The student visa for South Africa
This is the most technical stage of the process, and the one where mistakes are the costliest. An incomplete application is not completed: it is rejected. And the application fees are not refunded.
● A PRADeXPERIENCE service · visa applications put together and checked in French
The visa is linked to a specific institution.
The South African study visa is not a generic visa. It is linked to a specific institution and programme, and is only issued if that institution is recognised by the Department of Home Affairs. Changing schools along the way requires a new authorisation.
We put together the file with you, piece by piece, checking every requirement before submission.
The study visa journey
Get the acceptance letter
Nothing starts before it. The visa application can only be submitted after receiving the official admission, signed by the institution.
Take out a South African health insurance policy
Required by law. International travel insurance is refused. This is the most frequent reason for rejection.
Gather the documents for the file
DHA-1738 form, police clearance certificate, medical and radiological reports, proof of funds, yellow fever certificate, accommodation, repatriation guarantee.
Drop off at the South African mission
From Gabon, at the embassy or consulate. Only buy your ticket once the visa has been obtained.
Who needs a study visa?
The rule is simple: If your studies last more than 90 days, the student visa is compulsory.
The study visa is a temporary residence permit issued by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). He is attached to a specific institution and a specific programme. Another condition: the institution must be recognised as educational establishment by the DHA. Not all private schools are — this is something that must be checked before paying registration fees.
The case of stays of under 90 days
For a stay of less than 90 days — typically a short English course — a study visa is not necessarily required. Some students undertake short courses as part of a visitor's stay. This is a useful route when study visa processing times are long, or to test the country before committing to a full course. Conditions must be checked on a case-by-case basis with the South African mission: visitor status imposes its own limitations.
Where and when to submit the application
Where: from Gabon, the application is submitted to the South African mission the nearest — embassy, high commission or consulate. A first application cannot be made from South Africa.
When: only after receiving your official admission letter. Without her, the file is incomplete by definition.
Form: the form DHA-1738 for a first-time application. It must be filled in electronically — handwritten forms are rejected. For renewals from South Africa, the process goes through VFS Global and uses form BI-1739.
Official sources
Supporting documents
| Room | Important note |
|---|---|
| DHA-1738 form | Electronically completed and signed. Handwritten forms will be rejected. |
| Original passport | Valid for at least 30 days after the scheduled end of stay. It is better to allow for 6 months' validity and blank pages. |
| Acceptance letter | Signed by the registrar or the head of the institution. |
| South African medical aid certificate | The critical point — see the following section. |
| Proof of financial means | Bank statements or scholarship certificate. |
| Police certificate | From each country where you have resided for 12 months or more since the age of 18, over the last 5 years. Less than 6 months. |
| Medical report | DHA-811 form. Less than 6 months. |
| radiological report | Less than 6 months. |
| Yellow fever certificate | Required for travellers coming from an endemic area — Gabon is part of it. |
| Proof of address | Details of the planned accommodation in South Africa. |
| Repatriation guarantee | Cash deposit to the DHA account, or return ticket. |
| Birth certificate | Notarised copy. |
| Parental consent | For minors, with a full birth certificate. |
| Fee payment receipt | Non-refundable, even in the event of refusal. |
Health insurance: the most frequent reason for rejection
South African law requires health cover with a registered scheme registered in terms of the South African Medical Schemes Act. In other words: a South African mutual.
An international travel insurance is not Not accepted. A Gabonese health insurance is not Not accepted. Even if it’s excellent, even if it covers everything, even if it’s more expensive. The issue isn’t the quality of the cover, it’s the country where the organisation is registered.
So you need to take out a South African health insurance policy before to submit your visa application. Several organisations offer student packages.
The exception: if you are accompanying a parent who holds a work visa and you are registered on their South African medical aid.
Some universities apply their own rule and only accept specific South African products. Check with your institution before enrolling.
Proof of funds
The DHA requires proof that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your studies, furthermore of your tuition and accommodation fees already covered.
A frequently cited reference amount is of the order of £3,000 a month for living expenses. Treat it as a administrative floor, not like a realistic budget Living in Cape Town costs more. A file that settles for the bare minimum is also a fragile one.
Bank statements must be consistent, cover several months, and come from an identifiable institution.
What needs to be anticipated
Processing times vary significantly. The Department of Home Affairs has been experiencing substantial delays for several years, and the periods leading up to the February intake are the busiest.
Do not book your plane ticket before you have your visa. South African missions explicitly remind of this in their instructions.
For a renewal carried out in South Africa via VFS, UCT indicates the following fees: R425 for the Department of Home Affairs and R1,750 For VFS, as from 22nd June 2026, cash payments are not accepted.
Official sources
What the study visa does not do
A point of honesty that few websites address.
The years spent on a student visa do not count for the five-year requirement allowing one to apply for permanent residence via the general work visa.
That does not mean staying after one's studies is impossible. Graduates can notably consider:
- the Critical Skills Work Visa, if their qualification is on the critical skills list — engineering, computing, actuarial science, among others; ;
- the general work visa under the points system, where advanced degrees (Master's, doctorate) provide a significant number of points.
It is better to know this right from the start to build a coherent project, rather than discovering it at the end of the course.
The visa application, put together with you
This is the stage where the most time and money are lost. We go through it with you, line by line.
- Verification of institution recognition by Home Affairs
- Full assembly of the DHA-1738 file
- Referral to a compliant South African medical scheme
- Preparing proof of funds and bank statements
- Coordination of medical and radiological reports
- Monitoring until receipt and arrival preparation
We have it do-it-yourself
Almost twenty years ago, the founder of Okoumé was granted his own student visa for South Africa. Now a permanent resident, he knows the system inside out, including its delays.
- The pitchWe know what Home Affairs is really asking for, beyond what is written.
- In FrenchEvery form, every requirement explained in French, without approximation.
- Until arrivalSupport doesn't stop at the visa: accommodation, bank, first days on site.
Good to know
What visa do I need to study in South Africa?
Can I apply for my visa once I have arrived in South Africa?
Is international travel insurance sufficient for a student visa?
Do I need a yellow fever vaccination certificate?
How much time should I allow to get the visa?
Do years of study count towards permanent residency?
Ready to put together your visa application?
Book your free 30-minute consultation, in French. We will review your situation and the documents to gather.
