How to get a student visa for Colombia

International students applying for a Colombian student visa are generally looking for scholarships to reduce their immigration costs. So we decided to give you some tips in this regard. Some of these grants can be awarded by the government, colleges, or the private sector. Some scholarships may be based on membership in an ethnic or religious group. However, most grants are based on the families’ financial conditions. Columbia University administrates and awards the institutional grant as a central institution or independently of any school or university. It is an inter-school scholarship. These scholarships are based on prizes that are not limited to Colombian students. Annual scholarships generally range from 1,000 to 5,000 dollars. These annual prizes are given to students in two initial payment periods, at the beginning of the fall and the beginning of the spring.

The following is a description of some of the scholarships:

• Clifford and Siegfried Upton Scholarship:

This scholarship is for the children, stepchildren, and stepchildren of Boston-based Houghton-Mifflin employees, subsidiaries, or successors. The minimum scholarship is 1,000 dollars for an academic year and increases according to the needs of the candidate.

• George W. Ellis Scholarship:

The George W. Ellis Scholarship is for graduate students living in Vermont or graduating from a reputable Vermont College or University.

• Leta Stetter Hollingsworth Scholarship:

It is for female graduate students in Colombia who are graduating from the University of Nebraska.

• Lydia C. Chamberlain Scholarship:

The Lydia C. Chamberlain Scholarship is for students who have resided in Iowa and have graduated from a college or university in Iowa.

• Paul Nikoplus Scholarship Fund:

This scholarship is for male or female students who have studied in Greece. It is for undergraduate or postgraduate students for two years.

• Richard T. Wamser Scholarship:

The Richard T. Wamser Scholarship is for Native American undergraduate male and female students. Students must work at least 10 to 20 hours per week when they get this scholarship.

One of the most critical things to consider before getting a Colombian student visa is the cost of studying and living in this country. The currency of Colombia is the Colombian Peso (COP). Also, tuition varies depending on the degree, city, and field of study. Tuition at public universities varies between 550 and 650 dollars per semester. However, tuition at private universities varies between 3,100 and 3,450 dollars. The cost of living varies depending on the city, place of residence, and the student’s lifestyle but averages 1,000 dollars a month, including the accommodation, food, and transportation costs.

When international students decide to apply for a student visa in Colombia or any other country, one of their main concerns is finding a part-time job to cover part of their living and study expenses. The work permit varies according to the students’ degree. For example, a student can work for 10 hours per week for a bachelor’s degree, 20 hours per week for a master’s degree, and 30 hours per week for a doctorate.

Good student work should have the following characteristics:

• Fit the student lifestyle
• Enable the students to improve their language skills
• Help the student to integrate into the new culture and meet new friends quickly
• Ultimately help the student gain work experience and job opportunities after graduation

Another significant concern in obtaining a Colombian student visa is the companion visa for family members. Fortunately, the family members can join the central person on a companion visa in Colombia. International students can get family reunification visas in Colombia. According to international law, companions include a spouse and children below 18. The companion can receive a full-time work permit and thus provide part of the living expenses. The required documents for the student visa in Colombia and a companion visa are:

• Visa fee ($ 50)
• A valid passport with at least two blank pages
• Two newly taken 3 * 3 photos with white background
• A marriage certificate and relationship with the central person

We will introduce top universities in Colombia so that the students can better choose their city and university. In the 2018 QS Latin American University Rankings, 53 universities in Colombia are in the top 400 in the region. The highest number of admissions among Colombian universities is to Columbia National University, which ranks 254^th. The University of Los Angeles is not far behind and is ranked 256^th. Both universities are among the top 15 universities in Latin America.

The following is a description of each of these universities:

• NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF COLOMBIA

Colombia’s biggest educational community is the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, which has more than 46,000 students (mostly undergraduates).

• UNIVERSITY OF LOS ANDES COLOMBIA

The Universidad de Los Andes Colombia is one of Colombia’s most prestigious institutions, ranking eighth in the QS University rankings and 256^th in the world. It has about 25,000 students.

• PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD JAVERIANA

It is one of the oldest private universities, founded in 1623.

We present some of these universities along with their rankings in the table below.

A student must provide some documents to apply for a Colombian study permit. The preparation of documents is the most critical part of this process because any defect in their file will lead to the rejection of the applicant’s visa. Therefore, we mention some of the required documents for the student visa in Colombia.

• The front page Photocopy of your valid passport with your personal information
• If you have a previous Colombian visa, you must provide a photocopy of it.
• Certificate of Admission or Enrollment in Elementary, High School, or Higher Education Undergraduate Authorized in Colombia.
• Parental authorization and assignment of responsibility for the students during their stay in Colombia by a notary public or Colombian consulate for minors
• An insurance certificate
• Financial viability to prove that the students can afford their study and living expenses during their stay
• Passport photo with white background in 3 * 4 size

Most international students with a Colombian student visa apply for a job in this country after graduation to convert their residency into a type of work, which leads to permanent residency and citizenship. Many students start looking for a part-time job in various companies in their study period. They can gain enough experience and communicate with the job market and several employers and provide for their living and study expenses. The students who can get a full-time job from a Colombian employer can obtain work for the duration of the employment contract. After graduating from Columbia University, students can stay in this country and look for a suitable employer and job. The length of stay after graduation varies depending on the field and university they studied and is between six months to a year.

A Colombian student visa does not automatically lead to residency and citizenship. However, in most cases, it is a safe way to obtain residency and citizenship. After graduating and finding a suitable full-time job, students can apply for permanent residence in Colombia if they renew their employment contract and pay tax for five consecutive years. After two years of permanent residence, the student can apply for citizenship. There are other ways to achieve residency and citizenship in this country after graduation, like marrying a Colombian citizen. In this method, a person can obtain permanent residence after three years and become a citizen after another two years.