ZA
South Africa · apply in person
The Department of Home Affairs issues a Study Visa to international students accepted at a qualifying South African learning institution. The visa is issued for the registered course duration; school visas are subject to statutory maximums of eight years for primary school and six years for secondary school.
Applicants must show that tuition fees are covered. Study fees vary by institution and course; no single national amount or range applies. Scholarships or bursaries may support the required financial undertaking.
Study visa holders at qualifying higher education institutions and colleges may work part-time for up to 20 hours per week. The 2014 Immigration Regulations do not state a separate vacation-period allowance. Some official mission guidance says the 20-hour limit does not apply during academic vacation; the legal text and that guidance conflict, so the 20-hour cap shown here follows the regulation's unqualified wording until this is authoritatively clarified.
| Fee | Type | Amount | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study Visa Application Fee | Application | $26 | One time |
Applications are made in person through the South African mission serving the applicant or the relevant VFS channel. The DHA baseline application fee in the 2024 procurement schedule is ZAR 425; consular tariffs and VFS service charges differ by mission. There is no confirmed national processing-time commitment or visa-level language test. A Study Visa is not itself a post-study work visa. Graduates may separately qualify for ordinary work visa categories; there is no confirmed automatic graduate work route.
Last verified Oct 9, 2026 Last changed Oct 9, 2026 Source
removed the unverified dependent fee and replaced the direct PR/citizenship route claims: graduates need a separate work route, and study does not lead directly to PR (gov.za).
Your feedback has been submitted. We read every message.
You've reached the page limit for guests. Signing up is free.
Already have an account? Log in