The Schengen Area? What’s that?

By: Evelyn Bartlett

The Schengen Area? What’s that? I’d never heard of it - at least until I’d applied to study abroad and suddenly had to learn about travel restrictions, laws, and visas. 

So what is it? The Schengen Area is a collection of countries in Europe (most EU countries as well as Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein) where you can travel without checks between countries. The caveat, however, is that you only have 90 days to travel within a 180 day period to legally stay within the Schengen Area. After that, visas and proper permits are required to stay in the Schengen Area. It is important to note that there are some exceptions to this rule, but they are country specific and this information is rarely supported by documents, so travel at your own risk. 

For travelling around while studying abroad, however, being within the Schengen Area made it easy and relatively stress-free while going to different places. Customs are non-existent between countries within the Schengen Area, and when most places are less than two hours away by plane, you get the most out of your buck by flying (low-budget airlines of course) within the Schengen Area.

If you travel while abroad during your time with CIEE, make sure to remember to submit your travel plans to your CIEE account so they know where you’re going in case of an emergency!

And of course, take advantage of wherever you go! Planes, trains, and automobiles make travel within Europe easy, accessible, and with the right searching, affordable. Research where you’re going so you understand the rules and regulations about the country or place you’re travelling, and if you’re within the Schengen Area, rest easy, at least you don’t have to go through customs.

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