Visa "Lite" Semester Programs

Does the idea of a visa application process stress you out? Check out some of these semester programs that either don’t require a visa at all or have a relatively quick and easy visa application process.

Looking at summer? Lucky for you, most summer programs don’t require a visa!

This information is based off U.S. passport holder requirements. If you don’t hold a U.S. passport, the process may look different for you. See our Passports & Visas page for more info.

While Australia requires you to apply for a visa in advance, the process happens entirely online, so you can fill it out from the comfort of your couch! Note that the Australian visa is one of the most expensive out there (it’s ~ $1000!), but we build this cost into the . Still, it's an early cost you'll need to budget for, and you'll have to pay it before financial aid for the semester you're studying abroad kicks in.

While Cambodia requires you to apply for a visa in advance, the process is a pretty straightforward online application, so you can complete it from the comfort of your couch!

Most students studying in Chile for a semester will enter the country on a short-term permit that they receive at the airport. The program staff will then help you extend your permit once you’re on-site. So basically all you need to do is show up with your passport!

Most students will enter Colombia visa-free, and then the program staff will help you finalize your status after you arrive on-site to cover the full program dates. So as long as you have a valid passport, you’re golden!

Costa Rica allows U.S. passport holders to stay up to 180 days visa-free. So all you need is your valid passport! Easy-peasy!

Students studying for more than 90 days in Denmark will need a Danish residence permit. Fortunately for you, DIS takes care of most of this process for their students (you’ll just have to pick up your permit once you arrive on-site), and CIEE’s program is less than 90 days!

Most students will enter Ecuador visa-free as a tourist and receive an extension on-site, so all you need is a valid passport, and you’re all set!

U.S. citizens have the option of either getting a visa upon arrival at the airport, or applying for the visa in advance. And if you apply in advance, it’s a relatively quick & easy mail-in application.

Most students will enter Estonia visa-free, and then the program staff will help you with the final steps once you’re there on-site. You just need a valid passport!

U.S. citizens studying in Germany for more than 90 days will apply for a residence permit once on-site. But all you need before you leave is a valid passport!

Most students will enter Ireland visa-free (the exception is CIEE Open Campus) and will then complete a quick and easy registration process once on-site.

U.S. citizens have the option of either getting a visa upon arrival at the airport, or applying for the visa in advance. And if you apply in advance, it’s just a quick, easy, online application!

Students enter Morocco visa-free (you’ll get a tourist stamp at the airport). Once on-site, the program staff will help you extend your status for the full semester. So as long as you have a valid passport, you’re golden!

U.S. citizens studying in the Netherlands for more than 90 days will apply for a residence permit. Part of this process happens before you leave (it’s a quick online form) and then the rest of the process takes place after you arrive on-site with the assistance of the program staff.

New Zealand requires a visa application, but this process takes place entirely online, so you can do it from the comfort of your couch! It does cost several hundred dollars, but we build this cost into the .

Panama allows U.S. citizens to stay up to 180 days on a tourist status. You'll receive a tourist stamp upon arrival at the airport, so as long as you have a valid passport, you're all set!

Most students will enter Peru on a tourist stamp, which they will receive upon arrival at the airport. So as long as you have a valid passport, you're golden!

U.S. citizens studying in Singapore for more than 90 days have to apply for a Student Pass prior to departure. There are several steps to this process, but they all take place online, so you can do them from the comfort of your couch!

You'll have to apply for either a student or a visitor pass (depending on the process), but this takes place entirely online, so you can do it from the comfort of your couch!

U.S. citizens can study in the UK for up to 6 months visa-free (the exception being if you are planning to work, intern, or volunteer). You will need to apply for the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) in advance, but this is a 60-second online application that you’ll fill out a few days before you depart.

Several programs travel to multiple countries over the course of the semester. Because students are staying in each country for a relatively short period of time (a few days to a few weeks depending on the program), they frequently don’t need visas – or if they do, the visa process is generally fairly quick and easy.

Some providers offer programs that are less than 90 days, allowing students to bypass lengthier visa processes for select countries. However, because these programs rely on the 90-day visa-free tourist status that U.S. passport holders receive in these countries, students need to be aware that independent international travel before or after their program dates will be restricted.

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Disclaimer:
This list is for informational purposes only and is intended to be a supplementary resource based off previous student experiences. Visa requirements can change at any time. You are responsible for knowing and addressing the current visa requirements for your host country.

Education Abroad and the University of Colorado Boulder are not responsible for obtaining student visas nor are they in any way responsible for visa complications, delays, or visa denials.

ÌýÌýNew Zealand by Susan Morrell