How to apply for Schengen Visa as an international student in UK/Nigeria: Step by step process
Ensure that every information you put in is accurate. Please do not lie — do not lie. Your details are everywhere on the web, trust me. So like, if you lie, you’ll be caught.
Firstly, I’d like to give a shoutout to the sponsors of today’s topic.
This topic is sponsored by World Immigration Hub.
Step-by-step procedure on applying for a Schengen visa:
Firstly, you’d have to go on the website .
Particularly, I decided to go for a country that isn’t amongst the countries that are very difficult to get. You’d only know this by checking online — to be honest, I don’t have a list of most difficult or easiest countries because I’ve not done so much research on that. I just did my mini research and I saw that Greece was one of the easy countries to get a visa for. So I chose to apply for Greece.
What I did was I went on Google and I searched:
“Greece Schengen application process.”
Literally. When I did that, I saw the link to apply for the Schengen visa.
The Schengen visa will give you access to every Schengen country. There are about 26 Schengen countries (I'll put it up on the screen), so you can imagine how many options you have to choose from — France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Greece, and so much more.
But — you have to go for a multiple entry visa.
If you go for a single entry visa, you can only go to the country you applied for. If you go for a multiple entry visa — for example, you apply for a Greece visa — with that visa you can go to Greece, then from Greece go to Italy or any other country of your choice.
I’m glad I put that out there so you don’t make mistakes.
Some people think once you have a Schengen visa you’re able to go to any country — it doesn’t work that way.
Once you go on the link, you fill in the application form for the country you want to apply for.
Ensure that every information you put in is accurate.
Please do not lie. Do not lie. Your details are everywhere on the web, trust me — so like, if you lie, you’ll be caught. So please don’t lie. Ensure that every information you put in is accurate.
The next thing I’ll say is: after filling the form, you have to ensure that you save the form and print it out.
Then you also pick your appointment date.
So for someone like me, when I applied for Greece, the next appointment date was literally the next week. But for some countries that are really difficult, you wouldn’t see that. Sometimes, the appointment date could be in a month.
One hack is: check every morning.
What I heard is that some people cancel, so it can be updated on a daily basis. Today you might check and not see an available date for next week, but you might check tomorrow and be lucky to see one.
Ensure that you’re checking daily.
And ensure that you plan early, because countries with high demand will have limited dates.
For every country, they have a checklist.
Ensure that you look through the checklist for that country. So, for example, if it’s Italy, search “Italy Schengen visa checklist” and you’ll see it online. Then you can start preparing every document on the checklist.
Required Documents
- Travel Insurance
You can’t travel without this. It must cover all Schengen countries and must be at least €30,000 in coverage.
I used a provider I didn’t know much about for my first time. I now recommend Staysure — it’s cheaper. For next time, I’ll use Staysure.
Also, don’t make the mistake of buying insurance only for the number of days you plan to travel. Get for a longer period (e.g., 1 year). This increases your chance of getting a longer visa.
- Passport
Must be valid for at least 90 days after your intended return date.
- BRP (Biometric Residence Permit)
If you have one, ensure it’s valid and not about to expire.
- Visa Application Fee
Varies per country. Mine was over £100 (including courier service because I had my interview in Manchester and needed delivery to Wolverhampton).
Proof of Student Status / Employment
- If you’re a student: a letter from your university confirming your enrollment.
- If you’re employed: a letter from your employer stating your employment date and confirmation that you’re currently employed.
- Bank Statement
Must be dated for the past 90 days.
Most countries require proof of £40–£50 per day of your stay.
I recommend having at least £700 in your account to be on the safe side.
- Flight Itinerary (Round Trip)
Must be fully paid for, not just a reservation.
I once went for an interview in Manchester and got rejected on the spot because I only had a reservation. You must show a paid ticket.
- Hotel Reservation
This can be unpaid — just make a reservation on Booking.com or similar platforms and print the confirmation.
- 2 Passport Photos
Needed for the application.
- Photocopies of All Documents
Bring both originals and photocopies.
Don’t rely on photocopy services at the embassy — it’s costly and time-consuming.
Recap of all documents needed:
- BRP
- Passport (with at least 3 months validity)
- Two passport photographs
- Visa application form (printed)
- Appointment confirmation letter (printed)
- Travel insurance (with €30,000 minimum coverage for all Schengen countries)
- Proof of accommodation (hotel or Airbnb reservation)
- Round-trip flight ticket (fully paid)
- Bank statement (last 90 days)
- Proof of student status or employment
- Photocopies of all documents
In the description box, I’ll put the links to all the different websites I mentioned. I’ll include:
- Flight booking platforms (e.g., Ryanair)
- Insurance providers
- Official visa application pages
Just to say — as an international student, it’s very important to get a Schengen visa before you finish your studies.
It’s almost difficult to be rejected, as long as you follow all the necessary steps. Check the country’s checklist and meet every single requirement — so you don’t go and get turned back.
This is the best time to get a visa — while you're still a student.
You’re tied to the country because of your studies, and they know you’ll return.
So guys, if you love to travel, get your Schengen visa.
It’s good to have stamps in your passport — it shows you go and come back, go and come back. It builds your travel history and credibility.
If you are also thinking about a new life in Europe, click the Apply For Residency button and let us help you.
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