UAE Student Visa 2026: Requirements, Fees and Sponsors
A student visa in the UAE is a residence visa with a sponsor. The sponsor is either a parent who already lives in the UAE, or the accredited university or college where you study. The UAE Government portal says universities facilitate the process of getting a visa for their students. This guide sets out who can sponsor you, the documents, the fee on the Dubai service card, and the long-term Golden visa for outstanding students, from official sources read on 14 October 2026.
Quick answer
You can study in the UAE under the sponsorship of a parent who is a UAE resident or of the accredited university or college you attend. You must submit a certificate from the university or institute specifying the duration of the study. Applicants aged 18 and above take a medical fitness test and apply for an Emirates ID. GDRFA Dubai's service card lists a residence permit fee of AED 200, with an expected completion time of 48 hours. Outstanding students can get a Golden visa for 5 or 10 years.
Two ways to be sponsored
| Sponsor | How it works |
|---|---|
| Your university or college | The accredited institution you study at sponsors your residence. GDRFA Dubai describes the educational institution as the student's host and guarantor. |
| Your parent | A parent who is a resident of the UAE sponsors you as a dependent. |
Rules for parent sponsorship
- Expatriate residents can sponsor their male children up to the age of 25.
- Male students over the age of 25 can stay on their parents' sponsorship if they provide evidence of attending a higher educational institute.
- Expatriate residents may continue to sponsor their female children for study, regardless of age, until they are married.
- A sponsoring parent needs a minimum salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation.
Requirements and documents
The UAE Government portal lists one document specific to students, on top of the general provisions for a residence visa: a certificate issued by the university or institute specifying the duration of the study.
GDRFA Dubai's service card for a student residency permit lists five requirements:
- A recent coloured personal photo with a white background.
- A copy of the passport.
- A medical examination approved by the concerned authorities.
- The ID receipt.
- Health insurance.
Two conditions apply to the institution: it must hold a licence, and the approval of the Ministry of Education or the competent educational authority in the emirate must be obtained.
General residence visa rules that apply to students
- Medical test: applicants who are 18 and above must undergo a medical test to prove that they are medically fit.
- Security check and Emirates ID: they must also pass a security check and apply for an Emirates ID card.
- Validity: a sponsored residence visa can be for 1, 2 or 3 years, depending on its type and the sponsor.
- Dependents: the expiry date of a dependent's residence visa will not exceed that of the sponsor.
Fees
The UAE Government portal says visa charges are stated on each service card on the websites of ICP and GDRFA Dubai. The Dubai card for "Issuing a residency permit to a student" lists:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Residence permit fee | AED 200 |
| Knowledge Dirham | AED 10 |
| Innovation Dirham | AED 10 |
| Fee inside the country | AED 500 |
| Delivery | AED 20 |
- The issuance fee increases by AED 100 annually whenever the residency is over two years.
- The card notes that the total amount may vary.
- The card's fee list does not include the medical test, Emirates ID, health insurance or university charges, and we did not read their prices in an official source.
More visa costs are in our UAE visa fees guide.
Processing time
The Dubai service card shows an expected completion time of 48 hours for the student residency permit. That figure covers the permit step on the card. The card gives no figure for the steps before it, such as admission.
How the process runs
- Get admitted to an accredited university, college or institute in the UAE.
- Obtain the certificate from the institution specifying the duration of your study.
- Agree who sponsors you: the institution, or a parent who is a UAE resident.
- Complete the medical fitness test if you are 18 or above, and apply for your Emirates ID.
- Arrange health insurance, which the Dubai card lists as a requirement.
- The application goes to ICP or, in Dubai, to GDRFA Dubai, with the fees shown on the service card.
Working while studying
A student residence permit is issued, in GDRFA Dubai's words, without the requirement that the student work. The UAE Government portal states that it is illegal for a person to work in the UAE without a valid work permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Two of the permit types on the UAE Government portal are relevant:
- Student training and employment permit: it enables establishments to employ a 15-year old student who is already in the UAE, under terms that ensure a safe and suitable training and work environment. The permit is valid for three months.
- Part-time work permit: it enables establishments to employ a worker under a part-time contract, with fewer working hours or days than a full-time employee.
These permits are issued to establishments, so the employer applies. Ask your university which permit applies to your situation before you accept any job.
Golden visa for outstanding students
The Golden visa is a long-term residence visa that does not need a sponsor. The UAE Government portal lists outstanding students as an eligible category:
| Who | Residency duration | Main requirements |
|---|---|---|
| High school achievers | 5 years | Certificates of excellence, recommendation letters from school or university |
| Top university students | 10 years | Certificates of excellence, recommendation letters from school or university |
Golden visa holders can stay outside the UAE for more than the usual six months without losing their residence, and can sponsor family members, including spouses and children.
Family, absences and what happens at the end
- Family of university students: family members of foreign students studying at the UAE's universities may stay in the UAE, as long as they can afford suitable housing.
- Time outside the UAE: as a general rule, a residence visa is nullified automatically if the holder lives outside the UAE for more than 180 days continuously. The portal lists exceptions, including students enrolled in educational institutions abroad who hold valid UAE residence visas.
- Grace period: the Dubai student card gives 60 days to stay in the country after the residence permit expires or is cancelled.
- Overstaying: the fine is AED 50 per day.
Students from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
The official pages we read set the same sponsorship routes, documents and Dubai fee for every nationality. They do not list separate rules or fees for Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi students. Fees are quoted in UAE dirhams.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a student visa for the UAE?
Get admitted to an accredited university or college, obtain its certificate specifying the duration of your study, and be sponsored by the institution or by a parent who is a UAE resident. The UAE Government portal says universities facilitate the visa process for their students.
How much does a UAE student visa cost?
GDRFA Dubai's service card lists a residence permit fee of AED 200, plus a Knowledge Dirham of AED 10, an Innovation Dirham of AED 10, a fee inside the country of AED 500 and delivery of AED 20. Medical, Emirates ID and insurance costs are separate.
How long does a UAE student visa take?
The Dubai service card shows an expected completion time of 48 hours for issuing the student residency permit.
Who can sponsor a student in the UAE?
Either a parent who is a resident of the UAE, or the accredited university or college the student attends.
Can I work on a student visa in the UAE?
The student residence permit itself is issued without the requirement to work. Working in the private sector needs a work permit, and the portal lists a student training and employment permit and a part-time work permit among the types.
Can students get a UAE Golden visa?
Yes, if they are outstanding students. The portal lists 5 years for high school achievers and 10 years for top university students, with certificates of excellence and recommendation letters as the main requirements.
Can my parents sponsor me after I turn 25?
Sons can stay on their parents' sponsorship after 25 if they provide evidence of attending a higher educational institute. Daughters can be sponsored for study regardless of age until they are married.
Official sources
- UAE Government portal — Student visa
- GDRFA Dubai — Issuing a residency permit to a student
- UAE Government portal — General provisions for the residence visa
- UAE Government portal — Golden visa
- UAE Government portal — Residence visa for families of employees
- UAE Government portal — Work permits
- UAE Government portal — Visa fees
All rules and fees verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. The fee is the one printed on GDRFA Dubai's service card, which notes that the total may vary. Information, not legal advice.