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Student visa for South Korea, for students from Saudi Arabia
As a citizen of Saudi Arabia you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for South Korea before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter South Korea 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
- KRW 20 million in the Seoul metropolitan area, KRW 16 million elsewhere
- Visa fee
- Set by each embassy: USD 60-80 for a single-entry long-stay visa at the missions we checked
- Work while you study
- 10-35 hours a week in term, depending on your level, Korean ability and university
- Stay after you graduate
- D-10 job-seeker visa: 6-month periods, up to 2 years
For D-2 degree students, in force since 3 July 2023. Language students (D-4): KRW 10 million in Seoul, KRW 8 million elsewhere. Some embassies also require the balance to be held for months.
Korea.net (Government of the Republic of Korea), Ministry of Justice reform, checked 2026-09-24
USD 60 at the Embassy in Bangladesh, USD 80 at the Embassy in Iran. Check your own embassy's notice.
Embassies of the Republic of Korea, checked 2026-09-24
You need a part-time work permit from immigration before you start. Without a TOPIK score, undergraduates are limited to 10 hours and graduate students to 15.
Study in Korea (Ministry of Education) / Seoul National University, checked 2026-09-24
Graduates switching straight from D-2 are exempt from the D-10 proof of funds.
Study in Korea (Ministry of Education), checked 2026-09-24
The visa
Degree students use the D-2 visa. Korean language students use D-4. You apply at the Korean embassy or consulate in your country with your university's certificate of admission, the university's business registration certificate, your academic documents and proof of funds. Document lists and processing times are set by each mission: the Embassy in Singapore, for example, quotes four working days.
The money. Since 3 July 2023, the Ministry of Justice has set the required balance in won rather than dollars:
- D-2 degree students: KRW 20 million at universities in the Seoul metropolitan area, KRW 16 million at universities elsewhere
- D-4 language students: KRW 10 million in the Seoul area, KRW 8 million elsewhere
Some missions add conditions. The Embassy in Iran asks for bank statements covering the last six months. The JoongAng Daily reported in 2024 that applicants from countries such as Uzbekistan and Vietnam must hold the balance for at least three months. Ask your university and your embassy which rule applies to your nationality before you deposit anything.
The fee depends on your nationality and the mission. At the missions we checked, a single-entry visa for a stay of more than 90 days costs USD 60 at the Embassy in Bangladesh and USD 80 at the Embassy in Iran. Check your own embassy's current notice.
After arrival you register with immigration for an alien registration card within your first 90 days. Your university usually organises this in bulk at the start of semester.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of South Korea that covers Saudi Arabia, 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: korea.net · overseas.mofa.go.kr · studyinkorea.go.kr · koreajoongangdaily.com · overseas.mofa.go.kr · overseas.mofa.go.kr. Checked 2026-09-24. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Scholarships open to students from Saudi Arabia in South Korea
Questions students ask
Do students from Saudi Arabia need a visa to study in South Korea?
As a citizen of Saudi Arabia you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for South Korea before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter South Korea 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 Korea student visa?
KRW 20 million in the Seoul metropolitan area, KRW 16 million elsewhere. For D-2 degree students, in force since 3 July 2023. Language students (D-4): KRW 10 million in Seoul, KRW 8 million elsewhere. Some embassies also require the balance to be held for months. (source: Korea.net (Government of the Republic of Korea), Ministry of Justice reform, checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in South Korea?
10-35 hours a week in term, depending on your level, Korean ability and university.
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.