As part of my MSc in International Relations at the University of Glasgow, I was given an amazing opportunity to participate in a study trip to Brussels. This trip will be crucial for my academic development, offering a chance to engage with European Union institutions and gain firsthand insights into their workings. However, before I could board the plane to Brussels, I had to navigate the process of obtaining a Schengen visa. In this blog I have shared my experience of applying for a Schengen visa as an international student in the UK. 

Step one - Filing an online visa application

The very first step to obtain a Schengen visa was to fill an online application out at Belgium Foreign Affairs website. I made sure that all the information and details I have filled out are correct because after submitting the application I would not have been able to make changes.

Step two - Preparing the documents

After submitting the online application and before booking an appointment, the second step was to gather all the necessary documents. I had to apply for a Schengen visa for a short stay (90 days or less) which required proff of travel itinerary, accomodation, travel insurance, financial stability, and, of course the application form itself. As a student, I also needed to show proof of my enrolment at the University of Glasgow and letter from the university confirming my participation in the study trip. Fortunately, the University of Glasgow made this process much easier by providing me with the following documents: 

  • A letter confirming my registration as a full-time student
  • A letter detailing the study trip, including the confirmation of funds for the trip
  • A letter from the European Parliamentary Research Service confirming the trip
  • Worldwide Travel Health Insurance 

I also included a few personal documents, such as:

  • A cover letter in which I assured the visa officer that I would return to the UK after the completion of the study trip
  • A hotel booking confirmation
  • Mu last 3-month bank statement 

Step 3 - The visa appointment

After preparing all the documents I booked my appointment for passport and documents submission about one month in advance. I applied for my visa through the TLS Contact Centre in Edinburgh, which serves as the application hub for Schengen visa submissions for Belgium and to secure an appointment it cost me £35. 

On the day of my appointment I arrived early at the visa centre. The process itself was straightforward. After submitting my passport and documents, I was asked a few basic questions about my visit. After that I paid the visa fee which was £81 and gave my biometic data including fingerprints and a photograph, which is a requirement for Schengen visa applications.

Step 4 - Missing the flight ticket

One critical mistake I made was not including a flight ticket in my initial application. While I had all the necessary documents, the absence of a flight ticket led to a delay in the processiong of my application. After submitting my documents, I received a notification from the Belgium Embassy in London asking me to provide confirmed flight tickets to and from Brussels. This added a bit of stress to the process, as I had to arrange and send the flight tickets to Royal Mail, which further delayed my application. 

Step 5 - Waiting for the decision 

After sending the flight tickets, the processing continued. The waiting period was about four weeks in total, which could have been shorter fi I had provided the flight ticket from the start. During this time, I anxiously checked my application status and made sure all the other requirements were in place. Although it was a bit nerve-wracking, I kept my fingers crossed that the visa would be approved.

Step 6 - Receiving the application decision

FInally, after four weeks of waiting, I recevied a notification that my passport has returned from the Embassy and is ready for collection at the visa centre. Until this point I was not aware if my application was successful or not. I collected my passport from the TLS Centre, and there it was, the Schengen visa stamped and ready for my trip! The Embassy also refunded the visa application fee of £81 because of their policy of issuing visa for academic purposes free of cost. The delay could have been avoided if I had included the flight ticket in my original application, but at the end I was relieved to have everything sorted. 

I hope that my experience will help you to obtain a Schengen visa for yourself, whether it is a study trip for your programme at the University of Glasgow or for tourism during the university holidays.

This is Shadab's experience of the process of obtaining a Schengen visa. For information and guidance on visas, please head to International Student Support.

First published: 5 March 2025

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