Top 5 European Countries with the Highest Study Visa Success Ratio (2026 Guide)

If you’re planning to study in Europe in 2026, let’s be very clear about one thing: your biggest risk is not tuition fees or accommodation or how you will plan your life during or after study, but visa rejection, which you may face in most cases.

Every year, thousands of students lose time, money, and confidence because they apply to countries with low study visa approval rates or unclear visa systems.  So we know it’s always challenging to choose a country where you, as genuine students, are actually welcomed, which is the topic of our blog today.

In this guide, we will walk you through the top 5 European countries with the highest study visa success ratio in 2026, based on approval trends, student-friendly immigration policies, and real application outcomes, with some stats and numbers from past years at the end. So you can easily choose any of them while applying for a study visa.

 

1. Germany

In our list that we make for you, Germany is still at the top of our list, which has a great study visa success rate compared to other European countries, and we can fairly say that Germany will continue to lead Europe in study visa approvals in 2026 if you are planning to apply in 2026.

 

Why does Germany approve more student visas?

• Public universities with low or zero tuition fees, which is not common now in Europe. That means Germany still offers you low and zero fees for your master’s program in public universities.
• German immigration asks you for clear financial proof through a blocked account, which means you don’t need to go for a large number of documents, except a blocked account, which is a standard requirement.
• Germany has a Strong demand for international graduates
• Last but not least, Germany has globally recognized degrees in IT, Computer Science, and IT

 

Read more about the top 5 IT universities in Berlin, Germany, that you can consider.

 

Author note for you

Why did I choose Germany at the top of our list? The fact that Germany’s system is structured, transparent, and fair. If you meet the requirements, rejection is rare. So if you have a great background, I mean a degree with higher grades with IELTS where your bands are not less than 6.5, plus you have any professional experience, e.g., a job or internship, etc., this will be considered as your plus point. So what I mean to say is if you are genuine and have the same background as where you apply in a German university, e.g., a bachelor’s in IT, and want to pursue a master’s in computer science or IT, then you will get your study visa successfully even in 2026. That simply means the German immigration doesn’t just guess but actually verifies and scans your application. If everything is straight and smooth with your application, then there is a lower probability that your study visa will not be approved, even in 2026.

If you are interning or want to study IT, data sciences, AI, etc., then I can say this confidently: Germany is the best choice for you to move to on their own study visa in 2026. They also offer you a job seeker visa.

 

Read more about the German student visa process and requirements

Read more about the German job seeker visa process and requirements.

Germany vs. Portugal: a freelancer visa in 2026

 

2. France 

Apart from Germany, France also has one of the easiest study visas in Europe (2026), and we can say that confidently: France remains one of the most student-friendly visa systems in Europe.

 

Why does France have a high success ratio?

• Step-by-step centralized process that you need to follow when applying for a study visa in France.
• Affordable public universities, but you can have the option to apply to private universities too.
• There are many English-taught programs that you can find throughout France, apart from Paris.
• There is also a lower rejection rate if you are a genuine student.

 

Author note for you

Although Germany has great attractions in terms of low fee or zero fee for your master’s program you’re your visa chances are higher there, but the plus point for applying study visa in France is that the Campus France process screens your application before it reaches your relevant embassy, which dramatically increases approval rates of your study visa. So that means they have already put a stamp on your application that you are genuine and accepted for study in France, which, of course, minimizes the chances of visa rejection.

Further, you have to choose the public universities for your further study, although some universities’ courses have higher fees, but not all. So you can have many options to choose a university that is not well recognized but affordable for you. If you are worried about university, then don’t worry, we have another blog post for you where you can choose your university that matches your qualifications and financial support.

Read more about the top 5 best IT universities for you in France in 2026, with all details.

 

3. Spain

The third place that we give is Spain, after Germany and France, due to the fact that Spain issues a large number of student visas every year, and that volume works in your favor.

 

Why is Spain student-friendly in 2026?

• Simple financial requirements mean you don’t need a block account like in Germany, but only a fair amount in your account that you can show to cover your expenses, only if you get admission on self-finance.
• Spain has an affordable lifestyle for you as a student.
• There is, of course, higher acceptance of international students, e.g., non-EU, Asian, African, and others.

 

Author note for you

In 2026, Spain remains one of the easiest European countries for student visas, especially if you are applying for bachelor’s, master’s, and language programs anywhere in Spain apart from Barcelona.

Remember that if you are a new and fresh graduate and want to move to Europe in 2026, then we suggest you choose Spain as your best choice for your studies and post-study. The fact is that Spain is ideal if this is your first European visa application.

If I were fair with you, Spain is my favorite country as a student because you can have a better life during study, with better weather after study, you can settle yourself there.

 

4. Italy

Italy is another good option for you to consider if you are looking for a budget-friendly education with strong visa approval. Although we put this as the fourth number, it’s still the best country for international students.

 

Why is the Italy study visa appealing for study in 2026?

• Low tuition fees at public universities that you can consider.
• Regional and government scholarships are offered for all nationals, especially those from non-EU and developing countries.
• Less competitive visa environment compared to Germany, where mostly students apply due to free study in the master’s program.

 

Author note for you

Italy offers you a lot of scholarships, especially if you belong to a developing country. So a scholarship means you strengthen your visa application. So if you are looking for an affordable study where you have a fair semester fee and convert your living expenses, then you can consider Italy as your next destination in Europe.

Apart from scholarships, they don’t have much fees for your bachelor’s and master’s degree courses, so that means you can easily pay your fees from your home country, and later, when you move here in Italy, you can pay your next fees easily, as their public universities’ fees are not that high compared to France and Spain.

 

5. Portugal

Last but not least, Portugal is fifth in our list of EU countries that have a higher success visa ratio for you as an international student. No doubt it is one of Europe’s most welcoming study visas.

 

Why does Portugal rank high in 2026?

• Simple visa rules, so if you apply for the first time, you can easily follow the application process.
• Lower historical rejection rate compared to other countries in Europe.
• Growing English-taught programs in many Portuguese universities, which is also a plus point to consider.
• Affordable study for IT and data sciences for master’s programs.

 

Author note for you

Apart from the other four countries, I can emphasize here that Portugal has quietly become a student visa success story. Their immigration system is flexible, and the good thing which Portugal is that it actively encourages international students as part of its long-term workforce strategy. That means if you apply for a study visa, then you can have a great chance to get a study visa even in 2026 as part of their long-term workforce strategy.

The unique thing with Portugal is that it offers one of the easiest paths to post-study residence, which is, of course, your important consideration when applying for a study visa in any European country.

However, when it’s about part part-time job while studying, then you have to keep in mind it’s not that attractive, especially on this point, but overall, for a long-term perspective, it is the best choice in my understanding.

 

Study Visa Success Comparison (2026)

 

Country                Study Visa Success Level                Difficulty

Germany                          8 out of 10                               Medium

France                            7 out of 10                                 Easy

Spain                              7 out of 10                                 Easy

Italy                               7 out of 10                                  Easy

Portugal                         8 out of 10                                 Very Easy

 

Author Note for you

These points and difficulty level are based on our knowledge and data that we found from various sources that we share at the end. This is purely our point, which you can disagree with as well.

 

Why Study Visas Get Approved More Often Than Other Visas

• Your purpose is long-term and clear compared to a visit visa.
• Universities verify your application first, and then it will go to the embassy or immigration office.
• Financial planning is documented via bank statements and other supporting documents.
• The overstay risk is lower, as the immigration office knows you are there for study, and if you stay longer after study, then there is a higher probability you will stay legally based on the job that you get in that country.

 

Which European Countries Issue the Most Study Visas? Based on Data

You might be wondering how these countries were selected and whether there is real data behind them.

While European governments do not publish a single global “study visa success rate” table, official EU statistics clearly show which countries issue the highest number of study visas and residence permits for education purposes. Countries that issue more study visas generally have higher approval ratios for genuine students.

According to EU immigration statistics (Eurostat) and widely cited European immigration analysis platforms such as SchengenVisaInfo, the following countries consistently rank at the top for study permits issued to non-EU students:

• Germany issues the highest number of study visas in Europe, approving well over 140,000 student permits per year
• France follows closely, issuing over 110,000 study visas annually
• Spain ranks among the top three, with tens of thousands of student visas approved each year
• Italy and Portugal continue to show steady growth in study visa approvals due to affordable education and student-friendly policies

These figures are based on official EU residence permit data for study purposes, which is the most reliable indicator of how welcoming a country is toward international students. That’s exactly why Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal consistently appear as the safest and smartest choices for students planning to study in Europe in 2026. Source: SchengenVisaInfo

 

Why does this data matter to you?

This data helps you to understand why we chose these five countries to consider for your further study in Europe in 2026. These are key factors based on our understanding, e.g.

• Issues more study visas than other Schengen countries.
• Have clear and transparent student immigration systems that everyone likes and wants.
• Actively attract international students for their long-term strategy, e.g., Portugal, which we already mentioned above.
• These 5 countries tend to have lower rejection rates for genuine applicants. So if you are genuine applicants, then these are for you to consider for your higher study in the future in 2026 and further.

 

Other related blogs to read

Top 5 IT universities in Belgium

The top 5 engineering universities in Belgium.

Top 5 IT Universities in Norway, fees, and requirements.

Top 10 IT universities in Poland with all details.

The top 6 universities in Denmark with all the requirements.

top 3 key tips to avoid a study visa rejection

 

Disclaimer: this blog is only for educational purposes, and the data we showed here is based on our research and knowledge. However, we encourage you to visit the official source for up-to-date information.

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