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Student visa for Saudi Arabia, for students from Iran
A visa is normally needed
As a citizen of Iran you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Saudi Arabia before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Saudi Arabia 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
- No fixed national figure
- Visa fee
- No fee published on the official study portal
- Work while you study
- No official rule published for international students
- Stay after you graduate
- No post-study work visa published
You must provide financial proof or a guarantee. A scholarship from your university counts as the guarantee.
Study in Saudi Arabia (Ministry of Education), checked 2026-09-24
Ask your university or the Saudi mission handling your application. Fully funded scholarships at public universities and KAUST cover visa and travel costs.
Study in Saudi Arabia (Ministry of Education), checked 2026-09-24
Neither the Ministry of Education nor the Study in Saudi portal sets out work rights. Do not take any job without written confirmation from your university.
Study in Saudi Arabia (Ministry of Education), checked 2026-09-24
To stay and work you need an employer to sponsor a work visa.
Study in Saudi Arabia (Ministry of Education), checked 2026-09-24
The visa
The Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs launched a dedicated study visa service on 1 March 2024, run through the Study in Saudi platform. There are two types:
- Short-term visa: study, training or short programmes of up to six months, extendable for a further six months
- Long-term visa: degree study (bachelor's, master's, doctorate) or research of more than one year, valid for one year and renewable annually
Requirements for both:
- aged 16 or over, with guardian consent if under 18
- a passport valid for at least six months from the intended entry date
- an acceptance letter from an accredited Saudi institution
- financial proof or a guarantee
The long-term visa also requires a medical report confirming you are free of infectious diseases, medical insurance, and proof of language proficiency (not required for Arabic-language students).
The money. No fixed amount is published. You need financial proof or a guarantee; for scholarship students, the university's scholarship is the guarantee. If you are self-funding, ask your university exactly what evidence it will submit with your file.
The fee. The Study in Saudi platform does not publish a visa fee. Ask your university's international office or the Saudi mission handling your case. For KAUST fellows, visa costs are part of the relocation support.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Saudi Arabia that covers Iran, 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: studyinsaudi.sa · studyinsaudi.sa · studyinsaudi.sa · spa.gov.sa · moe.gov.sa · admissions.kaust.edu.sa. Checked 2026-09-24. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Questions students ask
Do students from Iran need a visa to study in Saudi Arabia?
As a citizen of Iran you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Saudi Arabia before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia student visa?
No fixed national figure. You must provide financial proof or a guarantee. A scholarship from your university counts as the guarantee. (source: Study in Saudi Arabia (Ministry of Education), checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in Saudi Arabia?
No official rule published for international students.
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.
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