The one that delays people
The parental consent letter, if you are under 18, has to be attested by the UAE Embassy and by your Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That happens in your country, involves two offices, and can take weeks.
Studying at TIIB
The UAE student visa
TIIB sponsors your visa and runs the process. This page is the whole sequence, what it costs, and the one document that delays people.
The short version
- Sponsor
- TIIB
- Valid for
- 12 months
- Renewed
- Every year you study
You supply documents and turn up to appointments. Everything else on this page is TIIB doing the filing.
What it costs
One all-inclusive fee, paid with your first tuition instalment. Which of the two you pay depends on where you are when you apply, not on your nationality.
We are not publishing an annual renewal figure yet. It was recorded twice at two different amounts, so ask admissions to confirm the current one in writing before you budget for year two.
Visa fees
- New visa, applying from outside the UAE
- AED 5,500
- New visa, applying from inside the UAE
- AED 6,500
Both fees include
- Entry permit
- Medical fitness test
- Emirates ID
- Health insurance
- Visa stamping
- Administration
Nothing else to pay for the first visa.
The documents
Six items. Five are straightforward and one is not, so start that one the day you accept your offer.
- The visa application form, which admissions sends you.
- A colour scan of every page of your passport, valid for at least another year.
- Two passport photographs on a white background.
- Your unconditional offer letter from TIIB.
- Proof that you have paid the tuition instalment your offer asks for.
- If you are under 18, a parental consent letter attested by the UAE Embassy and your Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The sequence
Five steps, two countries, and one wait in the middle that you spend at home. End to end, allow 25 to 45 working days, roughly five to nine weeks, from the day your documents are complete.
- 1
Accept and pay
Accept your offer and pay the tuition instalment along with the visa fee.
- 2
Submit your documents
Send admissions the six documents above. Anything missing stops the clock here rather than later.
- 3
The entry permit is filed
TIIB files for your entry permit. It takes 10 to 15 working days.
- 4
Travel on the permit
The permit arrives and is valid for two months. You fly to Dubai on it.
- 5
Finish it here
Medical test, Emirates ID and stamping, in Dubai. Another 15 to 20 working days.
Renewing it
Start a month before it expires. Admissions files the renewal the same way it filed the first one, and it needs four things from you.
- Your passport, the copy and the original for the medical.
- Your Emirates ID.
- Two passport photographs.
- Proof that tuition is paid for the coming academic year.
While you hold it
- You may work up to 20 hours a week while your programme is running.
- Keep your enrolment and your fee payments current. The visa depends on both.
- Carry your Emirates ID.
- If you withdraw, transfer or graduate, cancel the visa formally through TIIB.
- Overstaying means government fines, and they are yours to pay.
After you graduate
Graduates may be eligible for longer-term residence under UAE government schemes for outstanding students, entrepreneurs and professionals. Those are assessed individually rather than granted automatically, and admissions can tell you what the current routes ask for.
Questions people ask
Who sponsors my student visa?
TIIB sponsors your student visa and runs the process for you. It is valid for twelve months and is renewed each year while you study.
What does the student visa cost?
AED 5,500 if you are applying from outside the UAE, AED 6,500 if you are already inside it. That covers the entry permit, medical fitness test, Emirates ID, health insurance, stamping and administration. There are no separate charges on top.
How long does the visa take?
The entry permit takes 10 to 15 working days once your documents are in. After you arrive, the medical test, Emirates ID and stamping take another 15 to 20 working days. Allow 25 to 45 working days end to end.
Can I work while I study?
Yes, for up to 20 hours a week as long as you are enrolled. That is the ceiling UAE labour rules set for students, and the internship on a two-year diploma is built to fit inside it.
What are my responsibilities while I hold the visa?
Five things, and the page above lists them in full. The two that matter most: the visa is tied to your enrolment and your fee payments, so let admissions know before either lapses, and when you leave, whether you graduate, transfer or withdraw, TIIB has to cancel it formally rather than letting it run out. Fines for overstaying are set by the government and are yours to pay.
Also useful
- Where to live
Book housing before you fly, not after you land.
- Why Dubai
What the city is like once the paperwork is behind you.
- The visa, step by step
The same sequence written as a guide, with the questions people ask along the way.
The visa starts with an offer
The visa file cannot open until you hold an unconditional offer, so the application is the first step of the visa. Admissions answers on admissions@tiib.co and on WhatsApp.
An admissions counsellor replies within one working day.