passport to be delivered to you. You will usually need to apply at least 15 days before the intended journey, but be aware that applications can take longer to process, so you are advised to allow 60 days. You cannot usually apply more than three months before the intended journey.
What documents might I need to provide?
Below, we have included a list of documents you might need to provide as part of your Schengen visa application. Please refer to the list provided with the application form for the actual documents required as part of your application.
A completed application form - each country has its own application form.
Original passport or official travel document.
Recent photograph(s) - the exact number required varies between countries
Proof of purpose of the visit - if you are using invitation letters from friends or conference organisers these may have to be verified by the local town or city hall where they are based. This may take time and you should start arranging things as early as possible.
You should check that your current UK student immigration permission allows you to return to the UK after your trip. Most Schengen countries insist that your immigration permission to be in the UK should last for a certain period after you return from your trip. Some countries require you to have at least 6 months remaining on your visa when you return to the UK.
Evidence of sufficient funds to complete the trip - you have to show that you can support yourself during your stay. Evidence confirming this can be recent bank statements, and credit card statements showing the current credit limit. Not all countries state how much money is required, however you should show as much money as you can.
The visa fees charged by the different embassies may vary. You should check the current fee and which forms of payment are acceptable before you submit your application. The fee is not refundable, even if a visa is refused.
Evidence of student status - you will need to get a Confirmation of Study letter. You can request this by going to Student Forms and selecting the 'Non-Standard Proof of Study' letter under 'Letter Requests'. When completing the request, please ask for semester and vacation dates to be included.
Medical insurance - most Schengen countries require proof of medical insurance, which covers the entire trip. A good option is to get travel insurance and make sure it provides enough medical cover for your visa.
You may need to show your travel tickets for the trip and your hotel booking. If you have eTickets or online booking confirmations, you should print off a hard copy to take to your visa appointment.
This is just a list of documents you might need. It is your responsibility to ensure you know which supporting documents you require for your application, as well as information about the timeframes and costs of the visa application.
Upcoming Immigration Changes
The EU has developed a new travel authorisation scheme for non-visa nationals travelling to the Schengen area. Set to be implemented in 2026, this new travel authorisation process is called the European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ‘ETIAS’.
ETIAS will not change the visa rules for Europe; it will not affect the countries who must apply for a Schengen visa. However, the introduction of ETIAS will create an additional entry requirement for citizens of those countries who currently travel to Europe visa-free.
Final details of ETIAS have not yet been released but please keep up-to-date with these scheduled changes if you intend to travel from 2026 onwards on the official ETIAS website.