Studying in Tanzania

What a year costs

Tuition, an example. UDSM charges non-exchange international students USD 4,530 for a one-year short-term place and USD 2,430 a semester as an occasional student. Full degree fees vary by programme and are in the UDSM prospectus. International fees are paid in US dollars through the Government Electronic Payment Gateway.

Permit fee. The University of Göttingen's Aug 2026 guide for students going to UDSM gives USD 250 for the Class C permit for students. The Tanzanian High Commission in New Delhi still shows USD 500 from a 2011 notice. Ask your university which applies.

Living costs. No official monthly student budget is published. Dar es Salaam is the most expensive city; campus halls are the cheapest option.

The Class C residence permit

The Tanzanian High Commission says applications for Class B and C permits should be made while you are outside the country. In practice, your university's international office usually files the application. The University of Göttingen's guide for UDSM describes students entering on a three-month visitor visa while the office arranges the permit, and warns against a second visitor visa as a stand-in, which the university answers with deregistration.

East African students. The High Commission lists an exemption certificate for students from EAC member states, with no fee. You need a covering letter from your institution, the application form, a copy of your passport, your admission letter, five passport photos and your academic certificates.

Working while you study

Class C is the permit for students; working is covered by separate permits (Class A for investors and Class B for professionals). Do not take paid work on a student permit without checking with your university and the immigration service.

After you graduate

We found no post-study visa. To stay and work you need a Class A or Class B permit.

Language

University teaching is in English. Kiswahili is the national language and used everywhere else; learning some helps a lot.

When to apply

Check your university's almanac for the start of the year. Apply early enough for the international office to process your permit before your visitor visa runs out.

What to watch out for

Permit fees differ between sources. Confirm the current fee with your university before paying.

Do not stack visitor visas. Use the permit route your university sets up.

Where these numbers come from

Rules change. Check the official source before you rely on any figure. No national tuition figure or living-cost budget was published in a form we could verify.