A study visa is lodged at a VFS Global application centre, but the Department of Home Affairs decides it. The core requirements are an official acceptance letter from your learning institution, the institution’s undertaking, proof of cover with a registered South African medical scheme, a passport valid 30 days beyond your departure date and police clearance (Home Affairs study visa list).
The Department fee is R425 from 17 August 2026 (Government Gazette 55209). VFS adds its own service fee, which you must confirm on the VFS Global visa portal.
Eligibility and Entry Requirements at a Glance
- An official letter confirming provisional or full acceptance at the learning institution and the duration of the course
- A written undertaking from the institution’s Registrar or Principal (see below)
- Adequate medical cover with a registered South African medical scheme, with proof
- A passport valid for the required period
- Police clearance and, where it applies, a yellow fever certificate
- Proof of payment of the fees
The visa is issued for the duration of the registered course. It lapses automatically if you fail to register or are deregistered.
Passport and Travel Document Requirements
Your passport must be valid and expire no less than 30 days after the date you intend to leave South Africa (regulation 9(1)(a)). Applications to renew a study visa are submitted in person no less than 60 days before the current visa expires.
Visa and Supporting Document Requirements
- The completed application form and your passport
- The institution’s acceptance letter, showing the course duration
- The institution’s undertaking: its Registrar or Principal must provide proof of your registration within 60 days of registration (or report within seven days of the closing date that you did not register), and notify the Department within 30 days if you deregister or complete your studies or need an extension
- Police clearance from each country where you lived for longer than 12 months in the last five years, not older than six months
- A yellow fever certificate if you travel from or through an endemic area
- Proof of cover with a registered South African medical scheme (children under 18 at schools may instead provide their parents’ undertaking)
- Proof of payment of the fees
Regulation 12 also refers to proof of sufficient financial means for school learners. The Department’s study visa list does not itemise financial proof for tertiary students, so ask your institution or check the checklist for your category. Confirm with VFS or the Department the documents required for minors, a repatriation deposit or a sponsor’s undertaking.
Financial, Health and Entry Conditions
You must hold cover with a registered South African medical scheme for the duration of the visa. Ask your institution’s international office which schemes it accepts.
No medical report is needed for now. A blanket waiver signed on 8 July 2026 removes the requirement to submit a medical report for temporary residence visa applications, including pending ones (Ministerial Immigration Directive No. 10 of 2026). The Department’s study visa list still shows it, and the directive does not mention a radiological report, so check your checklist.
Study visa holders at higher education institutions and TVET colleges may work part-time for up to 20 hours per week.
How to Prepare or Apply
This page covers applications lodged inside South Africa. If you apply from abroad, use the VFS centre or South African mission for your country, whose checklist may differ. Start on the VFS Global visa portal. Appointment and walk-in rules are not published on a page we could open, so confirm them there before you travel to a centre.
- Get your acceptance letter and ask your institution for its undertaking
- Arrange cover with a registered South African medical scheme
- Start police clearances early, since some countries take months
- Download the current checklist and assemble the file in order
- Book and attend your VFS appointment and pay the fees through official channels
- Track the application on the VFS portal using the reference number on your receipt, your last name and your date of birth
The Department’s target for an in-country study visa processed at Head Office is 60 working days (turnaround times), so apply as early as your acceptance letter allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the VFS study visa requirements for South Africa?
An acceptance letter, the institution’s undertaking, proof of South African medical scheme cover, a passport valid 30 days beyond departure, police clearance and proof of payment. The R425 Department fee applies from 17 August 2026.
Does VFS decide my study visa?
No. VFS receives the application on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs, which makes the decision.
Do I still need a medical report?
Not for now. Directive No. 10 of 2026 waives it for temporary residence visas. Confirm with VFS or the Department, because the checklist may still list it.
Can I work on a study visa?
Holders at higher education institutions and TVET colleges may work part-time for up to 20 hours per week.
What happens if I do not register?
The visa lapses automatically if you fail to register or are deregistered, and your institution must notify the Department.
Can I pay to speed up a decision?
No. Nobody at a VFS centre can influence the outcome, and anyone offering to do so is not acting lawfully.
Confirm the current checklist and fees with the Department of Home Affairs and VFS Global before you apply. See visa requirements and browse all travel and immigration requirements.