Student visas 

Accordingly to UAE law, all international students in UAE need a student visa. You will need to apply for a student visa, if you are enrolling on a full-time course as a full time student for an undergraduate or postgraduate programme at the University of Birmingham Dubai under the sponsorship of the University. If you are enrolling for part-time course you will need to apply for other visa category which will not fall under the University sponsorship. This can either be a visa sponsored by parent, employment visa or any other category that may apply as per the policy guidelines set by GDRFA and DCCA.

University of Birmingham Dubai provides a straightforward visa sponsorship service for students on a full-time programme who are not UAE residents. This allows our students to study and reside in the country for a 12 month period, renewable each year to cover the duration of your programme. 

To qualify for University of Birmingham Dubai visa sponsorship and to start the process you should have accepted an unconditional offer for your full-time programme and have completed the on-line registration  process. Once you have registered, please fill in our visa application form. Please note that you will also need to fill in and attach the undertaking form, which is available here. 

If you have any questions about visa process email us on dubaistudentmobility@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Applying for a Visa

To apply for visa sponsorship, you will need to complete the on-line visa application form along with the following documentation:

  • Clear colour Passport copy (with at least 6 months’ validity)
  • Passport photo (white background max size 2mb jpeg/pdf)
  • Signed Student undertaking form
  • Copy of current visa (if you are inside UAE)

If you have any questions about visa process, please contact us on dubaistudentmobility@contacts.bham.ac.uk.  

If you are already under Parent or Employee Sponsorship Visa and do not require our Sponsorship, please fill in this brief form to confirm your immigration status. 

Student Visa Cost

 

New Visa                                                                                                                                                   AED

Visa Deposit

Visa Deposit charge of AED 3000 is a one-time payment which the University may use to meet visa-related expenses and security which occur throughout your study at University of Birmingham Dubai should you fail to meet their duties in maintaining your immigration status

This amount will be retained by the University until the visa is cancelled and the University’s sponsor duties have ceased. See our visa pages and FAQs for full details.

You are eligible for a refund of the full amount or a balance remainder of this charge after visa cancellation.  Any fines/charges imposed from General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners (GDRFA) or AXS will be deducted from the visa deposit. Any fines, penalties and additional charges incurred because of late submission of documents required will be the sole responsibility of the student.

           3000AED

Medical Insurance

Please note that medical insurance can only be availed by students who are 35 years old or less.

1031.10AED

(includes VAT)

 

Normal (AED)

Express (AED)

Outside Country Visa Service Package

1987

3363

Inside Country Visa Service Package

3617

4993

 Visa Administration Charges

 850AED

Fees for Visa cancellation or renewal (returning/existing students only)
                                                                                                                                               Normal (AED)Express (AED)
Visa renewal (passport must have at least 6 months validty at time of renewal) 1630 2428
Medical insurance 1031.10 1031.10
Visa Administration Charges 250 250
Total 2911.10 3709.10
     
Visa cancellation 450 1028

*All the fee charges as mentioned above may be subject to change as per rules and regulations of the Govt of U.A.E

Visa validity

University of Birmingham Dubai student visas are issued for duration of 1 year and will need to be renewed for each academic year.

Please note that your passport must have at least 6 months validity on it when applying for visa renewal.

Visa processing time

The new visa application process (to issue an entry visa) normally takes up to 7 to 14 working days and all applications undergo a security check by UAE government authorities. Some applications may take up to 1 month to be processed, therefore it is essential that you apply for your visa by 10th December.  Some visa applicants may also be required to submit additional documentation by the UAE government authorities (e.g. attested birth certificate, translated in Arabic).

Please note below timelines for processing a student visa in UAE. You will need an entry permit (e-visa) to enter UAE, which will be sent to you by the University once your student e-visa is issued.  Once you are in UAE we will start with the student residency visa process.

Service

Entry Permit (before arrival)

Normal (Inside/Outside Country Application)

 

Will take 14 working days from the date applied on AXS

Express (Inside/Outside Country Application)

Will take 7-10 Working days from the date applied on AXS

Once you are in UAE, we will start with the residence visa process which involves a medical fitness test and biometric to complete your residency.  Once you have completed this process, residency visa will be stamped on your passport and emirates ID will be issued to you.

Service

Residence Visa ( after arrival)

Normal (Inside/Outside Country Application)                                       

Visa process will take 4-5 weeks from the date of arrival intimation/local  amendment

Express (Inside/Outside Country Application)

Will take 3-4 Weeks from the date of arrival intimation/local amendment

While your student visa is in process please note that you cannot travel to or exit UAE on any other visa category. You will have to wait till your student visa is issued. Failure to follow this guideline can have cost and other immigration implications and fines and will also delay your student visa application.

Please note that these visa timelines are just for your information and can vary depending on how busy the immigration office is at the time of student visa application.

What is Student Undertaking Letter? Where I can find this template?

A student, prior to enrolment shall execute an Undertaking Letter which shall define the obligations and duties of the student towards ( DCCA ) Dubai Creative Clusters Authority. To get this form is available here.

Important:

An NOC letter filled by father is a mandatory requirement if you are 18 years old or under. Please note that in some cases, an NOC letter might also be required by immigration regardless of the age. We will request you for this if the need arises.

Medical Insurance

Students sponsored by the University of Birmingham Dubai are required to obtain and maintain health insurance as required by the Dubai Media and Technology Free Zone Area (DMTZA) and as part of the Dubai visa laws, all students must have health insurance for the duration of their visa. 

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) compliant Medical insurance is compulsory for all students. Medical insurance aims to provide cover for most expenses incurred by students in a wide network of hospitals and clinics in the UAE, whether as an outpatient, inpatient or emergency admission.

University of Birmingham Dubai has partnered with AXS and ADNIC - to provide students under University visa sponsorship with access to a comprehensive and competitively priced medical insurance plan. This partnership has been established to aim to make it easier for prospective students to access medical insurance in Dubai. The University of Birmingham Dubai does not provide the medical insurance cover; this is provided by ADNIC. Should you opt to take this insurance, your contract of insurance will be with ADNIC. Students are free to arrange their own medical insurance should they wish; however, the level of cover will need to comply with DMTZA and Dubai law.

Please note that University of Birmingham Dubai (UOBD) visa-sponsored students who opt to access medical insurance through the UOBD will receive medical insurance cover immediately after entering UAE.

University of Birmingham Dubai provides access to medical health insurance through ADNIC coverage on a paid basis to both new and returning students. The student is responsible for annually paying the cost of this medical insurance to the insurer, although the University will then set up the medical insurance on the student’s behalf as part of the visa application through AXS. 

You can refer to the Hospital & Pharmacy Network to find out which clinics, hospitals and pharmacies around you accept your medical insurance. 

Your Medical insurance is linked with your emirates ID card. Your Emirates ID card is your medical insurance card for this scheme. Emirates ID needs to be presented every time at the clinic or hospital at the time of the treatment/visit.