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Student visa for South Africa, for students from Tanzania
As a citizen of Tanzania you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for South Africa before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter South Africa 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 single national figure: 'sufficient financial means' to cover fees and living costs
- Visa fee
- R425 Home Affairs fee inside South Africa, plus R1,750 VFS service fee
- Work while you study
- Up to 20 hours a week
- Stay after you graduate
- No dedicated post-study visa
Some missions set their own minimum. The High Commission in Canberra asks for at least ZAR 3,000 a month shown on three months of certified bank statements.
DIRCO: South African High Commission, Canberra, checked 2026-09-24
VFS fee effective from 22 June 2026. Abroad, missions charge in local currency, for example AUD 37 in Canberra.
University of Cape Town, Visas and immigration, checked 2026-09-24
You need a job offer and a letter from your institution. Practical training that is part of your qualification is allowed separately.
DIRCO: South African High Commission, Canberra, checked 2026-09-24
You must qualify for a work visa, such as the critical skills work visa, which now requires a signed employment contract.
Department of Home Affairs, critical skills work visa requirements, checked 2026-09-24
The visa
You need a study visa under section 13 of the Immigration Act. It is issued for the length of your course.
Where you apply. From abroad, you apply at the South African mission or its VFS centre in your country. Inside South Africa (to renew or change), you apply through VFS on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs. UCT lists the Home Affairs fee as R425, the VFS service fee as R1,750 (effective from 22 June 2026) and police clearance through VFS as an extra R185. Abroad, missions charge their own fee in local currency: the High Commission in Canberra charges AUD 37; the Embassy in Washington charges USD 36.
The money. The Home Affairs checklist asks for "proof of sufficient financial means available to the learner" and does not set an amount. Individual missions may. The High Commission in Canberra, for example, asks for three months of certified bank statements showing at least ZAR 3,000 a month, or a bursary letter, or a parent's support letter with their statements. Check your own mission's list, not another country's.
Other documents you should expect:
- An acceptance or provisional acceptance letter stating the length of the course
- Proof of medical cover with a scheme registered under the Medical Schemes Act, renewed annually for the length of your studies
- A police clearance certificate from every country where you lived for more than 12 months in the last five years, no older than six months
Processing time. The missions we checked quote three to four weeks (Washington) or 21 working days for a complete application (Canberra). UCT warns that applications can take 8-12 weeks or longer at busy times. Plan on the longer figure.
Renewals. UCT tells students to apply to renew at least 60 days before the visa expires.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of South Africa that covers Tanzania, 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: dirco.gov.za · uct.ac.za · dha.gov.za · visa.vfsglobal.com · saembassy.org · uct.ac.za. Checked 2026-09-24. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Questions students ask
Do students from Tanzania need a visa to study in South Africa?
As a citizen of Tanzania you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for South Africa before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter South Africa 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 South Africa student visa?
No single national figure: 'sufficient financial means' to cover fees and living costs. Some missions set their own minimum. The High Commission in Canberra asks for at least ZAR 3,000 a month shown on three months of certified bank statements. (source: DIRCO: South African High Commission, Canberra, checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in South Africa?
Up to 20 hours a week.
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.