International Student Visa Difficulty Index (2026)
Published on February 15, 2026
• Built with HTML, Chart.js
Global Visa Difficulty Index (2026)
Comparing the barriers to entry for international students across major destinations. Scores are based on financial cost, refusal risk, and bureaucratic complexity.
Barrier to Entry Analysis
Higher scores indicate higher difficulty.
Financial Barrier: Cost of visa + mandatory funds.
Refusal Risk: Based on recent rejection rates.
Policy Hostility: Impact of caps, bans on dependents, or interview strictness.
Australia 🇦🇺
Extreme Difficulty
Visa Fee
~AUD 2,000 (£1,050)
Financial Proof
~AUD 30,000/yr
Key Hurdle
Caps & Genuine Student Test
Verdict: The most expensive option. Following the 2025 fee hike and the introduction of the National Planning Level (cap), entry is highly restricted, especially for vocational (VET) sectors.
Canada 🇨🇦
High Difficulty
Visa Fee
CAD 150 + Biometrics
Financial Proof
CAD 20,635/yr + Tuition
Key Hurdle
Provincial Attestation (PAL)
Verdict: Bureaucratically complex. The hard cap on student numbers and the requirement for a "Provincial Attestation Letter" (PAL) caused approval rates to drop by nearly 50% in 2024/25.
United Kingdom 🇬🇧
High Difficulty
Visa Fee + IHS
£490 + £776/yr (Health)
Financial Proof
£1,334/mo (London)
Key Hurdle
Dependents Ban
Verdict: Socially restrictive. While the application is streamlined, the upfront cost (Visa + Health Surcharge) is high, and the inability to bring family (for most masters) is a major deterrent.
United States 🇺🇸
Medium-High
Visa Fee
USD 185
Financial Proof
Varies (I-20 Amount)
Key Hurdle
In-Person Interview
Verdict: High refusal risk. The US has no "cap", but the mandatory interview creates a high subjective refusal rate (36% in 2023). However, rules have remained stable compared to competitors.
Germany (EU) 🇩🇪
Moderate
Visa Fee
€75
Financial Proof
€11,904 (Blocked Acct)
Key Hurdle
Bureaucracy / Appointments
Verdict: Financially rigid but welcoming. The "Blocked Account" requires a large upfront deposit (€11,904), but tuition is often free. Bureaucracy (getting appointments) is the main pain point.
Japan 🇯🇵
Low Difficulty
Visa Fee
Varies (~3,000 JPY)
Financial Proof
~2M JPY/yr (Flexible)
Key Hurdle
Language / COE Process
Verdict: Actively recruiting. With a target of 400k students by 2033, Japan is lowering barriers. The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) process is thorough but predictable.