What Studying in Malta Really Costs African Students
A first year in Malta totals around €23,300 — roughly ₦36.7M, ₵316,900 or KSh3.45M at June 2026 exchange rates. For a non-EU bachelor's in arts or business at the University of Malta, tuition alone is €8,500 per year, shared accommodation runs approximately €1,400–1,600 monthly, the D-visa costs €100 and the e-Residence permit €50.
Tuition Fees at the University of Malta
The University of Malta is the country’s only globally ranked institution (QS 2026 band 741–750) and the most common study destination for African applicants. Non-EU tuition fees are set by Subsidiary Legislation 327.177 and confirmed as of June 2026:
| Programme type | Annual fee (non-EU) |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s — arts, humanities, business, social science | €8,500 |
| Bachelor’s — science, engineering, health (excl. medicine) | €10,800 |
| Master’s — arts, humanities, business (taught) | €10,800 |
| Master’s — science (taught) | €13,400 |
| Executive MBA | €14,400 |
| Doctor of Medicine & Surgery (MD) | €26,000 |
| Bachelor of Dental Surgery | €24,000 |
| Master of Dental Surgery | €26,000 |
| PhD | €11,000 |
| Foundation Studies (MQF 4) | €6,600 |
| Medical Foundation | €16,000 |
These rates apply across all years of the programme at the same level. A three-year BA in arts or business costs €25,500 in tuition alone (3 × €8,500).
A common error on aggregator sites is quoting “€1,080–1,360 per semester” — that is the EU/EEA part-time evening rate and is not applicable to non-EU students. Do not use it.
Private Institutions
Malta has several private colleges and branch campuses (American University of Malta, GBSB Global, St Martin’s Institute, Global College Malta). Their fees are not confirmed on official machine-readable pages; the American University of Malta is estimated by secondary sources at around €5,000/yr. Before choosing a private institution, confirm fees directly with the admissions office and verify the institution is on the MFHEA licensed-providers register — this is a visa requirement.
Living Costs: What the Numbers Mean
The University of Malta’s International Office publishes detailed living-cost estimates. These are the figures to plan from (as of June 2026):
| Expense | Monthly (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Shared accommodation (2–3 people) | €550–700 per person |
| Single accommodation | €800–1,600 |
| Food and groceries | €450 |
| Mobile / Wi-Fi | €30 |
| Public transport | €0 (free for e-Residence permit holders) |
| Laundry | €80–100 |
| Electricity and water | €50 |
| Other personal | €200–300 |
| Total (sharing, mid-range) | ~€1,410–1,630 |
UM explicitly states these realistic costs are higher than the minimum proof-of-funds figures required for the residence permit. Living in coastal and tourist areas (Sliema, Gżira, St Julian’s, Valletta) pushes accommodation towards the top of the range; inland towns near campus are more affordable. Public transport costs zero once you have your e-Residence card, which helps if you live further from campus.
Proof of Funds: Two Separate Thresholds
You must demonstrate different fund levels at two different stages of the process (as of June 2026; both figures are VOLATILE — re-check before application):
Stage 1 — D-visa (before travel): Bank statement showing at least €746 per month of study (Identità Central Visa Unit checklist, confirmed). Own bank statement plus bank certificate; or sponsor statement if family-funded.
Stage 2 — e-Residence permit (after arrival): Bank statement showing at least €950 per month of stay, excluding tuition paid (UM International Office, confirmed). On a 9-month academic year: approximately €8,550 in accessible funds above tuition.
Neither threshold is a living-cost guide. Budget to the UM realistic estimate (~€1,400–1,600/month) to avoid financial difficulty mid-year.
Visa, Permit and Insurance Costs
| Cost item | Amount (as of June 2026) |
|---|---|
| National Long-Stay D-Visa | €100 (ages 12+) |
| Premium D-visa service (optional) | ~€300 extra |
| e-Residence permit | €50 |
| Health insurance for D-visa (≥€30,000 Schengen cover) | ~€180–250/yr (Estimate) |
| Health insurance for e-Residence permit (UM/MCAST/ITS students) | Exempt |
| Health insurance (students at private institutions) | Policy ≥€100,000 cover required; cost varies |
| TB chest X-ray on arrival (if from high-risk TB country) | Arranged in Malta after arrival; cost variable |
Important: UM, MCAST and ITS students are exempt from the €100,000 health-insurance requirement for the e-Residence permit stage (confirmed by Identità). They still need the €30,000 Schengen cover for the D-visa entry. Students at private institutions need full €100,000 cover throughout. Choosing the University of Malta therefore reduces insurance costs substantially.
Total First-Year Cost: The Honest Estimate
For a BA arts/business student at the University of Malta, sharing accommodation at mid-range costs (as of June 2026):
| Item | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Tuition (BA arts/business) | €8,500 |
| Accommodation (sharing, €625/mo × 12) | €7,500 |
| Food (€450/mo × 12) | €5,400 |
| Mobile/Wi-Fi (€30/mo × 12) | €360 |
| Electricity/water (€50/mo × 12) | €600 |
| Laundry (€90/mo × 12) | €1,080 |
| Other personal (€250/mo × 12) | €3,000 |
| D-visa | €100 |
| e-Residence permit | €50 |
| Health insurance for D-visa | ~€250 |
| Total (approximate) | ~€26,840 |
The Malta our destination research file calculates a first-year indicative figure of ~€23,300 using a slightly lower monthly living estimate (tuition €8,500 + living ~€14,400 + D-visa €100 + permit €50 + insurance ~€250). Your actual total depends on accommodation choices and lifestyle. Treat both figures as planning ranges, not guarantees.
In African Currencies (June 2026 Rates)
Using World Study Africa verified figures (26 June 2026) FX rates. African currencies are volatile — re-check before any payment.
| Total cost | NGN (₦1,575/€) | GHS (₵13.6/€) | KES (KSh 148/€) | USD (Zim, $1.14/€) | ZMW (22.5/€) | ZAR (R18.8/€) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition BA arts/bus €8,500 | ₦13.4M | ₵115,600 | KSh1.26M | $9,690 | ZMW191,250 | R159,800 |
| Tuition BA science €10,800 | ₦17.0M | ₵146,880 | KSh1.60M | $12,312 | ZMW243,000 | R203,040 |
| Tuition MA science €13,400 | ₦21.1M | ₵182,240 | KSh1.98M | $15,276 | ZMW301,500 | R251,920 |
| First year total ~€26,840 | ₦42.3M | ₵364,900 | KSh3.97M | $30,598 | ZMW603,900 | R504,592 |
| First year (conservative ~€23,300) | ₦36.7M | ₵316,880 | KSh3.45M | $26,562 | ZMW524,250 | R437,840 |
Multi-Year Programme Costs
| Degree | Duration | Tuition total | Indicative total (tuition + living + fees) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA arts/business | 3 years | €25,500 | ~€72,000–80,000 |
| BA science | 3 years | €32,400 | ~€79,000–87,000 |
| MA arts/business (taught) | 1–2 years | €10,800–21,600 | ~€33,000–48,000 |
| MA science (taught) | 1–2 years | €13,400–26,800 | ~€36,000–54,000 |
| PhD | 3+ years | €33,000+ | Varies significantly |
Living costs are estimated at ~€15,000–18,000 per year (sharing); adjust for your actual accommodation choice.
Scholarships and Funding for African Students
The honest picture is that Malta has limited scholarship funding for African students:
MFA Malta scholarship: Confirmed open only to Ghanaian and Nigerian students. Other African nationalities are not eligible under this scheme.
Endeavour II (Government of Malta): Requires a permanent residence permit for foreign nationals. This disqualifies any fresh applicant from abroad. Not a route for African students arriving to study.
University of Malta scholarships: UM’s listed schemes cover master’s-by-research and PhD students, and the Islands and Small States Institute — no broad taught-degree international scholarship is listed on UM’s scholarship page.
Commonwealth Scholarship: Malta is a Commonwealth member. Whether Commonwealth Scholarship Commission awards fund study in Malta for African applicants is not confirmed in our research; check directly at cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk.
Home-country scholarships for Malta-based study: Chevening is UK-hosted and funds study in the UK, not Malta. DAAD funds Germany, not Malta. If you are Nigerian, Kenyan, Ghanaian or South African, check the eligibility checker for schemes applicable to your nationality — some home-government bursaries are destination-flexible.
The realistic position: most African students in Malta are self-funded or supported by family, employer, or government scholarships from their home country.
Can Part-Time Work Cover the Gap?
Non-EU students may work up to 20 hours per week after receiving the e-Residence permit. At Malta’s 2026 minimum wage of €5.74/hour (DIER, as of April 2026; volatile — re-check), 20 hours/week generates approximately €114.80/week, or roughly €4,592 over a 40-week year before tax. This is approximately 20% of a realistic annual living budget and should be treated as a modest supplement, not a primary funding source.
The Credential You Pay For
The University of Malta’s ranking (QS 741–750 in 2026 — its best-ever position) and Schengen EU membership mean graduates hold a recognised European credential with freedom to work across the EU, subject to local immigration rules. That is the return on the investment. Whether it is the right return for your specific field and career plan is worth modelling against the alternatives in Germany, Ireland, Cyprus and Hungary. See the full destination comparison.
How World Study Africa Helps
We help you calculate whether your planned funding (savings, family support, scholarship) meets both the visa threshold and the realistic living budget before you apply — not after you have paid fees. Our core service is free; we earn a commission of 15–25% from partner universities and never charge students for financial planning or visa support.
For the monthly budget line by line, see The Real Monthly Student Budget in Malta. For visa-stage timelines and document checklists, see the Malta visa guide. To check whether your nationality qualifies for MFA Malta or other funding, use the eligibility checker or chat with our WhatsApp advisor.
Frequently asked questions
Non-EU tuition at UM ranges from €8,500/yr (arts and business bachelor's) to €13,400/yr (science master's). Medicine costs €26,000/yr and dentistry €24,000/yr. These are the rates in Subsidiary Legislation 327.177; individual course pages may differ — verify per programme. EU and EEA students pay heavily subsidised fees.
A three-year BA in arts or business at the University of Malta costs approximately €8,500 × 3 = €25,500 in tuition. Add annual living costs of roughly €26,000–30,000 (accommodation, food and personal expenses), visa and permit fees of €150 in year one, and your total three-year investment is in the region of €103,000–115,000. This is indicative — actual costs depend heavily on accommodation choices and personal spending.
The Malta MFA scholarship is confirmed open to Ghanaian and Nigerian students only. The Endeavour II government scheme requires a permanent residence permit and is not available to fresh applicants from abroad. The University of Malta does offer master's-by-research and doctoral scholarships; no broad taught-degree scholarship for international students is listed on UM's website. Self-funding or home-country sponsorship is the realistic route for most African students.
Yes. Private institutions such as the American University of Malta are estimated at around €5,000/yr by secondary sources, but official fee pages are not machine-readable — confirm directly with the institution before relying on any figure. The University of Malta is the only globally ranked institution (QS 741–750) and carries the lowest visa risk because its courses are clearly MFHEA-licensed.
Two thresholds apply. For the D-visa entry: at least €746/month of study (75% of the 2026 national minimum wage), as confirmed on Identità's checklist. For the e-Residence permit: at least €950/month excluding tuition. Show both — they apply at different stages. Budget substantially above these minimums for actual comfort.