Study in Cyprus - Cyprus Student Visa Application and Requirements (2024)

Non-EU nationals who want to study in Cyprus must obtain a Cyprus student visa.

Cyprus is an attractive destination for international students, due to the fact that both tuition and living costs are lower, there’s usually no need for an IELTS/TOEFL test for admission, and it offers a high quality of education. The constant pleasant climate and culture are also a benefit.

If you are thinking of studying in Cyprus but aren’t sure what to do or where you stand in terms of Cyprus student visas, this article aims to answer some of your questions. Also you can read the related article about moving to Cyprus to find more information about living there.

Who Needs to Apply for a Visa to Study in Cyprus?

You need a Cyprus student visa if you:

• Want to study in Cyprus for a period longer than 90 days; and
• Are not a citizen of a European Union member state or of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland (EFTA).

This also includes nationals who are exempt from holding a Cyprus tourist visa, as visa exemptions for non-EU/EFTA citizens only apply for short-term stays (up to 90 days).

As Cyprus is part of the EU, other EU and EFTA nationals do not need a visa to visit, study, or work in Cyprus.

What are the Requirements for a Cyprus Study Visa?

When you apply for a Cyprus student visa, you must have several supporting documents, such as:

• A Cyprus entry visa application form, completed and signed.
• Your passport, which must be valid for at least one more year, starting from the date of arrival into Cyprus. It should also have at least one blank page for the visa to be affixed on.
• Four recent passport-sized pictures, taken in front of a white background
• Letter of acceptance from the Cyprus educational institution.
• Originals of prior academic qualifications along with certified copies of them translated into English.
• Proof you have sufficient financial means to sustain yourself in Cyprus, such as bank statements, a scholarship, or a letter of sponsorship.
• Certificate of police clearance issued in the past six months from police authorities in your country
• If you have a sponsor: A bank guarantee, issued by your sponsor’s bank, stating the sponsor will cover your costs of living and studying in Cyprus. The bank guarantee must be issued in the last six months.
• Travel health insurance.
• Any additional documents that your educational institution requires that you submit.

Additionally, after you enter Cyprus, you are also required to:

• Get health insurance in Cyprus, to cover the duration of your stay
• Undergo a medical examination for hepatitis B and C, HIV and Syphilis and get a chest X-Ray to prove you do not have tuberculosis.

Keep in mind: This is not an exhaustive list of requirements. Your educational institution is in charge of informing you specifically what documents you have to submit and guide you through the application process.

»Required documents for Cyprus visa application.

How Can I Get a Cyprus Study Visa?

Before you can apply for a Cyprus student visa, you must be accepted into a Cyprus educational institution. Your school then makes arrangements for you to apply for a visa. There are two ways through which you can get a Cyprus student visa:

1. Yourself, through the Cyprus diplomatic mission in your country (an embassy or consulate)
2. You send the documents to your university and they apply on your behalf at the Migration Department in Cyprus

Applying through a Cyprus diplomatic mission

If there is a Cypriot consulate or embassy in your country, you must apply for your Cyprus student there. The application process is as follows:

• You send the following documents to your school:
  • A completed application form
  • Four passport-size pictures
  • Certified copies of your academic qualifications
  • Proof of your English proficiency (if required)
  • Photocopy of your passport
• Your educational institution arranges an appointment and interview for you at the Cyprus diplomatic mission in your country
• You attend the interview and submit the required documents
• If your visa is approved, you pick up your documents and the visa and are allowed to travel to Cyprus

Applying through the Migration Department in Cyprus

If there is no Cyprus diplomatic mission in your country, the application process for a Cyprus student visa is as follows:

• Send the required documents to your school
• They will submit an application on your behalf at the Migration Department in Cyprus
• If your application is approved, your school will send you a copy of the visa and you may travel to Cyprus

After arriving in Cyprus – Student Residence Permit

After you arrive in Cyprus on a student visa, you must apply for your Temporary Cyprus Residence Permit at the Cyprus Migration Department. It is the residence permit which allows you to legally live and study in Cyprus for over 90 days.

The student visa which you have already received prior to traveling is simply an entry visa. It is not the whole requirement you need to study in Cyprus as a non-EU/EFTA national.

Upon arrival, you must also undergo medical examinations for hepatitis B and C, HIV and Syphilis and get a chest X-Ray.

To get a Cyprus Temporary Residence Permit, you must submit the following documents to the Migration Department in Cyprus:

• Temporary Residence Permit Application Form.
• Your Cyprus student visa.
• The Letter of Acceptance into your school.
• Your medical examination results.
• Proof of accommodation in Cyprus.
• Proof you have obtained health insurance.
• Copy of your passport.

The Migration Department will register your biometrics and take your signature before they issue your student residence permit.

Do I Have to Pay for a Cyprus Student Visa Fee?

Yes, all Cyprus visa applicants have to pay a visa processing fee upon application. The Cyprus visa fees are as follows:

However, keep in mind that different fee charges may apply depending on the method of application. Additionally, you also have to pay a fee when you apply for a Cyprus residence permit as well as for your medical examinations.

How long does it take to process a Cyprus student visa?

A student visa for Cyprus takes about a month to be processed once the Cypriot authorities handling your application receive your completed documents.

You should take into account the time your documents will take to be sent by post or whether there’s any mistake which needs to be corrected.

As such, you should start applying for a Cyprus student visa 2-3 months before you intend to travel to Cyprus.

What is the Duration of a Cyprus Study visa?

The temporary Cyprus student residence permit you receive is valid for only 1 year. However, it can be renewed annually for the entire duration of your studies.

How Can I Renew a Cyprus Student Residence Permit?

You must apply to renew your student residence permit for Cyprus at least one month before your current permit expires. You have to lodge an application at the Migration Department by submitting the following documents:

• Temporary Residence Permit Application Form
• A copy of your passport
• A Letter of Registration from your school
• Your school transcripts for all the semesters you finished in Cyprus
• Your original Temporary Residence Permit
• Proof of accommodation
• Proof of sufficient financial means (statements from a bank in Cyprus)
• Proof of health insurance

Can I Work With a Cyprus Study Visa?

Yes, it is possible to work with a Cyprus student visa but under specific conditions. You may only work up to 20 hours per week in certain industries/positions such as:

• Manufacturing:
  • Working in a bakery
  • Forage production
  • Recycling
  • Night-shift workers
• Household Activities
• Health and Social Care (in homes for the elderly)
• Agriculture or husbandry
• Food delivery
• In restaurants/other recreational centers:
  • Kitchen Assistants
  • Cleaners
• Gas station/car wash

You must have a work contract and submit it to a District Employment Office for approval. You may also be allowed to get a work permit for practical training during the summer holidays, but check with your school beforehand.

Can I Visit Other EU Countries With a Cyprus Student Visa?

No, since Cyprus is not yet a member of the Schengen Agreement, a Cyprus visa, student or otherwise, does not allow you to travel to any country within the Schengen zone.

However, you can travel to Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania – other EU member states which are scheduled to join Schengen in the near future.