Studying in Albania

What a year costs

Public universities. According to the European Commission's Eurydice network, international students at Albanian public institutions pay the same fees as home students (data for 2023/24), but students "studying in a foreign language programme or in a specific discipline pay higher fees". We could not find a current, dated fee table for foreign students on the University of Tirana website, and the fee tables we found at other public universities do not state the currency. We therefore do not quote a public tuition figure. Ask the university's international relations office for the fee for your programme in writing.

Private universities publish clearer figures. As one example, the University of New York Tirana (a private institution) lists €7,200 a year for its bachelor's programmes and a programme fee of €8,000 to €9,000 for its two-year master's programmes (page updated January 2026). Other private universities set their own fees.

Living costs. No Albanian government body publishes an official student living cost figure. The only official benchmark is the visa money test below, which is a legal minimum, not a budget.

The visa

Albania issues a type D visa for study (D/ST) to nationals who need a visa. You apply online through the government e-visa portal, then hand in the original documents at an Albanian consular office. The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs says the type D visa is "valid for one year, with a validity period of stay of 90 days", and that decisions take up to 15 days, and in exceptional cases up to 30 days. Whether you need a visa at all depends on your nationality: check the ministry's visa regime table first.

Documents for D/ST listed by the ministry:

• proof of registration or admission at an educational institution in Albania
• documents proving you can cover all living costs and tuition fees
• travel health insurance for the length of the visa
• proof of accommodation in Albania
• a document proving "knowledge of the Albanian language for carrying out your studies" (an older ministry notice says knowledge of "the language in which the studies will be carried out"; if your course is taught in English, ask the embassy which it wants)
• a criminal record certificate, legalised

The fee is not published as one figure. It follows Council of Ministers Decision no. 569 of 3 October 2018 and is set by reciprocity, so it varies by nationality. Ask your nearest Albanian embassy.

The residence permit. Once in Albania you apply for a residence permit for study on the e-Albania portal (service code 9628). The Ministry of Interior's requirements include:

• the money: a deposit certificate from a second-tier bank in Albania, personal or family, of at least 300,000 lekë per person for one calendar year, or proof of monthly income of at least 32,000 lekë per person
• the admission document, proof of knowledge of the language of the study programme, and proof that you have paid the institution's fees
• proof of housing

Fees: 4,500 lekë for the first permit and 2,250 lekë for a renewal, plus the cost of the biometric card. A provisional permit is issued within five days. You must register your address at the civil registry within 30 days.

The study permit is valid for no more than one year at first and is renewed a year at a time until you finish, provided you show study progress.

Working while you study

From the second year, students may work up to 15 hours a week (or the equivalent in days or months across a year) outside school hours, or be self-employed, without authorisation from the National Agency for Employment and Skills (Law no. 79/2021 on Aliens, Article 46). There is no work allowance in the first year.

After you graduate

Graduates may get a residence permit for at least nine months to look for a job or start a business (Article 51). After three months the authorities may ask for evidence that you have a real chance of finding work or starting a business.

Language

The official language is Albanian and most public university teaching is in Albanian. The visa checklist asks for proof that you know the language of your studies. Private universities offer programmes in English: check the language of instruction on the programme page before applying.

When to apply

Universities set their own admission dates and we could not find a single national deadline for international applicants. Work backwards from your start date: allow time to open an Albanian bank deposit, get the visa (up to 15 days, sometimes 30) and then apply for the residence permit after arrival.

What to watch out for

The money must sit in an Albanian bank. The Ministry of Interior asks for a deposit certificate from a second-tier bank in Albania, not a statement from a bank at home. Plan how you will open that account and move the funds.

Language evidence. The ministry's visa checklist asks for Albanian language evidence. Confirm in writing what is accepted for an English-taught programme before you pay any fees.

Public tuition is not published clearly. Get the fee for your exact programme from the university in writing.

Legalisation. The criminal record certificate must be legalised under the arrangement that applies to your country. This can take weeks.

Where these numbers come from

Rules change, sometimes at short notice. Every figure above carries the date we checked it. Check the official source before you rely on it, and confirm the visa fee with your Albanian embassy and the tuition fee with your university.