India Student Visa 2026: Requirements, Rules and Fees

By the SettleBuddy editorial teamUpdated 13 October 20267 min read

To study in India you need a Student visa. The Bureau of Immigration says foreigners shall obtain one if their objective is to pursue on-campus, full-time structured courses or research at an educational institution recognised by the Government of India. There are two ways to get it: a regular visa from an Indian Mission, or the e-Student visa on the government's e-Visa portal. This guide sets out who qualifies, the documents, how long the visa lasts, what you must do after you arrive and what you are not allowed to do, from the Bureau of Immigration, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Indian visa portal, as read on 13 October 2026.

Quick answer

You need proof of admission to a full-time course at a recognised Indian institution and evidence of financial support. A regular Student visa is granted for the duration of the course or 5 years, whichever is less. The e-Student visa runs for one year from the date the travel authorisation is granted, with multiple entries. If your visa is valid for more than 180 days, you must register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office within 14 days of arrival. Students must open an NRO bank account and must not take up employment or business. For US nationals the paper visa fee is US$100.00.

Main building and clock tower of the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru under a blue sky — Main building of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. Photo: Sayantan Mondal / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).

Which student visa you need

The Bureau of Immigration's list of visas gives five student sub-categories:

Code	Purpose
S1	Higher education, provisional student visas, short term courses, student exchange programmes, education and training in Ayush practices, and higher education in theological studies
S2	School education
S3	Studies in yoga, Vedic culture and the Indian system of music and dance, Buddhist studies, and courses on Indian languages and the Indian knowledge system
S4	Research scholars
S-5	Internships

Internships in Indian companies, educational institutions, NGOs, foreign missions and foreign government organisations need the S-5 visa. Short informal courses are a different case: the tourist visa covers short term courses in local languages, music, dance, arts and crafts, cooking or medicine, provided they are not formal or structured, do not exceed 6 months and do not lead to a qualifying certificate or diploma.

Who qualifies

The Ministry of Home Affairs' document on visas, dated 20 August 2020 and still the version published on its website, sets the conditions. The visa is for a foreigner whose sole objective is to pursue on-campus, full-time structured courses, including English and other language courses and vocational education, at institutions recognised by a statutory regulatory body. You should:

Produce proof of admission to a full-time course in a recognised educational institution in India
Be a person of assured financial standing. A letter of support from a parent or guardian accompanied by a bank guarantee or certificate may be accepted
Produce evidence of transfer of adequate funds for at least 4 months of sustenance in India
For a medical or para-medical course, produce a letter of approval or a No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Health

Courses that do not qualify

The Bureau of Immigration tells foreigners to make sure they are not enrolled in courses offered by:

Franchise educational institutes running off-campus centres
Study centres of open universities offering distance learning programmes
Educational institutes running "outreach" programmes

Two routes: regular visa or e-Student visa

	Regular Student visa	e-Student visa
Where you apply	Online form at indianvisaonline.gov.in, then documents and passport submitted at the Indian Mission or its visa application centre	Entirely online on the e-Visa portal
Duration	Period of the course or 5 years, whichever is less	One year (365 days) from the date of grant of the Electronic Travel Authorization
Entries	Multiple	Multiple
Extension in India	Listed as extendable	The portal's general instructions say an e-Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible
Processing	The Mission requires a minimum of three working days, depending on nationality and excluding special cases	The decision is sent to the email address in the application

Documents for the e-Student visa

Scanned bio page of the passport showing the photograph and details
Letter of admission from a recognised Indian educational institution, with the duration of the course
A letter of support from the parent or guardian accompanied by a bank guarantee certificate, or the previous 06 months of bank statement
A No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, if you are joining a medical or paramedical course

The portal also lists an e-Family visa for dependents of e-Student visa holders, with the same one-year duration. The e-Visa is open to passport holders of the countries on the portal's eligibility list, and the passport should have at least six months validity when you apply.

Study in India portal

The Bureau of Immigration says foreigners who wish to apply to top Indian institutes can register for the Study in India scheme at studyinindia.gov.in.

Fees

For a regular visa the fee depends on the Mission. The Embassy of India in Washington lists the Student and Research visa for nationals of the USA at US$100.00, valid for the duration of the course or 5 years, whichever is less, with multiple entry. Applicants also pay US$ 3.00 for the Indian Community Welfare Fund and the service charge of VFS Global, the Embassy's outsourcing provider. Fees are not refunded if the visa is not granted.

The e-Visa fee is country specific, with bank transaction charges of 3% added. The two fee tables published on the portal cover the e-Tourist visa and the e-Business, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visas. Neither table lists the e-Student visa, so check the fee the portal shows for your country when you apply.

After you arrive

Submit the e-Arrival card online within 72 hours before your arrival in India.
Register with the FRRO within 14 days of arrival if your Student visa is valid for more than 180 days, or as the stay stipulation on your visa requires.
Open a Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) account in a recognised bank in India and give the details to the FRRO concerned. The Ministry's document treats the account as proof of financial sustenance at registration and at visa extension.
Complete final registration. The Ministry's document allows provisional registration first and says final registration should be done within 90 days of arrival, on proof of permanent residence, which includes regular hostel accommodation.
Get an area permit if needed. If your institution is in a Restricted or Protected area you need a Restricted or Protected Area Permit.

Rules while you study

No work. Foreigners on a Student visa must not engage in any employment or business activities in India. Industrial training, a summer project or an internship that is part of the prescribed curriculum needs no special permission.
Changing course. A student is permitted to change course a maximum of three times during the currency of a Student visa. After that a fresh visa from an Indian Mission abroad is required.
Changing institution. It is allowed only if the student has reasonable grounds of insufficient infrastructure, paucity of facility or unavailability of the course of their choice.
Leaving the course. If you discontinue the course, you should inform the FRRO concerned immediately.
Failing a course. Students who do not qualify within the prescribed period may be granted an extension for a maximum of three attempts beyond the original course period, as long as the university permits them to complete the course.

If you do not have a firm admission letter yet

The Ministry's document provides for a Provisional Student visa, granted on the basis of a provisional admission certificate or letter of offer. It is valid for six months and can be extended by the FRRO for up to six months more. If you get regular admission within its validity, the FRRO is empowered to grant a regular Student visa for the duration of the course or five years, whichever is less. These provisions do not apply to theological studies.

Interns and researchers

Visa	Period	Note
Intern visa	Duration of the internship or one year, whichever is less	Needs a letter from the sponsoring Indian company, educational institution or NGO stating the period. Non-extendable. Registration is required within 14 days of arrival
Research visa	3 years or the duration of the research project, whichever is earlier	May be extended by the FRRO or FRO concerned

Penalties

Overstay, non-registration and activities that do not match the visa are subject to action under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. The Bureau of Immigration says that foreigners, and Indian stakeholders such as educational institutions, are liable to penalties ranging from 10000 to 3 lakhs for each offence, as well as imprisonment.

Frequently asked questions

What are the requirements for an India student visa?

Proof of admission to a full-time, on-campus course at a recognised Indian institution, evidence of assured financial standing such as a letter of support from a parent or guardian with a bank guarantee, and evidence of funds for at least 4 months of sustenance. Medical and para-medical courses also need a No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Health.

How long is an Indian student visa valid?

A regular Student visa is granted for the period of the course or 5 years, whichever is less. The e-Student visa is valid for one year from the date of grant of the Electronic Travel Authorization.

Can I apply for an India student visa online?

Yes. The e-Student visa is one of the categories on the government's e-Visa portal. For a regular Student visa you also fill in the form online, then submit it with your documents and passport at the Indian Mission or its visa application centre.

How much does an India student visa cost?

It depends on your nationality and where you apply. The Embassy of India in Washington lists US$100.00 for nationals of the USA, plus US$ 3.00 for the Indian Community Welfare Fund and the VFS service charge.

Can international students work in India?

No. Foreigners on a Student visa must not engage in any employment or business activities. Training or an internship that is part of the prescribed curriculum is allowed without special permission.

Do I have to register with the FRRO as a student?

Yes, if your Student visa is valid for more than 180 days. You register with the FRRO concerned within 14 days of arrival in India.

Can I study by distance learning on an Indian student visa?

No. The Student visa is for on-campus, full-time courses, and the Bureau of Immigration excludes study centres of open universities offering distance learning programmes.

Official sources

All figures verified against the official pages above on 13 October 2026. The Ministry of Home Affairs document is dated 20 August 2020, and separate provisions apply to some nationalities, so confirm the requirements with the Indian Mission where you apply. Tuition fees are not covered here. Information, not legal advice.