In a few countries, student visas may be valid only for a short period of time, perhaps for any period of 3 months. This gives you plenty of time to enter the country during the period prior to the academic year generally begins. Upon coming, you are likely to register at a university and acquire a residency card confirming where you'll live when you are a student presently there. After you have the card, it becomes the evidence of your right to remain in the country. If you visit a country as an intern for that summer and then start a study program within the fall, you will most likely require another visa and may need to return home between your two experiences.
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When to Apply
It might take as long as four months to obtain a visa for certain countries. Therefore, you should apply for the visa as soon as you receive the necessary documents confirming admission to the host university overseas.
If your program is under the sponsorship of an American university or organization, it should provide you with instructions about this procedure, help you get the admission document, and arrange for your visa. Some program can arrange for your visa through a company that specializes in offering this service.
Where to Apply
Each country that has diplomatic relations with the other country has an embassy usually in capital city with a consular section, plus one or more consulates in different regions of the country. There are authorized to issue visas to people who want to enter their country.