UAE Golden Visa for outstanding students
Students qualify for the UAE Golden Visa with at least 95% in Grade 12 at a UAE school, or a bachelor’s GPA of 3.5 from a top-100 world university or a Category A UAE university (3.8 for Category B), within two years of graduating. Certificates must be attested by the Ministry of Education. In Dubai, GDRFA lists fees of AED 1,640 and a five-day completion time.
Student and graduate criteria
| Applicant | Grade requirement | Other conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary school (UAE) | 95% or equivalent | Public or licensed private school; certificate attested by the Ministry of Education. |
| UAE university — Category A | GPA 3.5 / 4.0 | Bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate from a licensed university; graduated within two years; attested. |
| UAE university — Category B | GPA 3.8 / 4.0 | As above. |
| International university | GPA 3.5 (bachelor’s) | University in the world top 100 recognised by the Ministry of Education; graduated within two years; attested. |
Fees and timeline in Dubai
| Fee | AED |
|---|---|
| Residence permit fee | AED 1,100 |
| Knowledge Dirham | AED 10 |
| Innovation Dirham | AED 10 |
| Fee inside the country | AED 500 |
| Delivery | AED 20 |
| Total listed | AED 1,640 |
Expected completion: 5 days (GDRFA). The application needs ICP approval or a nomination from a competent authority, and a Dubai-issued residency file.
What to have ready
GDRFA Dubai’s student golden residence service expects a Dubai-issued residency file and either ICP approval or a nomination from a competent authority. The certificate is the heart of the file. The rest is identity, insurance and the family limits that apply only after you are approved.
- Passport and photograph, plus Emirates ID and the current residence permit if you already hold a Dubai file.
- The Grade 12 certificate or the degree transcript, attested by the Ministry of Education, with the grade or GPA readable against the row in the table above.
- Evidence the university sits in the classification the Ministry recognises, if you are using the international top-100 route. Do not substitute a ranking site.
- The date of graduation, if you are a graduate. Count two years honestly. A ceremony date and a certificate date that disagree should be resolved before filing.
- Health insurance when you move on to family sponsorship. High-school achievers sponsor parents only. University graduates sponsor a spouse and children only with a contract, income and housing.
- A plan for the day the permit expires. It is not renewed. If the next route is a job, the skilled-professional test (level, degree, UAE contract, AED 30,000) has to be real by then, not hoped for.
The fees GDRFA lists for this service total AED 1,640 and are itemised above. They are not a Golden Visa “package”, they do not include attestation in the country that issued the certificate, and they are not THAJ’s fee. THAJ’s fee, if you ask for help preparing the file, is quoted in writing after the certificate is seen. It is not printed here.
Certificates, attestation and the two-year window
The grade is necessary and not sufficient. ICP and GDRFA both require the certificate to be attested by the Ministry of Education, and the graduate routes require that you finished within two years.
- A Grade 12 certificate from outside the UAE is not the secondary-school route this page quotes. That route is a UAE public school or a licensed private school in the UAE, at 95% or equivalent.
- A foreign university counts only when it is in the world top 100 under the classification the Ministry of Education recognises, with a bachelor’s GPA of at least 3.5, attested, and within two years of graduation.
- “Top 100” is the Ministry’s classification, not a magazine list you prefer. If you cannot point at the recognised list, do not file.
- A doctorate does not skip this page’s window and it does not replace a recommendation from the Emirates Scientists Council. Researchers should read PhD researchers.
- Attestation and translation, when the authority asks, are PRO steps. Budget the weeks, not just the visa appointment.
Student permits are not renewed
GDRFA Dubai states that golden residence permits for students are not renewed after they expire. Treat the card as a fixed term. The plan for the day after is part of the application, not a problem for later.
The usual next files, if you actually meet them, are a skilled-professional route (MOHRE level 1 or 2, a degree, a UAE contract and at least AED 30,000 a month) or an investor route. A teaching job, a hospital job or a lab job does not inherit the student permit. Those are the teachers, doctors and researchers pages, and each one says the job title is not the category. If nothing else qualifies, an ordinary employment visa is the honest document. THAJ would rather say that than file a renewal the authority has said it does not do.
High-school achievers may sponsor parents only, not siblings. University graduates may sponsor a spouse and children with an employment contract, steady income and housing. Those are GDRFA’s limits. They are tighter than the investor family rules on the family page. Do not mix the fee tables.
Rules that differ from other categories
- GDRFA Dubai states student golden residence permits are not renewed after they expire.
- High-school achievers may sponsor their parents only, not siblings.
- University graduates may sponsor a spouse and children with an employment contract, steady monthly income and housing.
- Golden Residency holders are exempt from the 180-day absence rule; the permit is void only if it expires outside the UAE.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage do I need for a student Golden Visa?
At least 95% (or equivalent) in the Grade 12 certificate from a UAE public school or licensed private school.
Can graduates of Indian or other foreign universities apply?
Yes, if the university ranks in the world top 100 under the classification recognised by the Ministry of Education, the bachelor’s GPA is at least 3.5 and you graduated within the last two years.
Can I renew a student Golden Visa?
GDRFA Dubai says golden residence permits for students are not renewed after expiry. Many graduates move to a professional or investor category instead.
Can students sponsor their parents?
High-school achievers may sponsor their parents (not siblings), according to GDRFA Dubai.
Official sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 26 October 2026. Rules and fees can change; the authority’s current page always prevails.
- Golden Residency Guide — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP)
- Issuing a golden residence permit (top students, graduates) — General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA)
- Golden visa — eligible categories — The UAE Government portal (u.ae)
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — services — MOHRE
Check your certificates first
We confirm attestation and eligibility before you apply.