Non-EU students could face €1200 in government fees to study in Malta
Students from outside the European Union could soon pay more to study in Malta. If passed, the bill implementing the 2027 budget would raise the standard fee for a long-stay study visa from €100 to €300 and the fee for a first study residence permit from €50 to €500. A new annual contribution of €400 would also apply to adult students covered by the measure.
Students from outside the EU who need both a long-stay visa and a residence permit to study in Malta could face €1,200 in government fees from January 2027, before paying for tuition, travel or accommodation. The total would reach €1,300 for an adult using the extended visa service, where all three charges apply.
The figures come from Bill 15, the Budget Measures Implementation Bill introduced in Parliament on 26 October. It proposes raising the standard long-stay visa fee from €100 to €300 and the extended service fee from €150 to €400.
A first study residence permit would cost €500, with renewals at €150. The separate €400 annual infrastructure contribution would be payable on issue, with minors exempt from that contribution.
English-language schools and private colleges recruit from abroad
The visa increase matters to Malta’s English-language schools, which enrolled 76,063 foreign students across 34 licensed schools in 2025, according to the National Statistics Office. That figure covers students of different nationalities and course lengths.
The Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations Malta (FELTOM) has called on the government to pause the proposed fee increases and consult the education sector. In a statement reported by Times of Malta on 12 November, the federation warned that higher upfront costs could deter students from choosing Malta, particularly for programmes requiring longer stays. It said any additional revenue should be weighed against potential losses in enrolment and student spending on accommodation, hospitality, transport and other local services.
Private universities could be affected
The changes would also reach students applying to Malta’s private universities and colleges. The American University of Malta, GBS Malta and Global College Malta are among the providers that publish admissions or immigration guidance for international applicants. Across Malta’s tertiary sector, 21.9% of enrolments in 2023–24 were by non-EU nationals, according to the NSO. That figure covers public and private providers and includes online enrolments.
What the Budget 2027 bill would change
The bill also proposes higher fees for family reunification and long-term residence. For workers renewing a standard Single Permit, it lists €150 per year for the renewal and a separate €400 annual infrastructure contribution. The two charges would bring a one-year renewal to €550 where both apply.
The table compares selected current rates with the proposals in Bill 15.
Fee | Current rate | Proposed 2027 rate |
Long-stay study visa, standard service | €100 | €300 |
Long-stay study visa, extended service | €150 | €400 |
First study residence permit | €50 | €500 |
Study residence permit renewal | €50 | €150 |
First standard Single Permit | €600 | €800 |
Standard Single Permit renewal | €150 per year | €150 per year, €550 total if the €400 annual infrastructure contribution applies. |
Single Permit for a change of employer | €600 | €800 |
Single Permit for a change of job designation | €300 | €150 |
First family reunification or Family Members Policy permit | €50 per applicant | €800 per applicant |
Family reunification or Family Members Policy permit renewal | €50 per applicant | €150 per applicant |
Long-term residence | €500 for a first application | €1,000 for a first application or renewal of the five-year residence document |
Infrastructure contribution | — | €400 per year, with minors exempt, such as exemption to TCNs under 18 |
The €400 Infrastructure contribution tentatively explained
In his Budget speech on 26 October, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said the proposed €400 annual infrastructure contribution would apply to people applying for a permit for the first time and to those renewing one. Article 102 of the Budget 2027 implementation bill lists it as a separate charge for third-country national permit holders, payable when the permit is issued. Children under 18 would be exempt. The bill proposes a start date of 1 January 2027.
For an adult renewing a standard Single Permit for one year, the contribution would bring the total to €550, made up of the €150 renewal fee and the €400 contribution.
For an adult student who needs a standard long-stay visa and a first study residence permit, the three charges would come to €1,200 where all apply.
Health Minister Ian Borg told Times of Malta that eligible healthcare workers would keep their reduced work permit rates and would still pay the €400 contribution.
The bill leaves several practical questions open. It gives no collection timetable for permits valid for more than one year and does not specify how applications already pending on 1 January would be treated.
FELTOM has called for the government to clarify how each charge would apply to international students and to provide transitional arrangements for those who have already booked, enrolled or applied.
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