24M from India applying for UK Visitor Visa for NFTS short course + Schengen afterwards. Parents sponsoring, low personal savings. Need advice.

Hi everyone,

I'm a 24-year-old from Hyderabad, India, and I'm planning to apply for a UK Standard Visitor Visa to attend a short course at the National Film and Television School (NFTS).

After completing the course, I plan to travel to Germany and Prague (Czech Republic) to visit a few film schools and universities that I'm interested in applying to for my master's. So my overall trip will be India → UK → Germany → Czech Republic → India.

A bit about my situation:

• I have previously travelled internationally (Thailand) and returned within the permitted time.
• I've been working full-time for the past year with a salary of around ₹35,000/month.
• I don't have significant personal savings because I've mostly been living off my salary, so my own bank balance isn't very high.
• My parents will be sponsoring the entire trip (course fees, flights, accommodation and other expenses).
• My mother runs a successful business and my parents have sufficient savings to comfortably fund the trip.

I have a few questions:

1. Is parental sponsorship generally acceptable in a case like mine, even if my own savings are relatively low?
2. What documents would you recommend submitting to make the application as strong as possible? (Sponsor letter, parents' bank statements, business documents, relationship proof, etc.)
3. Will my own low bank balance be a significant concern despite having financially strong sponsors?
4. Would it be better to mention my onward travel to Germany and the Czech Republic in my UK visa application, or should I simply focus on the UK trip and apply for the Schengen visa separately afterwards?
5. Has anyone here applied for a Schengen visa after receiving a UK visitor visa for a similar itinerary? Did having the UK visa help in any way?
6. Finally, is this something I can confidently handle myself through the official online application process, or would you recommend using a visa consultant?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been in a similar situation. Thank you in advance