Study in Malta from Africa

Here you’ll find the real cost to study in Malta (in euros and Naira), the universities worth your time, the student-visa process step by step, your right to work, and an honest look at refusal risk.

Why study in Malta?

For African students weighing Europe, Malta has a short list of real advantages — and a few honest catches.

• English is an official language. Malta’s official languages are Maltese and English, and English is the language of instruction at the University of Malta. Nearly every bachelor’s and master’s degree is taught in English — no German or French to learn first.
• It’s in the EU and Schengen. A Maltese residence permit lets you travel across the Schengen area, and your degree is an EU qualification.
• Foreign students are normal here. Foreign students make up about 30.8% of all post-secondary and tertiary students and 37% at tertiary level — one of the highest international shares in the EU. International enrolment grew +27% in a single year.
• Small, safe and sunny. Malta is a small Mediterranean island nation, easy to get around, with free public transport for residence-permit holders.

One honest catch on English. Being from an English-speaking African country does not automatically waive the English test. The University of Malta’s nationality-based exemption list covers only named countries (UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, etc.) — Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa are not on it. Most African applicants still need IELTS/TOEFL/PTE, or UM’s own on-campus ISET test — unless they hold a UK GCE/GCSE, MATSEC or IB English pass. Ignore any agent who tells you the test is automatically skipped.

How much does it cost to study in Malta? (in Naira)

Your two big costs are tuition and living. Malta also makes you prove funds in two stages — a lower figure for the entry visa, a higher one for the residence permit after you arrive. Here are the verified University of Malta figures for non-EU students, with Naira conversions at €1 ≈ ₦1,575 (as of June 2026; Naira rates are volatile — re-check before transferring money).

Tuition at the University of Malta (non-EU, per year)

Source: University of Malta official non-EU fee schedule (Subsidiary Legislation 327.177). Individual course pages may differ — verify per course. VOLATILE. Don’t be quoted the “€1,080–1,360 per semester” figure circulating online — that is the EU/EEA evening-rate, not the third-country fee.

Living costs (University of Malta official guide)

Source: University of Malta living-costs guide. UM notes these realistic costs are higher than the minimum the visa requires — budget to the real figure, not the minimum.

Proof of funds — the two-stage rule

This trips up many applicants. You prove funds twice, at different amounts:

• Stage 1 — entry D-visa: a bank statement showing at least 75% of Malta’s minimum wage per month of study — about €746/month (≈ ₦1.17M).
• Stage 2 — residence permit (after arrival): at least €950/month, excluding tuition (≈ ₦1.49M/month, ≈ €11,400/year ≈ ₦17.8M).

Want the full breakdown with every fee in Naira? See our cost of studying in Malta page. The currency question — how much is Malta currency to Naira — matters here: budget in euros, but always re-check the live ₦/EUR rate before you transfer money, because Naira rates move fast.

Universities in Malta for international students

Be realistic: Malta does not have ten or fifteen ranked universities. It has one globally ranked, comprehensive public university plus a handful of public and private institutions. Choose an MFHEA-licensed provider — Malta has tightened scrutiny of bogus colleges, and the public institutions carry the lowest visa risk.

English-taught throughout. Unlike Germany, English is the standard medium at both bachelor’s and master’s level at UM — a real advantage for African applicants. The hurdle isn’t the teaching language; it’s the English test (see the box above) and the visa.

A note on malta universities for international students: the public University of Malta is the best-value, lowest-visa-risk pathway for most African students. Private colleges can be quicker to admit you, but check the licence, the fees and — importantly — the health-insurance rule (private-college students need €100,000 cover; UM/MCAST/ITS students are exempt).

The Malta student visa — and an honest word on refusals

Since 1 March 2024, every non-EU student on a course longer than 90 days needs a National Long-Stay “D” Visa to enter, then converts to an e-Residence Permit after arriving. Here’s the shape of it.

What you apply for, and where:
– Entry D-visa — submitted at a VFS / authorised service provider, at least 9 weeks before your course starts. Malta has no resident mission in most African capitals, so applications route through VFS.
– e-Residence Permit — applied for in person, in Malta, within your first 90 days, via the Identità Expatriates Unit portal.

Core requirements (D-visa):
– Acceptance letter from an MFHEA-licensed course + proof of payment
– Passport valid at least 10 months
– Proof of funds (the ~€746/month figure above)
– Schengen medical insurance, minimum €30,000 cover
– Confirmed flights and at least 14 nights’ accommodation
– TB chest X-ray if you were born in or lived 6+ months in a high-risk TB country (most African origins) — done within 4 weeks of arrival, plus an immunisation certificate
– D-visa fee: €100 (≈ ₦156,000); residence-permit fee €50 (≈ ₦78,000)

The honest part — refusal reputation. Malta has a reputation among Schengen states for tough short-stay visa scrutiny and a high refusal rate, and it has openly tightened controls on student-visa abuse. We won’t pretend that away. What it means for you: a thin or rushed application is a real risk. How we strengthen yours:
– We make sure your funds genuinely meet the two-stage rule, with clean 3-month bank statements and the right bank certificate.
– We pick MFHEA-licensed institutions only — bogus-college applications are a fast route to refusal.
– We get your credentials recognised through MQRIC (Malta’s ENIC-NARIC centre — there is no APS for Malta) and your English test sorted early.
– We apply 9+ weeks ahead and meet UM’s earlier non-EU deadline (1 July for the October intake), so nothing is last-minute.

For the cross-country basics on student visas and proof of funds, see our student visa guide. Cyprus is a common alternative many African students compare Malta against — see study in Cyprus for the honest trade-offs (Cyprus is not in Schengen, and its post-study rights are weaker).

Working while studying — and after you graduate

• During study: non-EU students can work up to 20 hours per week, but only after the e-Residence permit is issued. Access runs through Jobsplus. Malta’s minimum wage is about €229/week (≈ €5.74/hour) in 2026.
• After you graduate: Malta offers a “Graduate Seeking Employment” residence permit, reported to last around 12 months, to look for a job. Important honesty note: this is for master’s and doctoral (MQF 7/8) graduates — Malta has no UK-style automatic Graduate Route, so bachelor’s graduates have a weaker post-study pathway. With a job offer you move to a Single Permit (combined work + residence).

If your priority is staying on to work, the master’s route is the stronger play in Malta.

Is Malta right for you?

Malta suits you if:

• You want an English-taught EU degree without learning a new language.
• You can self-fund or are sponsored — Malta’s flagship government scholarships (e.g. Endeavour II) require a permanent residence permit, so they’re not open to fresh applicants from abroad, and UM’s own awards are research-only. Realistic funding is home-country sponsorship or self-funding. See our scholarships hub for the pan-European options.
• You’re planning a master’s and value the post-study job-search permit.
• You’re ready to build a strong, genuine visa application rather than a rushed one.

Malta is less ideal if you need a fully funded scholarship, want a guaranteed long post-study work route after a bachelor’s, or can’t comfortably show the two-stage funds.

How we help

World Study helps African students choose an MFHEA-licensed Malta programme, prepare a clean application (credential recognition via MQRIC, English test sorted early, funds documented properly), and build a visa application strong enough for Malta’s scrutiny — honestly, with real costs in Naira and no inflated promises. Our core guidance is free; you only pay if you choose optional premium visa-and-relocation support.

[Talk to a World Study advisor on WhatsApp →] (pre-filled: “Hi, I read your Study in Malta page and want to know if I qualify.”) or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see which Malta options fit your grades and budget.