A Spanish Student visa is a long-stay visa that allows you to stay in Spain for more than three months and engage in education-related activities.
Who Needs a Spain Student Visa?
Non-EU, non-EEA, and non-Swiss nationals intending to study in Spain need a student visa. If the study program is beyond six months, you will need to apply for both a student visa and a student residence card.
Spain student visas are also available for various educational activities, such as:
- Take or extend studies in an authorized teaching center, to obtain an official degree.
- Carry out research or training activities.
- Participate in exchange programs for students in any educational or scientific, public or private, officially recognized centers.
- Perform non-work placements.
- Carry out volunteer services as a student.
Spanish Study Visa Requirements
You must meet one of the following to be able to apply:
- You are admitted to an accredited educational institution in Spain.
- You are admitted at an officially recognized research or training center in Spain.
- You have an agreement signed with a public or private body or entity, a vocational training center or an organization where you will be volunteering.
Supporting Documents for a Spain Student Visa Application
The documents you need to apply for a student visa for Spain include the following:
- A long-stay visa application form.
- A valid passport. Your passport needs to be valid for the entire time of your stay, not older than 10 years, and with at least two blank pages.
- Two recent passport photos. Photos should follow the Schengen visa photo requirements.
- Copies of passport pages. Pages must include your personal information and your previous visas.
- Documents that prove the purpose of your stay:
- Studying: A letter of acceptance from any accredited educational institution in Spain. The letter must contain the duration of your stay.
- Research or training: An official letter of admission from a Spanish research or training center.
- Non-labor practices: a contract signed byyou and a public or private body or an officially recognized vocational training center.
- Volunteer service: An agreement between the organization in charge of the program and you.
- Proof of accommodation. A rent or dorm agreement or a letter issued by the academic institution stating your accommodation can be used to prove your accommodation.
- Proof of means of subsistence. During 2019, you were required to have €540 for each month of your stay. To prove your means of subsistence, you have to submit:
- The last three months’ bank statements.
- Scholarships.
- Documents proving that you have paid for the studies or that you are covered by the organization..
- If your parents or legal guardians will pay your expenses, they will need to sign a notarized agreement stating their commitment to do so. Moreover, you should submit a copy of your parents’ bank statements for the last two months, as well as a photocopy of their passports.
- Health insurance. Obtain health insurance with a validity of one year from an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain. It is not accepted to have travel insurance.
- An official medical certificate, not older than three months, duly apostilled and translated into Spanish.
- A certificate of criminal record, issued in your country at the nearest local police station, not older than 90 days, duly apostilled and translated into Spanish.
- If the applicant is a minor, you need the notarized consent of parents or legal guardians, stating the center of studies, address, and personal data of the person responsible for the child in Spain.
How to Apply for a Spain Student Visa?
You should lodge your application at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence, or a third-party visa application center, to which Spain has outsourced visa submission.
Step 1: Complete the D Visa Application Form
The application form for a Spain Study Visa is the first document you should obtain/complete. The form should not be confused with the Schengen Visa application form since they are different.
The application form for a long-stay study visa contains questions on your identity, intended period of stay in Spain, the purpose of visa application, and other questions on your background.
Make sure all the information you give in this form is correct and in compliance with the information that the other documents contain.
Step 2: Collect the Supporting Documents
Next, continue collecting the required documents mentioned in the list above.
Step 3: Make a Visa Appointment
You can book an appointment with a Spanish embassy or consulate, a visa application center, or a third-party visa application center to which Spain has outsourced visa submission. The earliest you can apply is three months, while the latest is three weeks. See the Spain diplomatic missions abroad.
Step 4: Attend the Interview
On the day of your interview, you will need to complete three procedures:
- Give your biometrics. If this is the first time traveling to the Schengen territory in the last five years, you will need to give your biometrics. This means you will have your facial image and fingerprints taken.
- Attend the interview. The interview will last between 10-20 minutes. A visa consular will ask you questions regarding your application, background and the intention of your trip to Spain. You will also need to give the required documents, and answer any questions asked related to these documents.
- Pay the visa fee. In most countries, you will need to pay the visa fee during the interview, or just before you meet the visa consular. However, in some others, you will need to pay the fee prior to the day of your appointment at the bank or online.
After you complete these steps, you need to wait for the processing of your visa. Usually, it takes about a month for your application to be processed. Once you get the visa, you can freely travel to Spain.
After You Arrive in Spain
Upon arrival in Spain, depending on the intended period of stay, you may have some more steps left to complete:
- Apply for a student residence card (TIE or Foreigner Identity Card). You should obtain your student residence card (TIE or Foreigner Identity Card) after arriving in Spain. You should apply within 30 days in Spain. Do so by visiting the nearest Immigration Department branch or local police station in Spain.
- Submit the documents. You must submit a package of documents, including a letter of residency, a letter of admission to studies, a passport, an ID, and recent photographs.
- Get your student residence card. After submitting the required documents, you can get your student residence card, which is valid for one year.
Note: Getting a student residence card is required only if you stay for more than six months.
Spain Student Visa Fees
When you submit your application for a Spain Student Visa, you will also need to pay a certain fee. The fee is required in order to cover the expenses for the processing of your application. The amount of money you need to pay depends on your nationality, as given below:
- USA citizens will need to pay a fee of €141 to get a Student Visa for Spain.
- Canadian citizens have to pay a fee of €83
- Applicants of other nationalities have to pay a fee of only €80.
If you want to know what amount of money you need to pay when traveling to Spain for other purposes, check our article on Spain Visa Fees.
Spain Student Visa Validity
If you get a Long-Stay Student Visa for Spain for a maximum of 180 days, this means you cannot stay in Spain a day more.
On the other hand, if you get a Spain Student visa that does not mention such a restriction, you will then have to get a Foreigner Identity Card, which is valid for one year. You can renew it for five times, as long as you continue the studies.
Can I Work with a Spain Study Visa?
If your Spanish Study Visa is valid for 180 days, then you cannot work in Spain. On the other hand, if your visa is valid for longer, then you can obtain your Foreigner Identity Card, which enables you to get a work authorization.
Your Spanish residence permit entitles you to work either part-time or in a temporary position. The company that employs you is responsible to apply or work authorization for you.
You will be permitted to study, as long as your job does not interfere with your studies. Note that a job in Spain while studying cannot be your first source of money.
Can I Bring My Family Members to Spain with a Student Visa?
Your family members – your spouse or registered partner, and dependent children under 18 – can join you while you are studying in Spain.
You must prove you have the financial means to support them. Their intended period of stay must be at least 6 months. They are not permitted to work while in Spain as dependents of a holder of a student visa.
Spain Short term Study Visa
If you want to attend a study course in Spain, that is shorter than three months, then apply for a Spain Study Visa. You should submit the following additional documents:
- Letter of admission at an education institution in Spain.
- The content of the studies plan, training or research to be conducted.
- Proof of payment of tuition or booking of the course or studies to be performed.