01 — The table
Every country, every rule that matters
| Country | Work while studying | After graduating | Where the visa is filed | Spouse & children | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latvia5 partner universities | 20 / 40UG / PG, hours a week | 9–12Month job-search permit | VFS ColomboNo New Delhi appointment | After studies | Euro |
| Lithuania6 partner universities | 20 / 40UG / PG, hours a week | 12Month job-search permit | VFS SingaporeNot filed in Colombo | Postgraduate only — full work rights | Euro |
| Sweden2 partner universities | 15 / 15UG / PG, hours a week | 12Month job-search permit | VFS ColomboAlso filed via New Delhi | Yes — full work rights | Swedish krona |
| Finland1 partner university | 30 / 30UG / PG, hours a week | 24Month job-search permit | VFS ColomboAlso filed via New Delhi | Yes — full work rights | Euro |
| Netherlands1 partner university | 16 / 16UG / PG, hours a week | 12Orientation year permit | VFS ColomboNo New Delhi appointment | Yes | Euro |
| Belgium2 partner universities | 20 / 20UG / PG, hours a week | 12Search year permit | VFS ColomboAlso filed via New Delhi | Postgraduate only — full work rights | Euro |
| FrancePartners coming | 20 / 20UG / PG, hours a week | 12Month job-search permit | VFS Colombo | After studies | Euro |
| Germany2 partner universities | 20 / 20UG / PG, hours a week | 12Month job-search permit | Embassy, ColomboGerman Embassy, not VFS | Yes — full work rights | Euro |
| Austria1 partner university | 20 / 20UG / PG, hours a week | 12Month job-search permit | VFS ColomboAlso filed via New Delhi | Yes | Euro |
| Poland1 partner university | 40 / 40UG / PG, hours a week | 9Month job-search permit | VFS ColomboAlso filed via New Delhi | After studies | Polish złoty |
| Hungary5 partner universities | 24 / 24UG / PG, hours a week | 9Month job-search permit | VFS ColomboNo New Delhi appointment | After studies | Hungarian forint |
| Czech Republic1 partner university | 40 / 40UG / PG, hours a week | 9Month job-search permit | VFS New DelhiNot filed in Colombo | Yes — full work rights | Czech koruna |
| Malta5 partner universities | 20 / 20UG / PG, hours a week | 9–12Month job-search permit | VFS ColomboNo New Delhi appointment | After studies | Euro |
| Greece3 partner universities | 20 / 20UG / PG, hours a week | Stay-backConditions apply | VFS ColomboNo New Delhi appointment | After studies | Euro |
| Spain1 partner university | 30 / 30UG / PG, hours a week | 12Month job-search permit | BLS ColomboNo New Delhi appointment | Yes — full work rights | Euro |
| CyprusPartners coming | 20 / 20UG / PG, hours a week | 12Month job-search permit | VFS New DelhiNot filed in Colombo | No | Euro |
Baltics & NordicsWestern EuropeCentral EuropeSouthern Europe
Want to start sooner? Eleven universities take a February intake. Checked September 2026 against each country’s current student-permit rules. Rules change. We confirm the position for your own case at your free assessment.
02 — Standouts
Where each country leads
40
Most work hours a week
Poland and the Czech Republic, for every student.
24
Months to find work
Finland, the longest post-study permit on the list.
13
Visas filed in Colombo
No trip to New Delhi or Singapore needed.
7
Family from day one
Two more for postgraduates.
03 — Reading it
What each column means for you
Work while studying
The legal limit on paid work during term, shown as undergraduate / postgraduate. Several countries also allow full-time work in the holidays.
After graduating
How long you can stay to look for a job once your degree is finished. This is the figure that turns a degree into a career in Europe.
Where the visa is filed
The desk that takes your student permit application. A Colombo desk saves you a trip abroad.
Spouse & children
Whether your family can join you, and when. “Full work rights” means your spouse can work in that country too.
04 — Questions
What students ask us
Which European country lets international students work the most hours?
Poland and the Czech Republic allow 40 hours a week for every student. Latvia and Lithuania allow 40 hours for postgraduates and 20 for undergraduates. Finland and Spain allow 30. Sweden is the most restrictive at 15.
Which country gives graduates the longest time to find a job?
Finland, with a 24-month permit to look for work or start a business. Most of the others give 12 months. Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic give 9, Latvia and Malta 9 to 12, and Greece allows a stay-back under conditions.
Which student visas can be filed in Colombo?
Thirteen of the sixteen. Lithuania is filed through VFS Singapore, and the Czech Republic and Cyprus through VFS New Delhi. Germany is filed at the German Embassy rather than VFS, and Spain through BLS.
Can my spouse and children come with me?
From the start of your studies, with work rights for your spouse: Sweden, Finland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Spain. The Netherlands and Austria also allow family to join. Lithuania and Belgium allow it for postgraduates. Latvia, France, Poland, Hungary, Malta and Greece allow family to join after your studies. Cyprus does not.
Do I need to speak the local language?
No. Every university we represent in these countries teaches full degrees in English. Picking up the local language helps with part-time work and daily life, and most students do.
Which is the cheapest country to study in Europe?
There is no honest single answer. The total depends on the university, the city, how many hours you are allowed to work, and whether family travels with you, so a country that looks cheap on tuition can cost more overall. We prepare a free written estimate for your own shortlist instead.
How do I choose between them?
Start with what cannot change: your subject, your budget, whether you need to work while you study, and whether family is coming. Those four usually narrow sixteen countries to two or three. That is exactly what the free assessment is for.
