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Studying in South Africa can be a very unique and enriching experience for students. The popularity of South Africa for educational purposes has seen a rise in the past few years. The beauty of the country, its cultural history, and the establishment of world-class universities make the country very attractive to international students leading to more and more students traveling to the country every year to gain a share from the high-quality education system. Visa being the first step towards travelling abroad, let’s read about all the requirements to get a South Africa Student Visa.
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All about Study in South Africa
South Africa Student Visa Requirements
A visa application requires a lot of prior requirements to be fulfilled, following are the South Africa Student Visa Requirements:
- A Valid Passport
A valid passport is required with a minimum of two blank pages and a validity of at least 30 days from the date of departure.
- Application Form
Application form BI- 1738 should be filled with the correct information, signed, and submitted along with other documents for application.
- Acceptance Letter
The acceptance letter from the university you have applied to and successfully got selected. The letter should clearly state the nature of the course, duration, and if any particular language proficiency is required.
- Medical Insurance
A valid medical insurance for the duration of the stay in the country. Initially, you provide proof of medical insurance for travelling purposes initially, and later one in the country gets e medical insurance according to the Medical Scheme Act provided.
- Bank Statement
You must provide proof of your financial statements to show that you have sufficient money to stay in the country and to pay fees. Should have at least R300000 or 15,909 USD in the bank account.
- Cash Deposit
The cash deposit should be equivalent to the value of the amount of your return ticket.
- Medical Reports
Along with your medical insurance, you require radiology tests done for your chest and provide your reports as proof of fitness.
- Fee Payment Receipt
The payment receipt of the application form for the visa has to be provided along with the application form as proof of payment being made.
- Accommodation Proof
The proof of the accommodation selected and arranged for the stay after arriving in the country for the duration of the course or partial duration should be provided.
- Police Clearance Certificate
The police clearance certificate has to be submitted by the authority directly if the student is above 18 years of age. The clearance certificate from each country is required where the student has lived after 18 years of age. The certificate should not be older than six months.
- Return Ticket
If the duration of the program opted is less than 12 months then a return ticket has to be booked in advance and proof of it should be provided with the visa application.
In case the applicant is a minor then a birth certificate, confirmation of guardianship from a guardian, and proof of consent from parents are also required for an application to be made.
Cost Of Application As Part Of South Africa Student Visa Requirements
The charges of the visa are always subject to change as per the policies and can vary from year to year. As of now, the student visa cost is:
| South Africa Student Visa | USD 24 approximately |
Process To Apply For South Africa Student Visa
As we now know about South African student visa requirements, let us also read about the application procedure:
Before starting the application process kindly confirm your place at the university that you are selected in South Africa with the Department of Higher Education. Proof of acceptance would be required along with other documents for the visa application.
- Book your appointment with the South African embassy or consulate
If there is no embassy in your country you can apply for a visa through a visa help centre or consulate. Book an appointment for the submission of documents and your visa Interview. Remember to apply for a visa very advance of your departure because it takes time to process of visa.
- Gather all the documents
Gather all the documents that we read about in the South Africa Student Visa Requirements section along with your photographs for submission.
- Payment of Fee
On the day of the scheduled appointment, you will be required to pay the application fee to get the processing of your visa started.
- Submission and Interview
On the day of the appointment submit all the documents at the centre and be prepared for the interview. Once the interview and documents are approved just sit back and wait for the decision on your application.
Time To Apply For The South Africa Student Visa
Once you have received the acceptance letter from the University of application, you should immediately go ahead with applying for the visa. The visa processing for South Africa takes around 4 to 8 weeks and can vary due to the time of application and ease of verification.
Know about The processing time for Italy student visa application
Work Permit On South Africa Student Visa
Students are permitted to work on Student Visa in South Africa but the following are the conditions that need to be followed:
- An offer of employment and letter of consent from the university need to be submitted for visa application (these can be submitted after have reached South Africa and got employed).
- The work hours should not exceed more than 20 hours a week.
- On holidays full-time work is permitted.
- There should not be compromise in attendance or studies due to work.
You are also permitted to do practical training on student visas in South Africa after submitting university consent and practical training offers.
South Africa Student Visa Requirements For Extention
The extension of the South Africa student visa can be made by providing the correct reason. The application can be made online but supporting documents need to be submitted offline at the centre. The application should be made 60 days prior to the expiry of your current visa. The following are the documents needed:
- Copy of passport, current visa, and application form
- Payment proof for application
- Appointment confirmation letter
- Confirmation registration from the university proof
- Radiology and medical report
- Bank statement
You can also check out the information on Part-Time Jobs in South Africa for International Students
FAQs
Yes, the student visa can be changed to a work visa if you have got an employment option. You can apply for a general work visa, business visa, or critical skill work visa as per your need.
It takes around 4-8 months.
Yes, it can be renewed, the application should be made 60 days before expiry.
This was all about South Africa Student visa Requirements, to get more doubts cleared on visa-related topics, kindly follow Visas Abroad, and to know about studying abroad follow Leverage Edu.
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