South Africa · Student
South Africa Study visa
Study Visa (Immigration Act s13)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Study visa is a student route for South Africa. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- ZAR 425 ≈ $26
- Processing
- 60 days
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee ZAR 425 ≈ $26; decision: 60 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesZAR 425 ≈ $26
- ZAR 425 (≈ $26)Application fee (including renewal) under section 13 of the Immigration Act, Fees Regulations as amended 17 August 2026.
RenewalRenewable
Issued for the length of your registered course. If you need longer, your institution tells Home Affairs and you apply to extend.
CitizenshipTime here doesn't count
Naturalisation needs permanent residence first, then five continuous years of ordinary residence. Time on a temporary visa does not count.
Processing60 days
Home Affairs turnaround time: 60 days. Working days only; this applies to applications submitted inside South Africa and processed at Home Affairs head office.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply in person at the South African mission where you normally live, or through a VFS centre. If you already hold a valid status other than a visitor's visa, you can apply to change status inside South Africa at least 60 days before your visa expires.
Presence rulesStay rule
The visa lapses automatically if you do not register with the institution or are de-registered during the period of the visa.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route doesn't count toward citizenship
- Needs a place at a school or university in South Africa
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- No foreigner may displace a South African citizen or resident at a local institution.
What you must show and pay1
- A fee of ZAR 425 (≈ $26) · Application fee (including renewal) under section 13 of the Immigration Act, Fees Regulations as amended 17 August 2026.
Documents3
- An official letter of acceptance with the course duration is required.
- Medical cover with a medical scheme registered in South Africa is required.
- The registrar or principal undertakes to confirm registration within 60 days.
After you arrive1
- The registrar or principal reports de-registration or completion within 30 days.
When you become tax resident
How South Africa decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 91 days in a tax year and each of the 5 preceding tax yearsPhysical presence test: more than 91 days in the current year and in each of the five preceding years.
- More than 915 days in 5 tax years preceding the current yearPhysical presence test: more than 915 days in total over the five preceding years.
- At least 330 days in a continuous period outside South AfricaA physical-presence resident outside the country for at least 330 continuous full days ceases to be resident from the day of departure.
- Foreign-source income
South African tax residents, whether ordinarily resident or meeting the physical presence test, are taxed on worldwide income at 18% to 45% for the 2027 tax year (1 March 2026 to 28 February 2027); non-residents are taxed only on South African-source income.
All tax rules for South Africa Tax records checked
Full official text
Visa for a foreigner accepted by a learning institution for the period of study, with medical cover and an institutional undertaking. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- A fee of ZAR 425 (≈ $26) · Application fee (including renewal) under section 13 of the Immigration Act, Fees Regulations as amended 17 August 2026. 4
Requirements
- No foreigner may displace a South African citizen or resident at a local institution. 1
- An official letter of acceptance with the course duration is required. 1
- Medical cover with a medical scheme registered in South Africa is required. 1
- The registrar or principal undertakes to confirm registration within 60 days. 1
- The registrar or principal reports de-registration or completion within 30 days. 1
Stay
- Issued for not less than the period of study.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Part-time work of up to 20 hours per week.
Family
Spouse and children may apply for relative or accompanying visas under their own conditions.
Official sources
- South African Visas (types of temporary residence visas) · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-12
- Immigration Regulations (updated to 2018) · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-12
- Immigration Act 13 of 2002 (consolidated to 2014) · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-10
- Regulation Gazette 55209: First amendment of the regulations on fees (Immigration Act) · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-08-17
- South African Citizenship Act 88 of 1995 · Government of South Africa · checked 2026-10-11
- South African Citizenship Amendment Act 17 of 2010 · Government of South Africa · checked 2026-10-11
- Turnaround times for visa and permit related services · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-12
Study visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study visa | – | – | – |
| Exchange visa | – | 1 yr | Limited |
| Student card Morocco | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| Student residence Cabo Verde | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Student pass Kenya | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Study visa?
A fee of ZAR 425 (≈ $26). Application fee (including renewal) under section 13 of the Immigration Act, Fees Regulations as amended 17 August 2026.
How long can I stay on the Study visa?
Issued for not less than the period of study.
How long does the Study visa take to process?
Home Affairs turnaround time: 60 days.
Can I work on the Study visa?
Part-time work of up to 20 hours per week.
Can I bring my family on the Study visa?
Spouse and children may apply for relative or accompanying visas under their own conditions.
More in South Africa
Study visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 7 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- South African Visas (types of temporary residence visas) · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-12
- Immigration Regulations (updated to 2018) · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-12
- Immigration Act 13 of 2002 (consolidated to 2014) · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-10
- Regulation Gazette 55209: First amendment of the regulations on fees (Immigration Act) · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-10
- South African Citizenship Act 88 of 1995 · Government of South Africa · checked 2026-10-11
- South African Citizenship Amendment Act 17 of 2010 · Government of South Africa · checked 2026-10-11
- Turnaround times for visa and permit related services · Department of Home Affairs, South Africa · checked 2026-10-12
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.