Studying in Saudi Arabia is a great option for many international students in many ways, such as low tuition fees, encouraging research opportunities, several prestigious universities, English-taught programs, available scholarship programs, and many more. As a result, every year, a great number of foreign-national students apply for degree programs in Saudi Arabia, leading to the need for guidance in the application process.
A student visa is required for all international students to pursue their degree program in Saudi Arabia. In this article, we will provide you with several steps to apply for a student visa for Saudi Arabia, from required documents to application fees. If you need guidance, read our article and take notes to start your application to study in Saudi Arabia.
Steps on Applying for a Saudi Arabian Student Visa
Our step-by-step guide below will provide you with the necessary information about the student visa application process for Saudi Arabia.
Step 1. Choose Your Study Program and Receive an Acceptance Letter
To start your student visa application, you first need to have an official acceptance notice from an accredited university in Saudi Arabia. At this stage, you need to carefully browse the available programs and universities according to your academic interests and qualifications. Once you find suitable degree programs, you need to check the program-specific requirements to make sure you are eligible to apply.
After choosing your study program and submitting your application, you need to wait for the official admission letter to start your student visa application, as it is one of the essential requirements.
Step 2. Prepare Your Documents
After receiving your official acceptance letter for your enrollment at a Saudi Arabian university, you can start your application by preparing the necessary documents and providing the official certificates and diplomas. Some documents, such as health reports, can take longer to obtain than others. If the applicant doesn’t have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of travel to Saudi Arabia, it’s crucial to apply for a passport first.
Step 3. Pay the Visa Application Fee
As stated earlier, all applicants for a student visa in Saudi Arabia must pay the visa application fee to be able to complete their application. Without the payment of the application fee, your student visa request will not be evaluated by the authorities whatsoever.
In most cases, the student visa application fee is paid via an online system guided by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the hard-copy receipt can be requested at the embassy for confirmation. We advise you to consult your travel agency or Saudi Arabian embassy to receive the updated information.
Step 4. Check the Deadlines for Your Visa Application
Your student visa application must be submitted within the last six months of your arrival in Saudi Arabia; in your case, you need to figure out the timing of your visa application by considering the starting date of the first academic semester at your enrolled university. The ideal period would be two or three months before you arrive in Saudi Arabia.
Step 5. Submit Your Application to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Once you prepared your student visa application, you need to get an appointment with the nearest Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in your location or an authorized travel agency. As well as your online application form, which can be filled out on the Visa services platform, you need to deliver all your documents and hand in your passport for approval.
Usually, the Saudi Arabian embassy will inform you about the decision in three to five days, and once approved, you can visit the embassy and get your passport with the student visa.
The steps to obtain a student visa for Saudi Arabia are not puzzling; it is, in fact, not sophisticated to complete the processes to study in Saudi Arabia as long as you prepare all valid documents.
Documents Needed for Saudi Arabian Student Visa Applications
Before starting your student visa application, it’s highly important to carefully examine the necessary documents you need to obtain and prepare beforehand. Required documents to submit for a Saudi Arabia student visa include:
- a passport valid for at least six months
- two passport-sized photos
- original birth certificate of the applicant
- an official acceptance letter from a recognized Saudi Arabian university
- a visa referral note
- diploma of the secondary degree (for graduate programs, also a bachelor’s degree)
- health report
- police report
- a visa application form.
FAQs: Student Visa Applications for Saudi Arabia
Where to Apply for a Saudi Arabian Student Visa?
The application for a Saudi Arabia student visa can be made either by getting an appointment from the nearest embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or through authorized travel agencies at the applicant’s home residence. The application process can be initiated and tracked via the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s website.
How Much is the Visa Issuance Fee for a Student Visa?
Applicants for Saudi Arabia student visas must pay a small fee to complete their application, which is SAR 50 ($13). However, it’s important to note that the application fee can be subject to a change in regulations, and the amount can be updated, so it’s best to confirm the fee at the Saudi Arabian embassy.
Since the student visa application fee is charged per application, if rejected, the payment still needs to be made to apply successfully.
We hope that you found this article on how to apply for a student visa in Saudi Arabia informative. If you’re interested in studying in Saudi Arabia but don’t know how you can start by checking out the Available Programs for International Students and KSA Study Guide to explore your options.
