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You will need a Study Permit (student visa) if you want to take a course of over 6 months.
If you want to study for less than 6 months, you need a Visitor’s Visa. You can study English for a maximum of 6 months with a Visitor’s Visa.
Tourist Visa
You may attend as a tourist for a maximum 6 months. You must have the following documents when you arrive in Canada:
Study Permit
If plan to study longer than 6 months must obtain a Study Permit. On entry to Canada, you must present the documents listed above plus your Study Permit.
For citizens of some countries, the Study Permit will be issued at the port of entry into Canada. If you are staying longer than 6 months, you should show your Letter of Acceptance to the Immigration Official on entry even if you have no other document from the Canadian Embassy or Consulate in your country.
It is relatively easy to obtain a Study Permit although the application process may take more than a month, especially if you require a medical certificate. You may have to attend an interview with a Canadian official when applying for the Study Permit.
Students who do not require a visa to enter Canada are expected to pay online for the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before they travel.
More information is available at the Canadian government website
CAQ Requirement at EC Montreal
Students studying at EC Montreal for longer than six months who require a Quebec Acceptance Certificate for Studies (CAQ) and a Study Permit must be registered for 24 or 30 lessons. Students who book less than 24 lessons will no longer qualify for the CAQ.
Letter of Acceptance Charges
There is a charge of $105 CAD per Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for CAQ/Study Permit purposes.
Courier Charges
Charges for sending a Letter of Acceptance by courier must be paid by the student. Courier charges will be included on the invoice. At the latest, courier charges can be paid by the student on the first day at school. Courier charge is $85 CAD.
Custodianship Declaration Form
Some younger students require a Custodianship Declaration Form when they are coming for longer than 24 weeks and require a Study Permit: At EC Vancouver: students who are less than 19 years of age. There is a charge of $150 CAD for the Notary to sign the Form. Plus there is a second charge if it needs to be sent by courier.
You will need a visa if you are not a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) national, or a national of certain selected countries. Here is the list of countries requiring a visa to study in Ireland:
Visa required countries
Types of visa:
To study for less than 90 days: C visa (Visit-Tourist visa)
For courses longer than 90 days: D visa (Study visa)
C visa (Visit-Tourist Visa)
• This visa is for non-EU/EEA nationals taking English courses for less than 90 days
• Available to students of all levels, including Beginner
• To get a C visa (Visit-Tourist visa), students will need to have:
– A visa support letter from us which we will send you after receiving full payment
– Evidence of Finances
– Medical Insurance
– Evidence of Education/Employment history
• This visa cannot be extended
• Students cannot work on this visa, paid or unpaid
• All visa students are required to attend their courses. Students with an attendance lower than 85% may have problems with a future visa extension/renewal.
D visa (Study-Work Visa)
• This visa is for non-EU/EEA nationals taking English courses for longer than 90 days
• Available to students of all levels, including Beginner
• To get a D visa (Study-Work visa), students will need to have:
– A visa support letter from us which we will send you after receiving full payment
– Evidence of Finances
– Medical Insurance
– Evidence of Education/Employment history
• After entering the country, students must apply for permission to stay in Ireland and register with Immigration at a registration office before the date stamped on their passport at border control
• This visa can be extended in Ireland
• Citizens from countries outside the EU/EEA who are registered as full-time students with the Garda Síochána (Irish Police Force) are permitted to work part-time in Ireland (up to a maximum of 20 hours per week, and full-time during specified holiday periods) to support themselves. Holiday periods are: June, July, August and September, and December 15th – January 15th
• All visa students are required to attend their courses. Students with an attendance lower than 85% may have problems with a future visa extension/renewal.
• Students may transfer to another course/school if the other school is a recognised provider on the ILEP.
Long Term Courses D visa (Study-Work Visa) students
Non-EEA students on a course of 25 weeks or longer (to a limit of 32 weeks, which is the total length of the visa) are required to take an external examination at the end of their course. Students will be required to pay their visa fees before the documents are issued. For more information, please see here.
EC will recommend an appropriate exam (IELTS, FCE, or CAE) based on your level and help you register for an exam at a local external testing centre. Exam fees must be paid at the time of booking (approx. €200).
EC will keep a copy of your test results. These may be made available to immigration authorities upon request. Please speak to the school academic team if you have any questions about your exam.
As a member of Marketing English in Ireland (MEI), EC guarantees that all students will be able to complete the courses for which they enrol, as they are covered by a recognised learner protection scheme and will be placed in another MEI school should they be displaced in the event of a school closure.
For more detailed information on visa requirements, please visit the website.
Students Under 18
Parental consent from all parents/guardians is required.
Details of the person in whose care the minor shall be must be provided with the application. Unless students are under the care of other individuals or organisations (e.g., family members, Embassy) this will be undertaken by EC.
Study visas for students under 18 years do not give any entitlement to any other family member to accompany or join the student.
Procedure
Applications for visas from supported countries can be made online.
This website also contains a comprehensive guide to completing a visa application in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Turkish and Urdu.
Application forms from unsupported countries can be downloaded online and sent to the Irish Embassy or Consulate in, or accredited to, the student’s country of residence.
If there is no Irish Embassy or Consulate in your country, send your visa application to your nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate, or to:
The Visa Office
Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service
13-14 Burgh Quay
Dublin 2
Students who do not require an entry visa to enter Ireland (EU/EEA national or from a non-visa country) should have all documentation relating to their booking with them when going through immigration, including:
• Booking Confirmation/Receipt
• Proof of adequate medical insurance
All AY students who are visa required must purchase this insurance from the school at 35 EUR.00
Whether you need a visa to learn English in Malta depends on your nationality and the length of your stay. To find out if you require a visa and to apply, you should contact the Maltese Embassy or Consulate in your country for advice. The advice on this factsheet is subject to change so it is always recommended that you contact the Embassy for any recent updates. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the most updated regulations are being followed. Although EC endeavours to support students with general visa advice, EC cannot be held responsible for any changes to the information provided below. Click here to see if you require a visa to travel to Malta.
Students who require a Visa to enter Malta must apply for one of the following:
A) a long-term/national visa (Schengen Type D) from Malta’s diplomatic missions or consular posts which will cover the full duration of stay. These visas allow the holder to stay in the territory of Malta for periods longer than three months (90 days). Students on a Type D visa cannot extend their stay once in Malta.
or
B) a short-stay visa (Schengen Type C) when applying at representations, where Malta has no consular post. Students on a Type C Visa staying for a period longer than the maximum 90 days must apply for a study visa once in Malta to continue their studies.
All embassies will ask you to provide certain documents when applying for a visa. Below is a list of what is generally asked for, but please note that this will vary from embassy to embassy. Students should contact the embassy to find out the current requirements.
• Passport and a copy of your passport
• One passport-size photograph
• Visa application form
• Visa letter from EC
• Confirmation of payment of the course
• Confirmation of accommodation in Malta in case the student has booked their own accommodation
• Return flight booked between your country and Malta
• Medical insurance cover and policy in English for your entire stay
• Bank statement showing sufficient funds
• Confirmation of personal address in your country
All documents required from EC will be sent to you only when we have received full payment. In case the visa is refused, we will refund the full payment (excluding any bank charges) if a copy of the visa refusal letter is sent to EC at least one week prior to arrival.
If the visa is refused and you inform us less than 1 one week before your arrival date, a cancellation fee of one week of accommodation and tuition will apply. Since some embassies require the original documents (not faxed or emailed), we will courier (DHL) the original documents to you. The price for this is €88 (88 Euros). – This fee will be included in the original booking.
Students who are Third Country Nationals and who entered Malta on a 90-day visa must apply for a Study Visa if their stay exceeds three (3) months; students must have a total of a 16-week paid course or a minimum four (4) weeks’ extension to start the visa process.
How to Apply for a Student Visa when in Malta:
• Students are asked to come to the reception during their first week at EC Malta to start the application process.
• EC checks that students have ALL documentation required in order to apply
• The school will set an appointment with the Central Visa Unit.
• The Central Visa Unit will retain the student’s passport for three (3) weeks whilst the application is being processed.
• The Central Visa Unit will issue a receipt for the student’s passport which the student must present when the passport is collected. The student will be given a date for collection, which will be three (3) weeks after the date of application.
Required Documents:
EC’s letter of acceptance which must include:
(1) Invoice Number: Proof of fully paid course and accommodation
(2) Number of tuition hours per week
(3) Duration of the course
(4) The letter must be stamped and signed by the head of school or designate
(5) Departure Flight ticket
Please note that this is a legal declaration and schools are therefore held accountable for the information provided.
Accommodation details for full duration of stay
• Accommodation details, clearly specifying the type of accommodation. Should the student book his/her own accommodation, a copy of the official lease agreement must be provided until date of departure.
• The Rental Declaration form must be completed for students who are staying in their own accommodation or with an EC host family.
• Students staying with an EC host family require a copy of the Host Family Licence.
Financial Guarantee
• Bank Statement: Statement currency should be in Euros or include a printout of conversion.
• The bank statement should be current and issued no earlier than two (2) weeks before arrival to Malta to ensure it will be valid for presentation to the Central Visa Unit.
• Students should have enough money to cover their entire stay, that is €18 (18 Euros) daily if their accommodation is already paid for, or €30 (30 Euros) daily if accommodation is not yet paid for. This amount is calculated from the date that the bank statement was issued until the date of departure from Malta.
• The bank statement should be in English and should clearly state that the student is the owner of the account. If the student is not the owner of the account, he/ she should provide a declaration (in English) from the sponsor, confirming that the student will have access to these funds, together with a photocopy of the sponsor’s passport and another form of identification (such as a birth certificate) that shows the relationship between the student and the person that will be funding the student. Should the student be financed through a sponsorship, the bank statement needs to clearly show the total funds transferred to the student. In this case, the bank statement needs to be signed and stamped by the bank.
• A recent ATM receipt to show that the funds can be accessed in Malta.
Insurance
• Health insurance policy (in English) must cover the student’s entire stay in the Schengen Zone (including traveling dates), and should cover in-patient and day care hospital expenses.
Other Documentation
• Original Passport: Students should hold a valid passport which is valid for at least 6 months after departure date from Malta
• Photocopy of passport with blank pages included
• 2 x passport size photographs with white background
• If the student was originally issued with a visa for tourist purposes, the student must prove that their original intention before coming to Malta was to study. This proof should be in the form of written correspondence, enrollment forms and booking confirmations with the EC
• Return Flight ticket.
Fees
• Government Fee: €70 (70 Euros) in cash
When booking a course at EC Cape Town, students will receive all the help they need to apply for the correct visa or visa extension. In the meantime, here is some basic information for entry requirements to South Africa:
A. General Visa Information:
When students apply for their visa extension they must submit the following documents:
The actual extension takes around 6 to 8 weeks to get approved; and we will have school staff on hand to assist them with the application process should the student require their assistance.
B. What can be done with different Visas:
1. NORMAL VISITOR’S/TOURIST VISA
a. LANGUAGE COURSE:
b. STUDY AND VOLUNTEER (OR JUST VOLUNTEER):
c. INTERNSHIPS:
2. WORK VISA
a. INTERNSHIPS:
3. STUDY VISA
a. LANGUAGE COURSE:
b. STUDY AND WORK:
c. STUDY AND VOLUNTEER (OR JUST VOLUNTEER):
NOTE: There is no such things as a “Student Visa”, an “Internship Visa” or a “Volunteer Visa”.
C. TRAVELLING WITH MINORS/CHILDREN
1. Requirements for parents travelling with a child:
2. Requirements for one parent travelling with a child:
3. Requirements for a person travelling with a child who is not his or her biological child:
4. Requirements for a minor travelling unaccompanied:
5. PLEASE NOTE:
You can apply for a Short-term study visa to study English language in the UK for English language courses lasting longer than 6 months and up to 11 months. You can stay in the UK for the length of your course plus an extra 30 days, as long as your stay is no longer than 11 months.
You must be 16 or older to apply.
You must prove that:
If you’re under 18 you must also:
It costs £200 for a Short-term study visa. You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your online application. It usually costs £470.This is so you can use the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK and is due regardless of any private medical insurance.
Check how much you’ll need to pay before you apply.
While in the UK, you cannot:
When you apply you must provide:
You also need to provide:
You must provide written proof of the course you’re studying. For example, a letter of acceptance from the educational institution stating the course’s name, duration and cost (including accommodation).
You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances, such as evidence of your:
If you’re under 18 you need to provide additional documents if:
You can travel to the UK without an adult (someone 18 or older) but you must have written consent from both parents (or one parent if they have sole responsibility) or your legal guardian. This must confirm they consent to:
They also need to provide proof that you have somewhere suitable to live during your stay in the UK, including:
Your parent, guardian or school must tell the relevant local authority about your visit if either of the following are true:
You should provide a reply from the local authority if you have one.
If you travel to the UK with an adult (someone 18 or older), you need to identify them in your visa application.
Their name will appear on your visa, and you’ll be refused entry to the UK if you arrive in the UK without them.
You can identify up to 2 adults in your visa application, and your visa will only be valid if you travel with at least one of them.
The adult can apply for a visa at the same time, but you must each complete separate applications.
You must apply online before you come to the UK. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel to the UK.
As part of your online application, you’ll need to book an appointment at a visa application centre to provide your documents and prove your identity.
Allow time to attend your appointment.
The visa application centre may keep your passport and documents while processing your application.
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision. Check if your visa application centre offers faster decisions and other services.
Before you start, check what documents you’ll need to apply.
You can apply for your visa here.
You’ll get a letter containing the result of your application. This will explain what you need to do next.
Applying for a Visa in USA
When you book a course at an American EC School, a VISA SPECIALIST will be appointed to you to help make your visa application go smoothly.
What’s a F-1 Student Visa?
To learn English in America you need a F-1 student visa. When you have been accepted onto English course with EC, we send you an I-20 form. This is the first step in the student visa application process. With the I-20 form you can apply for a F-1 student visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. A Form I-20 is a government form that tells the U.S. government that you are eligible for F-1 Student Status. Read more here.
How to get an I-20 Form
Before EC sends out an I-20 you must send us:
What’s SEVIS?
SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) is the internet-based database system which tracks and stores information on the visa status and activities of international students holding F-1 and J-1 visas in the USA.
Please note that the SEVIS fee (which students need to pay to get an I-20 is $350. This money is not collected by EC but is payable directly to SEVIS. This fee is non-refundable even if a visa is denied.
EC’s Terms and Conditions
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