Bangladesh Student Visa 2026: Requirements, Admission and Application Process

The Bangladesh student visa under the Visa Policy 2026

A Bangladesh student visa is the S category visa that the Visa Policy 2026 reserves for foreign nationals admitted to a government-approved educational institution in Bangladesh. It is issued for up to a year with multiple entries, can be extended for up to five years or the length of the course, and prohibits employment throughout.[1] The visa itself is the last step, not the first: before a mission will stamp a passport, the student needs an admission letter, government approval of that admission and, in most cases, a clean police or security check.

This guide is written for foreign students, their parents and sponsors, and the international offices of universities and medical colleges that admit them. It covers the S category and how it differs from the research, dependant and tourist visas, the admission and approval route through the Ministry of Education, security clearance, the document file and application process, medical and dental admissions through the Directorate General of Medical Education, the ban on work, extension, the absence of any conversion route, and the mistakes that cost students a semester. A short section summarises tourist visa requirements for visitors who are not coming to study. Visa extension procedure in detail sits in our companion guide.

Summary: Foreign students in Bangladesh study on the S visa: up to one year with multiple entries, extendable up to five years or the full course, and employment is prohibited. The visa is granted only for study at a government-approved institution, on proof of admission and proof of funds. Admission itself usually needs Ministry of Education approval and a Ministry of Home Affairs security clearance, and medical and dental places run through a separate DGME circular. The S visa cannot be obtained by converting another visa inside Bangladesh.

Key point: Secure admission and government approval before you apply for the visa, and apply from abroad. Under the Visa Policy 2026 a visa category cannot be changed after entry except from a visa on arrival, and a visa on arrival cannot be converted into an S visa, so a student who arrives as a tourist must leave to obtain the correct visa.[1]

At a glance

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Table of Contents

What the S category covers under the Visa Policy 2026

The Visa Policy 2026 was approved by the Cabinet on 10 August 2026 and brought into force by a Home Ministry order on 3 September 2026, replacing the Visa Policy 2006 and the circulars issued under it.[2] [3] It sets out 34 visa categories, each with a purpose, eligibility class, duration, extension rule and document list.[1] The student category is entry 27, coded S.

Purpose and eligibility

The S visa is for pursuing an academic programme or fulfilling the requirements of an academic degree, and the policy expressly includes internship within that purpose. The eligible class is described as "student/intern".[1] The internship reference matters for medical, dental, nursing and other professional students whose degree is not complete until supervised clinical or practical training is done: that training sits inside the S visa, provided it is part of the degree and not a job.

Mandatory condition 19 adds the gatekeeping rule: a student visa is granted only to a foreign student who intends to study at an educational institution approved by the Government of Bangladesh.[1] An offer from an unapproved institution, or for an unapproved programme, will not support a Bangladesh student visa however genuine the student.

Duration, entries and extension

The S visa is issued for up to one year with multiple entries, and may be extended up to five years or the full duration of the study period, whichever is less, again with multiple entries.[1] Condition 23 lists S among the categories that may be issued for the maximum duration for the category, so a well-documented first application can expect a one-year visa rather than a shorter grant.[1] For courses longer than five years, such as an MBBS with internship, plan for a request to the Ministry of Home Affairs under condition 26, which allows it to relax conditions where an extension beyond the maximum period is needed.[1]

What changed from the 2006 policy

Under the 2006 policy, the S category covered regular students, students seeking admission and researchers, and the document list referred to proof or approval of admission, sponsorship and a bank guarantee. Spouses and dependants travelled on a separate FS visa.[4] The 2026 policy separates researchers into the R category, merges the dependants of students and researchers into a single FSR category and replaces the bank guarantee with a bank solvency certificate or other proof of financial solvency.[1] Visas issued under the old circulars remain valid until they expire.[1]

Which visa fits: S, R, FSR or T

Choosing the right category is the first legal decision, because the policy gives no route to correct the choice after arrival. Four categories touch education, and they are not interchangeable.

Researchers and trainees: the R visa

Researchers, apprentices and participants in training programmes or research projects at a government-recognised organisation use the R visa, for the duration of the programme up to one year, with multiple entries and extension on the institution's recommendation. The R file needs proof of admission or an offer letter, a recommendation from the concerned ministry, approved organisation or recognised university where necessary, and proof of funds, except for trainees of government organisations.[1] A doctoral candidate enrolled for a degree belongs in S; a visiting researcher attached to a project without enrolment belongs in R.

Families: the FSR visa

The spouse, children and adopted children of an S or R holder apply for FSR. It is coterminous with the principal's visa, it is extended alongside it, and employment is prohibited. The file includes the principal's passport and visa page where the family travels later, a request letter from the concerned organisation, and a registered marriage certificate or birth certificates.[1]

Short courses, study tours and seminars: the T visa

The tourist category expressly covers attending conferences, workshops, study tours and seminars.[1] A summer school of a few weeks, a field visit or a conference can therefore sit on a T visa. A semester exchange, a credit-bearing programme or anything leading to a degree cannot; that is study, and it needs a Bangladesh student visa.

A special rule for madrasa students

The policy makes a specific provision for children under 18 of foreign Tabligh Jamaat activists who are studying or seeking admission at the Hifz Khana or Kitab Khana of Madrasa-e-Uloom-e-Diniya. They may receive a one-year single-entry visa on the written recommendation of the Tabligh Markaz in Bangladesh, must register with the nearest police station or Special Branch within 15 days of arrival, and may be extended yearly by the Department of Immigration and Passports on a Markaz certificate and a favourable Special Branch report. No extension is granted once the student is over 32.[1]

Admission first: the university admission letter and government approval

The admission letter is the foundation of every Bangladesh student visa file, but in Bangladesh an admission letter alone is often not enough. Public universities have long required government approval before a foreign student is finally admitted, and since a Ministry of Education order of 9 December 2019, made at the request of the Foreign Ministry, private universities have also had to obtain ministry approval before admitting foreign students.[9]

Public universities: the Ministry of Education route

The University of Dhaka's published procedure is typical. Its application goes to the Ministry of Education in triplicate on the prescribed form, through the Bangladesh mission in the student's country or the student's own mission in Bangladesh, with certificates and transcripts notarised by the student's Foreign Ministry. The Ministry forwards it to the faculty's equivalence committee, then to the department's academic committee; the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) approves admission; and the Ministry of Education then issues a no-objection certificate before fees are paid.[6] Dhaka lists annual tuition of USD 500 for SAARC citizens and USD 1,200 for others, plus other fees, and asks for the application to reach the Registrar by 31 December after the government formalities are complete.[6]

Other public universities follow the same logic with local variations. The University of Rajshahi's foreign students ordinance for engineering grants provisional admission on the evaluation committee's recommendation, notifies the Ministry of Education for approval, and requires a no-objection or clearance certificate from the Ministry of Home Affairs before final admission.[8] Where a student must join before the approvals arrive, Dhaka allows admission subject to approval from the regulatory authorities within two months, failing which the admission is cancelled.[6]

Private universities

For private universities, the 2019 order routed applications through Bangladesh missions abroad, the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Home Affairs for security checks. At the time, sources described verification by nine agencies, and a University Grants Commission official said the Commission had proposed a four-step process instead.[9] Private universities warned that, without a fixed timetable, students could miss their semesters.[9] That warning still holds: start the approval process as soon as the offer is issued.

The University Grants Commission's role

The University Grants Commission supervises universities but is not the body that stamps the visa or issues the security clearance. Its influence is on policy and pace. In May 2026 its chairman, Professor Mamun Ahmed, said the Commission was working to make Bangladeshi universities attractive to foreign students, and at a meeting with foreign students at Bangladesh Agricultural University on 30 July 2026 he heard that clearances from the relevant authorities take a long time and delay admission, and pledged to work on speeding up the process.[10] Until procedure changes, treat clearance time as the critical path.

What a good admission letter contains

Missions and the Department of Immigration and Passports read the admission letter against the visa purpose. A strong letter states the student's full name and passport number, the programme, its level and duration, the academic session and start date, the tuition and other fees and who pays them, and whether government approval has been obtained or is pending. It is signed by the registrar or international office on letterhead, with contact details that the mission can verify. Universities' international offices also issue the recommendation letters, non-employment certificates and police verification support that the visa and later extensions need.[7]

Equivalence, attestation and translation

Universities assess foreign qualifications through equivalence committees, so the academic record must be complete and properly authenticated. Dhaka will not entertain an application without certificates and transcripts notarised by the student's Foreign Ministry, and Rajshahi requires English translations of records not in English.[6] [8] Arrange attestation before the application window opens; it is the step students most often underestimate.

Security clearance and police verification for students

Two different checks appear in student files, and the Visa Policy 2026 defines both. Security clearance means a clearance issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs; a police report means a report from the Special Branch of police.[1] Admission approval for foreign students has historically included a Home Ministry security check, and the Rajshahi ordinance makes a Home Ministry clearance a condition of final admission.[8] [9]

Timelines the policy sets

Where a report is required for issuing or extending a visa, the Special Branch or National Security Intelligence must provide it within 21 working days of the request. If no report arrives in time, the visa authority may decide on the basis that the agency has no objection. No report is required for a child under 15, and a Ministry of Home Affairs security clearance is valid for up to five years.[1]

Police verification in practice

For a first S visa the policy does not list a police report among the documents, but for an extension it adds a police report to be taken by the visa authority if necessary.[1] Universities treat verification as routine. The University of Dhaka's international office lists a positive police verification report among the documents it helps students obtain, and its extension procedure involves verification by a Special Branch officer and an appointment at the Special Branch office in Malibagh.[7] Keep a consistent residential address on every form; a mismatch between the visa application, the hostel record and the police visit is a common source of delay.

Who handles the clearance

In practice the institution drives the process: it forwards the admission to the Ministry of Education, which coordinates with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The student's part is to supply complete, consistent and authenticated documents early. Where a clearance stalls, the right response is a written follow-up through the university and, if necessary, a legal request to the ministry concerned, not a change of visa category.

Bangladesh student visa requirements: the document file

The Visa Policy 2026 lists the documents for a first S visa: a completed visa application form, a copy of the passport, proof of admission or an offer letter, and a bank solvency certificate or other proof of financial solvency, except for trainees of government organisations.[1] Every visitor must hold a passport valid for six months, and the visa is issued as a machine-readable visa in the original passport.[1]

The core documents

• Online application: completed on the Department of Immigration and Passports portal, printed and signed.[5]
• Passport: the original, valid for at least six months, with a copy of the information page and any previous passport.[1] [7]
• Photographs: Dhaka's international office asks for two recent 45 x 35 mm photographs on a white background and a JPEG of up to 300 KB for the online form.[7]
• Admission: the admission or offer letter, with the Ministry of Education no-objection certificate where it has been issued.[1] [6]
• Funds: a bank solvency certificate or other proof of financial solvency, or a scholarship award.[1]
• Address in Bangladesh: a hostel, dormitory or apartment address for the online form.[7]

Missions may ask for more, such as academic certificates, a recommendation letter from the institution to the mission, or a no-objection letter from parents for a minor. Ask the mission that will process the application for its current list before booking an appointment.

Proof of funds and sponsorship

Proof of funds should show that tuition and living costs for at least the first year are covered and identify who is paying. Where a parent or relative sponsors the student, include the sponsor's bank statements, a signed sponsorship letter and evidence of the relationship. Where a scholarship pays, include the award letter. Government medical college places for foreign students, for example, are offered under the Bangladesh Government's scholarship programme.[11] Do not use borrowed balances or certificates you cannot explain; the purpose of the document is credibility, and an unexplained deposit undermines it.

Sponsor liability

The institution that admits a foreign student is a sponsor in the eyes of the policy. If a foreign national coming for education conceals information or breaches a visa condition, the appointing or sponsoring organisation is fined Tk 1,00,000 per person for a first violation and Tk 2,00,000 for each similar or later violation.[1] Universities therefore have their own reasons to monitor attendance, residence and any outside work, and students should expect them to do so.

The Bangladesh student visa application process step by step

Bangladesh missions abroad issue visas outside the country, and the Department of Immigration and Passports issues visas, visa on arrival, transit visas, exit passes and changes of category inside Bangladesh.[1] Each application is decided case by case after examination of the documents, and the mission may refer a question to the Ministry of Home Affairs.[1]

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Online application and submission

The online portal at visa.gov.bd accepts new visa applications and extensions and lets applicants check status and reprint applications.[5] After completing it, the student submits the printed form, photographs, original passport and documents at the mission, in person or by the method the mission allows. Original passports are submitted for the visa stamp.[1]

Fees, interview and decision

Visa fees follow reciprocity or the relevant agreement, and are not refunded if the application is declined.[1] Dhaka's international office notes that Indian citizens pay no student visa fee while other nationalities do.[7] Missions may call applicants for interview. Answer consistently with the admission letter: the programme, the institution, the length of the course and who pays.

On arrival

A student arriving from India or Pakistan with a visa of 90 days or more must register with the immigration authorities at the port of entry within 14 days of arrival; nationals of other countries are exempt from that requirement.[1] The student should then complete enrolment, collect the institution's identity card and registration certificate, and diarise the visa expiry date immediately. Those documents form the backbone of the first extension.

Medical and dental students: DGME, the Health Ministry and BMDC

Medical and dental education runs on a separate track. Admission of foreign students to government medical and dental colleges is announced by the Directorate General of Medical Education, under the Medical Education and Family Welfare Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Health Ministry considers the applications.[11] Foreign medical students still need a Bangladesh student visa; what differs is the admission and approval route that precedes it.

Government medical and dental colleges

The 2025-2026 circular, dated 10 November 2025, allocated 224 seats to foreign students: 125 for SAARC countries and 99 for non-SAARC countries under the Government's scholarship programme. The SAARC MBBS allocation was India 22, Pakistan 21, Nepal 19, Sri Lanka 13, Bhutan 28, Maldives 6 and Afghanistan 3; the non-SAARC allocation included Myanmar and Palestine, with 49 MBBS seats for all other countries.[11] Applications ran from 11 November to 22 December 2025 through each applicant's own Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which forwarded an eligible list to Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry by 8 January 2026; admission took place between 22 February and 14 March 2026.[11]

Eligibility and attestation

The 2025-2026 criteria required O level and A level or equivalent with a science background, O level passed not before 2022, A level passed in 2024 or 2025 and within three years of O level, an aggregate GPA of at least 8.50 on two 5.00 scales, at least 3.50 in Biology, and no single examination below 4.00.[11] Certificates must be attested by the education and foreign ministries of the student's country and authenticated by the Bangladesh embassy there, and the circular directs eligible applicants to submit the attested documents to the Bangladesh mission to obtain the visa.[11]

Fees and private colleges

At government colleges, SAARC students pay the tuition and fees charged to Bangladeshi students, while students from other countries pay USD 5,000 a year on top.[11] Most foreign medical students, however, study at private colleges. Directorate data reported in July 2026 showed private-college foreign enrolment peaking at 2,096 in 2022-23 and falling to 1,187 in 2024-25, with foreign students at no fewer than 60 of the 68 private medical colleges and total course fees of roughly USD 35,000 to 45,000.[12]

The BMDC dimension

The Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council issues the national admission policy for MBBS and BDS courses, and the DGME circular for foreign students applies the Council's 2025-2026 policy.[11] The Council's rules matter beyond admission. When Ad-Din Medical College Hospital's licence was cancelled in 2026, about 45 per cent of the affected students were foreign nationals, and students said BMDC rules require clinical classes and internships at their own institution's teaching hospital, which left their training and recognition at home uncertain.[13] Before accepting a private college place, confirm the college's current recognition, its teaching hospital's licence and the home regulator's rules on foreign degrees.

Working restrictions: what an S visa holder may and may not do

The S visa label carries the endorsement "Employment in Bangladesh prohibited", and the category row adds that a breach may lead to cancellation of the visa.[1] The same applies to FSR dependants.[1] There is no student work allowance, no term-time hours rule and no post-study work period in the policy.

Internships and clinical training

Because the S category's purpose includes internship for the fulfilment of an academic degree, a placement that the degree requires and the institution supervises falls within the visa.[1] A paid job dressed as an internship does not. If a placement is paid, open-ended or unconnected to the curriculum, take advice before starting it.

Paid work, tutoring and campus jobs

Lawful work in Bangladesh runs through the E1, E2, E3, J, P, PI and N1 categories, whose holders must apply for a work permit within 15 working days of first entry.[1] A student has none of those permissions. We advise treating any paid engagement in Bangladesh, including private tutoring, teaching assistance paid outside a scholarship and part-time jobs, as employment that the S visa does not permit. The consequences reach beyond the student: the sponsoring institution faces the fines described above.[1]

After graduation

A graduate who receives a job offer in Bangladesh cannot convert the S visa into an employment visa. The employer must arrange the correct E-category visa, which the graduate obtains from a mission abroad, followed by the work permit. Our guide to Bangladesh work visa requirements sets out that route.

Extending a Bangladesh student visa and keeping status

An S visa may be extended up to five years or the full study period, whichever is less. The extension file repeats the first-visa documents and adds a recommendation from the institution, the passport pages containing the visa and arrival stamp, and a police report taken by the visa authority if necessary.[1] The application must be made 15 days before expiry; an application lodged after expiry attracts the overstay penalty and regularisation fee.[1]

The University of Dhaka asks students to contact its international office a month before expiry. It issues recommendation letters, and the student assembles a registration certificate, attendance sheet, transcript, studentship certificate and copies of passport, visa and student ID, lodges the file at the Agargaon passport and immigration office, pays the fee at the Sonali Bank counter and completes Special Branch verification. A student who must leave before the extension is granted needs an exit visa.[7] Filing windows, fees, delays and refusals are covered in detail in our guide to Bangladesh visa extension.

Student overstay rules

Students receive softer treatment than other foreigners for overstay, but only up to a point. The fine for illegal stay by foreign students may be waived for up to three months; beyond three months a maximum fine of Tk 3,000 may be realised; and beyond six months the general rule applies, with a penalty of Tk 3,000 a day and possible prosecution under the Foreigners Act 1946.[1] A waiver is discretionary, not a grace period. A lapsed visa also makes every later step, from examinations to departure, harder.

Conversion: why there is no shortcut into the S category

Condition 11 of the Visa Policy 2026 states that a visa category cannot be changed after entering Bangladesh, except for a visa on arrival, and lists the categories into which a visa on arrival may be converted: A1, D, ND, A2, FA2, E1, E2, E3, FE1, FE2, FE3, J, PI, FPI, P, RT, FBN and NVR.[1] S is not on that list. A student who enters on a tourist visa, a business visa or a visa on arrival, and then receives an admission letter, cannot switch to a Bangladesh student visa inside the country and must apply at a mission abroad.

Changing institution or programme

The policy does not set a separate procedure for changing institution, but the S visa rests on a specific admission at a specific approved institution. A transfer therefore needs a fresh admission, fresh approval where the new institution requires it, and a recommendation from the new institution before the next extension. Do not leave the old programme until the new admission is approved.

Where the Home Ministry can help

The Ministry of Home Affairs may waive, impose or relax conditions where conversion or an extension beyond the maximum period is sought, and reserves the right to decide questions the policy does not answer.[1] That is an exceptional discretion, best approached with a reasoned written request supported by the institution, not a routine alternative to applying from abroad.

The authorities a foreign student deals with

Most delays come from treating the process as a single visa application when several bodies each hold a piece of it. The policy, the visa and the admission approvals sit with different authorities.[1] [6] [11]

Bangladesh tourist visa requirements in brief

Visitors who are not coming to study use the T category. Its purpose is recreation, tourism, casual visits to friends or relatives, and attending conferences, workshops, study tours and seminars. The total duration is up to three months with multiple entries; if it is issued for less, it may be extended for the remaining period with a single entry. Employment is prohibited.[1]

Tourist visa documents

The policy asks for the completed application form, the passport with a copy of the information page, the Bangladeshi address of accommodation and a return ticket; an extension adds the passport pages with the visa and arrival stamp and a police report if necessary.[1] Missions add their own requirements. The High Commission in London asks for two photographs, an invitation letter from a Bangladeshi citizen or organisation or a hotel booking, three months' bank statements or payslips and, for non-British passports, proof of UK residence. It quotes at least seven working days for processing and 21 working days for postal applications.[14]

Tourist visa regulations to watch

Fees follow reciprocity and are not refunded on refusal; London lists, for example, GBP 105 for a UK single-entry visa and no fee for Indian and Japanese nationals.[1] [14] A mission may grant a T visa to a non-prohibited national applying from a third country.[1] Nationals of listed countries, including China, Japan, the USA, the UK and other European countries, may receive a 30-day single-entry visa on arrival for tourism or business.[1] Some mission pages still describe the pre-2026 position of a single-entry visa with a one-month extension; where they conflict, the Visa Policy 2026 governs.[14] For all categories side by side, see types of visas in Bangladesh; for forms and missions, see how to apply for a Bangladesh visa.

Mistakes to avoid with a Bangladesh student visa

• Travelling first, applying later. No visa converts into S inside Bangladesh, so arriving as a tourist to "sort out" admission means leaving again.[1]
• Accepting an offer from an unapproved institution or programme. Condition 19 makes government approval a precondition of the visa.[1]
• Starting the approval process late. Ministry approval and security checks are the critical path, and the UGC itself has acknowledged the delays.[10]
• Unattested certificates. Applications without Foreign Ministry notarisation or embassy authentication are not entertained.[6] [11]
• Weak proof of funds. Use genuine, explainable bank evidence or a scholarship letter, and name the sponsor.
• Taking paid work. It risks cancellation and exposes the institution to fines.[1]
• Filing extensions late. An application after expiry is treated as an overstay.[1]
• Choosing a medical college without checking recognition. Confirm BMDC recognition, the teaching hospital's licence and home-country rules first.[13]

What to watch in 2026 and 2027

The Visa Policy 2026 is new, and missions are still updating their pages to match it. The policy anticipates an electronic visa system but does not yet introduce one, so machine-readable visas in original passports remain the rule.[1] The University Grants Commission has said it wants more foreign students, and has promised faster admission processing and better accommodation, which would ease the most common bottleneck if it translates into a fixed timetable for approvals.[10] Foreign enrolment in private medical colleges has fallen for two consecutive years, and the sector is marketing abroad to reverse it.[12] Expect the next DGME circular for government colleges to follow the late-year timetable of the 2025-2026 round, but confirm dates when it is published.

A Bangladesh student visa is straightforward when the admission, approval and funding evidence are in place before the application, and slow when they are not. If you are a student, a parent or an institution and want the file built correctly the first time, TRW's immigration and visa team can help, or you can contact TRW directly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the visa code for a student in Bangladesh?

S. Under the Visa Policy 2026 the S (student) visa covers foreign nationals pursuing an academic programme or degree, including degree-required internships, at a government-approved institution.[1]

How long is a Bangladesh student visa valid?

Up to one year with multiple entries, extendable up to five years or the full study period, whichever is less.[1]

What documents are needed for a Bangladesh student visa?

A completed application form, the passport and a copy, proof of admission or an offer letter, and a bank solvency certificate or other proof of funds. Missions and institutions may ask for photographs, attested certificates and the Ministry of Education no-objection certificate.[1] [6]

Do foreign students need Ministry of Education approval?

Generally, yes. Public universities route foreign admissions through the Ministry of Education, which issues a no-objection certificate, and a 2019 order extended ministry approval to private universities.[6] [9]

Is security clearance required for foreign students?

Admission approval normally includes a Ministry of Home Affairs security check, and extensions may need a Special Branch police report. The agencies have 21 working days to report, and a Home Ministry clearance lasts up to five years.[1] [8]

Can I work part-time on a student visa in Bangladesh?

No. Employment is prohibited on the S visa and a breach may lead to cancellation. Internships that the degree itself requires fall within the visa's purpose.[1]

Can I convert a tourist visa into a student visa in Bangladesh?

No. Only a visa on arrival can be converted, and S is not among the permitted categories, so you must apply for the student visa at a Bangladesh mission abroad.[1]

How do foreign students apply for MBBS in Bangladesh?

For government colleges, through their own foreign ministry under the annual DGME circular; the 2025-2026 round offered 224 seats and required an aggregate GPA of 8.50 and 3.50 in Biology. Private medical colleges admit foreign students separately, and most foreign medical students study there.[11] [12]

Can my spouse and children join me while I study?

Yes, on an FSR visa that runs with your S visa. They cannot work, and the file needs marriage or birth certificates and a request letter from your institution.[1]

What happens if a foreign student overstays?

The fine may be waived for up to three months; beyond that a maximum of Tk 3,000 may be charged, and beyond six months the general daily penalties and possible Foreigners Act proceedings apply.[1]