Nomad Watch
Notifications
Loading…
View all notifications
Log in / Join free
ZA

Study Visa

Active

South Africa · apply in person

Official page Compare
Tuition Full fee
Work during study 20 hrs/week vacations: 20 hrs/week
Post-study work None
Proof of funds $181 per month

Overview

Country
South Africa
Visa name
Study Visa
Status
Active
Renewable
Yes

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.

Tuition and costs

Tuition policy
Full fee
Proof of funds
$181/month
Funds type
Bank statement
Scholarships
Available

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.

Work rights during study

Work allowed
Yes
Term hours
20 hrs/week
Vacation hours
20 hrs/week
Permission
Automatic

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 this record uses the later regulation's unqualified weekly cap pending authoritative clarification.

Fees and costs

Fees
Fee Type Amount Frequency
Study Visa Application Fee Application $26 One time

Dependents and family

Dependents
Allowed
Restriction
A spouse or dependent child may apply for a separate visa and must provide the required supporting documents.
Spouse work
Not allowed
Conditions
A dependent visa does not itself provide work authorisation; a separate work-authorising visa is required.

How to apply

Method
In person
Via
VFS Global or the South African mission serving the applicant
Interview
Not required
Official site
dirco.gov.za
Health insurance
Required (buy separately)

Notes and caveats

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. No national processing-time commitment or visa-level language test was verified. A Study Visa is not itself a post-study work visa. Graduates may separately qualify for ordinary work visa categories; there is no automatic graduate work route verified here.

Also in South Africa

Last verified Oct 9, 2026 Last changed Oct 9, 2026 Source

Change history

    • Official page https://www.dha.gov.za https://dirco.gov.za/canberra/study-visa-2/
    • Proof of funds (USD) none 181
    • Application fee (USD) 47 26
    • Leads to post study visa Yes No
    • Fees updated
    • Post study options updated

    cleared the unverified dependent fee and replaced the direct PR/citizenship route claims with separate-work-route and non-PR claims (https://www.gov.za/services/services-foreign-nationals/permanent-residence/apply-permanent-residency-permit).

Free views Sign up free