Guides / Visas & residency / Residence permit & QID
Studying in Qatar from abroad: student residence permits and student life
How international students get a university-sponsored residence permit and QID, what to do on arrival, the rules for part-time work, and your options when you graduate.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Who sponsors you
- Your university, or Qatar Foundation for Education City campuses
- QID after arrival
- Usually 2 to 6 weeks; you cannot travel until it is issued
- Part-time work
- On-campus jobs, or approved part-time work through Jusour's Sahem programme (reported up to 20 hours a week in term)
- After graduating
- University cancels your permit; a job, a one-year Sahem extension or leaving
If you are coming to Qatar to study and do not already live here, your university (or Qatar Foundation for Education City campuses) becomes your sponsor. You enter on a single-entry student visa, then the university turns it into a residence permit and Qatar ID (QID) after a medical exam and fingerprints, usually within a few weeks of arrival. This guide follows that order: before you fly, the first month, everyday student life (health card, bank, housing, travel), part-time work, and what happens at graduation. It is also for students already in Qatar whose parent is leaving, who may be able to move to university sponsorship. If you grew up in Qatar and study on your parent's sponsorship, read the guide on university in Qatar instead.
Before you start
- An offer of admission from a Qatar university that sponsors international students (not every institution does)
- Passport valid for the whole course plus six months (QU asks for at least one year's validity for a sponsorship transfer)
- Proof you can pay tuition and living costs: bank statements, a scholarship letter or a sponsor's affidavit
- Passport photos with a white or blue background (at least two)
- School or university certificates and transcripts, attested or with an equivalency if your university asks for them
- Health history and vaccination records, plus any old chest X-ray or TB treatment papers
- Enough money for the first month: tuition deposits, housing deposit, and cash until your bank account opens
- If you are already in Qatar on a parent's sponsorship: a copy of your QID and your parent's papers
Step by step
Check that your university sponsors students
In Qatar, a student who is not already a resident needs the university itself to act as their residence sponsor. Qatar University (QU) and the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) sponsor their own international students, and Qatar Foundation (QF) sponsors students at the Education City campuses such as Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, Texas A&M, Northwestern, Weill Cornell, VCUarts and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Ask the admissions office in writing whether they will sponsor your residence before you pay any deposit. At QU, international applicants must apply in a set category: graduate (Master's or PhD), self-funded undergraduate, or scholarship holder, and an application outside these is not considered.
Read guide: University in Qatar for resident expats: options, admissions and fees →Apply for the student visa through the university
Once you are admitted, you do not apply for the visa yourself; the university's international or immigration office files it for you. You upload a passport copy, your admission letter, proof of funds and a signed medical clearance acknowledgement through the university's portal. Deadlines are strict: Carnegie Mellon Qatar, for example, asks new international students to submit its form by 15 June for autumn and 1 December for spring. QU arranges the visa automatically for students on a QU scholarship; self-funded and graduate students apply online within the admission period. You receive the visa as a PDF to print and show at Hamad International Airport.
Arrive and stay put until your QID is ready
The student visa is usually single-entry and only gets you into the country; your real status is the residence permit that follows. QU says the permit is issued within about one month of arrival, Carnegie Mellon Qatar says two to three weeks, and Georgetown Qatar says four to six weeks. Do not book a trip home during this time: universities say you cannot leave Qatar until the residence permit and QID are issued, except in an emergency. Hand your original passport to the international office when asked and keep a copy for yourself.
Do the medical exam and fingerprints
Like every new resident, you must pass a medical exam at the Ministry of Public Health's Medical Commission (a blood test and chest X-ray) and then give fingerprints and a photo at a Ministry of Interior (MOI) centre. Your university books the appointments, and some campuses provide transport. QU also asks for a blood group certificate. Take your original passport, visa copy and photos. Take the medical seriously: QU warns that a student who fails it must leave Qatar within 48 hours, so bring any old records that explain an X-ray scar or past treatment.
Read guide: Residence medical exam and fingerprints in Qatar →Collect your QID and check your details
Once the medical and fingerprints are on the system, the university completes the residence permit and you receive your QID, the card that proves you live in Qatar legally. At QU, the Scholarships and International Admissions Section emails you when to collect your passport and card. Check that your name, date of birth and expiry date are correct and that the university is shown as your sponsor. Get a Qatari mobile number in your own name so you can log in to the Metrash app (the Ministry of Interior's app for residency services) and government websites.
Read guide: Get your Qatar ID (residence permit) →Register for your health card
After you get your QID, apply for the government health card, which lets you use Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) health centres and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) hospitals at resident rates. It costs QAR 100 a year for an expat resident and is done in the Nar'aakom app or at the PHCC centre nearest your home; there is no longer a printed card, you show your QID. Most campuses also have their own clinic, for example QU's walk-in Health Center. Some universities, including Education City campuses, also require student health insurance, so check whether you are enrolled automatically.
Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →Sort out housing and a bank account
QU offers shared double rooms in student housing with meals and transport to campus, subject to availability, and Education City housing is run by Qatar Foundation Student Housing, which you apply to after your campus confirms your enrolment. Ask early, because rooms fill up and private flats in Doha cost much more. To open a bank account you need your QID, student ID and passport, and it can take two to three weeks; some financial aid is only paid into a Qatar account, so bring enough cash for the first weeks.
Read guide: Open a bank account in Qatar →Follow your sponsor's rules for travel and renewal
Your permit depends on staying enrolled. Keep your passport valid and act fast on renewal emails: QU asks students to hand in their passport, a photo and their QID within two days of the renewal notice, and Georgetown Qatar asks students to pay the renewal fee to the university before it is processed. Some campuses ask you to notify them before every trip abroad; Georgetown Qatar, for example, uses a leave notification form signed by finance at least five days before you fly. Dropping out, a long unexplained absence or a serious conduct problem can lead the university to cancel your sponsorship.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar ID →Work part-time only through an approved route
A student residence permit lets you study, not take any job you like. The safe options are on-campus jobs through your university's student employment programme, and off-campus part-time work through Jusour's Sahem programme, a government-backed platform that matches enrolled students with employers. In January 2025 Jusour said students could work up to 20 hours a week during the semester and up to 48 hours a week in holidays, for one employer, and that the contract ends when you graduate. Working without the right approval can put your residence at risk, so check the current limits with your international office before you start.
Read guide: Finding a job in Qatar: where to look and how hiring works →If your parent is leaving: move to university sponsorship
If you already live in Qatar on a parent's or employer's sponsorship and that sponsorship is ending, you may be able to move your residence to your university and finish your degree. At QU you must be an enrolled student with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 (reinstated or re-admitted students are not accepted), and you need a third-party financial sponsor's affidavit, a QAR 20,000 bank guarantee from a Qatari bank in favour of QU, a parent's approval letter for bachelor's students, and papers showing why your current sponsorship is ending. Apply before your parent's residence is cancelled, because your own permit falls with theirs and the grace period after cancellation is short.
Read guide: Transferring a family member's sponsorship in Qatar →Plan for graduation day
Your student permit exists only because you are studying, so the university will cancel it when you graduate, withdraw or leave for good, and you hand in your passport and QID for this. Start planning in your final semester. If you find a job, the employer can bring you onto a work residence through the Ministry of Labour. If you need more time, Jusour's Sahem graduate programme has offered a one-year visa extension, issued by the MOI, for recent graduates of Qatar universities who held student sponsorship, applied for while enrolled or within three months of graduating. Otherwise, leave before your permit is cancelled or within the grace period to avoid daily fines.
Read guide: Expired residence permit in Qatar: grace period, fines and what to do →
What it costs
| Residence medical exam (Medical Commission) | QAR 100 |
| Government health card (expat resident, per year) | QAR 100 |
| QU bank guarantee to transfer residence to QU sponsorship | QAR 20,000 (valid 5 years for undergraduates and PhD, 3 years for Master's) |
| UDST bachelor's tuition, international students | QAR 1,463 to 1,478 per credit (residents pay QAR 975 to 985) |
| UDST diploma tuition, international full-time students | QAR 18,750 per semester |
| Residence permit issue and renewal | Set by your university; some pass the fee on to students |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Booking a flight home in the first weeks before the QID is issued; you may not be allowed to leave
- Taking an off-campus job on a student permit without approval through the university or Jusour
- Ignoring a renewal email from the international office until the permit has expired
- Letting a parent cancel their residence before you have applied to move to university sponsorship
- Arriving without old medical records when you know an X-ray or blood test may raise questions
- Assuming the permit lasts after graduation; plan a job, an extension or your departure before your final exams
- Not getting a mobile number in your own name, which blocks Metrash and other government logins
Questions people ask
Can international students work part-time in Qatar?
Yes, but only through approved routes. On-campus student jobs are run by the universities, and off-campus part-time work for one employer is arranged through Jusour's Sahem programme. Jusour said in 2025 that students can work up to 20 hours a week in term and 48 hours a week in holidays. Ask your international office before accepting any job.
Can I stay in Qatar to look for a job after I graduate?
Your student permit is cancelled after graduation, but Jusour's Sahem programme has offered recent graduates of Qatar universities a one-year visa extension, issued by the MOI, to look for work. You must apply while still enrolled or within three months of graduating, and earlier reports gave an age range of 18 to 28. Check the current rules on the Jusour platform well before you graduate.
My father is leaving Qatar. Can I stay and finish my degree?
Often yes, by moving your residence to your university. QU accepts transfers from enrolled students with a GPA of at least 2.5, a third-party financial sponsor and a QAR 20,000 bank guarantee. Education City students should speak to their campus immigration office, which works with Qatar Foundation. Start before your father's residence is cancelled.
How long does it take to get a QID as a student?
Universities quote between two and six weeks after arrival: QU says within one month, Carnegie Mellon Qatar two to three weeks, and Georgetown Qatar four to six weeks. The medical result and fingerprint appointment are what usually decide the timing. You should not plan to travel until the card is in your hand.
Can my parents visit me while I study?
Many nationalities can visit Qatar visa-free or get a tourist visa online, which is the simplest route. A student cannot usually sponsor family residence. Qatar Foundation says it helps parents and siblings who need a visa in advance and needs two to four weeks to process it, so ask your campus early.
What happens if I fail the medical exam?
A failed medical means the residence permit cannot be issued. QU says a student who fails must leave Qatar within 48 hours. A request to come back for a retest is not a failure, so go promptly and bring any old X-rays or treatment records.
Do I need health insurance as well as the health card?
Every resident should register for the government health card, which costs QAR 100 a year and gives access to PHCC and HMC services. Some universities also require student health insurance and enrol you automatically unless you prove equivalent cover. Ask your campus what is included in your fees.
Official sources
- Qatar University: services for international students ↗
- Qatar University: residence permit transfer to QU ↗
- Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar: international student information ↗
- Georgetown University in Qatar: living in Qatar (QF sponsorship) ↗
- The Peninsula (Jan 2025): Jusour's Sahem programme for students and graduates ↗
- UDST: tuition fees ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.