🧭 Study Abroad Step by Step: 16 Country Journeys
Step-by-step 2026 guides for 16 study destinations, from Canada, the UK and Australia to Japan, Spain and Singapore: the visa journey, what officers check, what to pack and how much part-time work covers.
Pick your destination
Work rights and what they earn, side by side
Earnings use the same realistic plan for each country (about 15 hours a week in term and up to 35 in breaks at the minimum wage or a stated example wage, within each country's limits), before tax. * Example wage where there is no statutory minimum.
| Country | Work in term | Minimum wage | Living costs a year | Realistic earnings a year | Share of living costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 24 h/week | C$17.95 | C$23,448 | C$15,617 | 67% |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 20 h/week | £12.71 | £14,052 | £11,058 | 79% |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 48 h/fortnight | A$26.44 | A$29,710 | A$23,003 | 77% |
| 🇺🇸 USA | 20 h/week on campus | $15.00* | $18,000 | $13,050 | 73% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 140 days/year | €13.90 | €11,904 | €8,757 | 74% |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 25 h/week | NZ$23.95 | NZ$20,000 | NZ$20,837 | 104% |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | 20 h/week | €14.15 | €14,400 | €14,292 | 99% |
| 🇫🇷 France | 964 h/year | €12.31 | €10,800 | €10,710 | 99% |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 16 h/week or summer | €14.99 | €13,569 | €7,195 | 53% |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 20 h/week | €9.00* | €10,180 | €6,210 | 61% |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | 30 h/week | €8.22 | €10,800 | €6,658 | 62% |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 28 h/week | ¥1,280 | ¥1,440,000 | ¥1,113,600 | 77% |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 25 h/week (TOPIK 3–4) | ₩10,320 | ₩12,000,000 | ₩8,978,400 | 75% |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | 16 h/week | S$12.00* | S$18,000 | S$9,360 | 52% |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 15 h/week after 6 months | CHF 24.59 | CHF 21,000 | CHF 16,869 | 80% |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | No fixed cap (notify AIMA) | €6.19 | €11,040 | €5,386 | 49% |
Living costs are the official visa figure where it reflects a real year (Canada, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland) and a stated example budget elsewhere; each country page explains its figure and the visa minimum.
The same six milestones everywhere
- Choose a course at a school allowed to sponsor students.
- Prove English and apply 8–12 months ahead.
- Get the school document: LOA, CAS, CoE, I-20, admission letter or Offer of Place.
- Show the money with a history behind it.
- Apply for the visa and prepare for the officer's questions.
- Land, register and work within your hour limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country lets international students work the most hours?
In term, Spain allows 30 hours a week, Japan 28, New Zealand 25, Canada 24 and Australia 48 a fortnight. The UK, Ireland and Italy allow 20, the USA 20 on campus only, Singapore and the Netherlands 16, and Switzerland 15 after six months. Germany (140 full days a year) and France (964 hours a year) use annual limits instead.
Can part-time work pay for studying abroad?
Rarely all of it. At the minimum wage, the realistic plan in our table covers between 49% and 104% of a year's living costs, depending on the country's hour limits and wages, and very little of tuition outside low-fee countries such as Germany. Every country also requires you to show first-year funds before granting the visa.
When should I start preparing to study abroad?
Start 12–18 months before your intake: shortlist courses and take language tests first, apply 8–12 months ahead, and leave 3–6 months for funds, the visa and travel.