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Student visa for Malta, for students from Syria
As a citizen of Syria you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Malta before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Malta without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- At least 75% of the national minimum wage for every month of study
- Visa fee
- €100 standard, €150 extended service (age 12 and over)
- Work while you study
- 20 hours a week, with an employment licence
- Stay after you graduate
- 9-month post-study residence permit
About €746 a month at the 2026 minimum wage of €229.44 a week (our calculation). The University of Malta tells its students to show €950 a month.
Identità (Central Visa Unit), checked 2026-09-24
Plus €27.50 residence permit application fee for higher education courses (MQF level 5 and above).
Identità / European Commission EU Immigration Portal, checked 2026-09-24
Students on full-time higher education courses recognised by MQRIC may work from their first year. Jobsplus sets conditions, including sectors.
Identità, checked 2026-09-24
To look for work or set up a business.
Identità / European Commission EU Immigration Portal, checked 2026-09-24
The visa
Non-EU students on courses longer than 90 days need a national (D) study visa from Identità's Central Visa Unit, then a residence permit for study once in Malta. Part-time courses do not qualify. Identità handles both.
The money. Identità's official checklist for the student national visa (version 2.1, 13 August 2025) sets the requirement as at least 75% of the national minimum wage for every month of study, shown by three months of bank statements plus a recent bank certificate. The national minimum wage for 2026 is €229.44 a week for full-time adult workers. That works out at roughly €994 a month, so 75% is about €746 a month, or about €8,948 for twelve months. These monthly and annual figures are our own calculation from the official weekly wage; Identità does not publish them.
The University of Malta tells its applicants to show a minimum of €950 for each month of their stay, excluding tuition, for both the visa and the residence permit. If you are going to the University of Malta, show at least €950 a month. If you are going elsewhere, €746 a month is the floor on the official rule, and more is safer.
Sponsors are accepted: you need the sponsor's last three months of bank statements, a signed declaration letter and a copy of their ID or passport.
Fees:
- Visa: €100 on the standard service, €150 on the extended service with next-day appointments, for applicants aged 12 and over (€50 for ages 6-11, free under 6)
- Residence permit application: €27.50 for higher education courses at MQF level 5 and above (€70 for courses at levels 1-4)
Insurance. You need medical insurance with at least €30,000 of cover, valid for the Schengen area and designated for study.
Processing time. Identità quotes 6 to 8 weeks for the long-stay visa. If you are refused, you have about three working days to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Board, so read every decision letter the day it arrives.
On arrival, the University of Malta requires non-EU students to complete a health screening within four weeks.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Malta that covers Syria, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: identita.gov.mt · identita.gov.mt · identita.gov.mt · dier.gov.mt · um.edu.mt · home-affairs.ec.europa.eu. Checked 2026-09-24. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Questions students ask
Do students from Syria need a visa to study in Malta?
As a citizen of Syria you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Malta before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Malta without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
How much money do I need to show for a Malta student visa?
At least 75% of the national minimum wage for every month of study. About €746 a month at the 2026 minimum wage of €229.44 a week (our calculation). The University of Malta tells its students to show €950 a month. (source: Identità (Central Visa Unit), checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in Malta?
20 hours a week, with an employment licence.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.