The quick answer
Malta is the EU country where a UK graduate's English goes furthest. English is one of Malta's two official languages, alongside Maltese (Constitution of Malta, article 5), so you can study, work part-time and deal with daily life without learning a new language first.
If you're not an EU national, you need a long-stay D-visa for any course longer than 90 days, applied for in person at an authorised service provider (Identità: student visa). You must apply at least 9 weeks before your course starts, show bank statements for the last three months, and hold medical insurance of at least €30,000 (Identità: required documents). Once you're there you can work up to 20 hours a week, and after a full-time higher education course at a licensed institution you can apply to stay and look for work.
Our view: Malta is a strong choice if you want an EU qualification in English and a start date that fits your UK visa. It is a weak choice if you pick a provider without checking its licence, because the post-study stay depends on it.
Who this guide is for
This is for international graduates and students living in the UK, usually on a Graduate visa or finishing a UK degree, who are thinking about a next course in Malta. Everything below applies to non-EU nationals. If you hold an EU passport, the visa sections don't apply to you.
If you haven't yet decided whether to leave the UK, read our guide to the Graduate visa change first. If you're still comparing countries, our Malta from the UK page and Europe destinations set Malta beside the other seven countries we work with.
Why English matters more than it sounds
In Germany, Spain or Finland you can often study in English, but the part-time job, the landlord and the doctor usually work in the local language. In Malta they don't have to. English is an official language under the Constitution, and the University of Malta teaches in English (University of Malta: English language requirements).
For a UK graduate, that changes two things. You can earn from your first months without a language barrier, and the job search after your course is open to far more roles. That second point is the one most people underrate.
Do you need an English test?
Probably, unless you're a UK national. This catches a lot of people out.
The University of Malta asks applicants who finished school overseas for a Secure English Language Test. For postgraduate courses the Academic IELTS requirement is 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each part; for undergraduate courses it's 6.0 overall (University of Malta: English language requirements).
The exemptions are narrower than you'd expect. Nationals of English-speaking countries, including the UK, can be exempt if they completed school or a full degree there. Anyone can be exempt with GCSE English Language at grade 4 (or C) or better, or an A-level or AS-level pass in English Language (University of Malta: exemptions). A UK degree on its own, held by a non-UK national, isn't listed as an exemption. If that's you, budget time for a test. Private colleges set their own English rules, so check each one.
The visa and residence permit, step by step
- Get an offer from a licensed institution, on a full-time course. The study residence permit is for full-time higher education courses; part-time courses don't qualify (Identità: study FAQ).
- Pay the fees. Your enrolment letter must show proof of payment, along with the course's MQF level, ECTS, length, weekly hours and where lectures take place (Identità: required documents).
- Book and attend your D-visa appointment at an authorised external service provider, using Identità's booking system, at least 9 weeks before the course starts (Identità: student visa).
- Travel no more than two weeks before your course begins. Your flight booking is part of the application.
- Enrol, then apply online for your e-Residence Permit, and complete the health screening. The University of Malta says non-EU students need an immunisation certificate and, if they were born in or lived six months or more in a high-risk tuberculosis country, a chest X-ray within four weeks of arriving (University of Malta: visa and e-residence permit).
One thing we couldn't confirm on an official page in this run is exactly where people living in the UK lodge the D-visa. The Identità checklist asks for a VFS appointment letter, but no official page we checked names a UK centre. We check the booking system for each student on the day rather than guess.
What goes in the D-visa application
Identità's current checklist for a student national visa asks for:
- A completed, signed application form and one ICAO-standard photo
- A passport valid for at least 10 months
- The enrolment letter described above, with proof of payment
- Bank statements for the last three months plus a recent bank certificate, and a copy of the international bank card you'll use in Malta
- Medical and travel insurance valid in the Schengen area with at least €30,000 medical cover; for courses at MQF level 5 and above it must cover at least 91 consecutive days from your first entry
- Your flight itinerary
- Proof of accommodation for your first 14 nights, such as a school letter, a registered lease or a booking of at least 14 nights
Everything must be in English, and any translation must come from Identità's list of authorised translators. The standard fee is €100 for applicants aged 12 and over, or €150 for the extended (next-day appointment) service (Identità: required documents).
How much money you need to show
There are two numbers, and you should plan for the higher one.
The visa rule. Identità asks for funds of at least 75% of Malta's national minimum wage for every month of study (Identità: required documents). Malta's 2026 national minimum wage for employees aged 18 and over is €229.44 a week (DIER: minimum weekly wages for 2026). By our calculation that works out at roughly €746 a month. That's our arithmetic, not an Identità figure, so treat it as a floor.
The university rule. The University of Malta asks non-EU students for at least €950 for each month of stay, not counting tuition, shown on bank statements covering the last three months. It also warns that this minimum won't cover accommodation and living costs on its own (University of Malta: visa and e-residence permit).
If a family member is sponsoring you, both Identità and the University of Malta ask for the sponsor's bank statements, a signed declaration and a copy of their ID.
Working while you study
Students on courses longer than 90 days can work up to 20 hours a week after their first three months, subject to Jobsplus conditions. Non-EU students on full-time higher education courses recognised by MQRIC can work up to 20 hours a week from their first year, applying for a work permit once their residence permit is issued (Identità: student visa, employment). Identità adds that a work permit is viewed more favourably when the job relates to your field.
Part-time work helps with living costs. It won't replace the funds you must show for the visa, so don't plan around it.
Staying on after your course
This is the part that makes Malta worth a serious look. Identità describes a 9-month post-study residence permit (Identità: study FAQ), applied for in Malta on Form N.03, to look for work or start a business. To qualify, the form says you need:
- A full-time course at an institution licensed by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA), leading to a higher education qualification at MQF level 5 recognised by MQRIC
- A letter from your institution confirming you've completed the course
- Funds of at least 60% of the national equivalised income threshold for nine months
- Comprehensive health insurance and proof of accommodation
While you search, you can work up to 15 hours a week with an employment licence (Identità: Form N.03). The permit gives you time to find a job. It isn't a job offer, and it isn't a route to settlement on its own.
Check the licence before you pay a penny
Malta's regulator is unusually direct about this. Search the Malta Qualifications Database, confirm the provider's licence is valid for the whole length of your course, and confirm the course itself is accredited, because "each programme must be individually accredited by the MFHEA". Courses at MQF level 5 and above make you eligible for a study residence permit. The MFHEA also says some students lost fees paid to providers whose licences were later revoked or had expired (MFHEA: how to verify your school).
We only suggest licensed institutions and accredited courses, and we show you the database entry before you pay.
Timing your start from the UK
The University of Malta's main intake is October. For October 2027, non-EU applicants who need a visa must apply by 1 July 2027 at 14:00, three weeks before the general deadline of 21 July. Its February 2027 intake isn't open to non-EU applicants living in non-EU countries, because there isn't time to process the visa (University of Malta: dates and deadlines). The UK counts as a non-EU country, so if you need a visa, plan for October.
That's why many Graduate visa holders look at licensed private colleges, which often run more start dates through the year. We cover the trade-offs in public vs private universities in Europe and the start dates in our intakes guide. Remember the 9-week visa rule: whatever the intake, your D-visa application has to be in well before it.
Is Malta right for you?
It suits you if you want to keep working and living in English, need a start date that fits your UK visa end date, and can show the funds now. It's a harder fit if the money isn't ready yet, or if you're relying on a provider you haven't checked on the MFHEA database.
Tell us your UK visa end date, your degree and your budget. We'll check which licensed courses and intakes in Malta you can realistically make, then prepare the application and visa with you. Check your route in two minutes, search courses, or send us your details. You can also message us on WhatsApp on +44 7852 878789.