Zambia study permit

A study permit is issued to a foreign national who intends to study full time or part time at a Zambian educational institution. Children and dependants of permit holders must also obtain study permits to study for more than three months, unless they hold residence permits in their own right, in which case the occupation on the permit must read student.

Section 26 of the Immigration and Deportation Act requires full-time students to apply while outside Zambia and to stay outside until the permit is issued, unless they were already ordinarily resident in Zambia or are refugees. The permit is granted to applicants who are not prohibited immigrants and who have been accepted for a programme lasting more than three months.

Submit a covering letter to the Director General of Immigration or the regional immigration officer, a certified passport copy, the acceptance letter from the institution, a medical report from a Zambian government medical facility, a letter of support from the sponsor (the institution, host, parent, guardian or yourself if self-funded), proof of the sponsor's status in Zambia and evidence of the sponsor's financial position, together with the fee.

The 2024 table lists ZMW 9,000 to issue, ZMW 12,000 to renew and ZMW 9,000 for a variation such as a change of school in its first schedule. In the second schedule, for government, quasi-government, NGO and non-profit cases, issuance is ZMW 4,667 and renewal ZMW 7,333. Card payments add about one per cent.

Renewal requires a covering letter from the school, the latest transcript or progress report and the fee (ZMW 12,000). To change school, submit your letter, the acceptance letter from the new school and the latest report from the previous one.

Holders must comply with the conditions of the permit and may not engage for gain in any business, trade, employment or profession not specified in it.

The permit names the educational institution. It lets the holder enter, re-enter and remain in Zambia while under instruction there, plus a reasonable period to complete the programme. The institution must certify to the Director General that it has received guarantees that the fees will be paid and that the student has enough means to live in Zambia, and it must notify the Director General and surrender the permit when the student completes the studies.

Under section 10 of the Immigration and Deportation Act, an immigration officer who takes a decision that adversely affects you must tell you the reasons and give you at least 48 hours to make representations; the officer then has 14 days to reply. You may appeal to the Minister of Home Affairs within 48 hours of that decision, and the Minister, after consulting the Director General, may reverse or modify it within ten days. A further appeal to a court must be lodged within 48 hours of the Minister's decision; without an appeal the decision is final.