The student visa is a permit authorizing non-EU citizens to stay in Spain for the duration of their studies. 

Third-country nationals wishing to pursue a bachelor’s, master’s, postgraduate or doctoral degree, or to carry out academic research, must apply for a student visa and prove that they will be studying in certified centers. 

• Anyone who is participating in an educational program as a student in Spain.
• Exchange students from secondary education programs.
• Trainees
• Participants in research projects.
• Volunteer programs.

With a student visa you can take advantage of these series of benefits:

• You can participate in each and every European exchange between EU countries, for example Erasmus +.
• You can work part time.
• You can bring your family with you.
• You can participate in all the practices associated with the degree you are studying.
• In addition, at the end of your studies you will be able to extend your visa to obtain a job search or entrepreneurship visa, allowing you to develop your professional life in Spain.

*It’s important to note that to carry out some of these activities, you may have to fill out specific applications.

It is important to have all the necessary documentation to be able to study in Spain. You will have to be able to present:

• A passport photo.
• Passport or travel documents no older than 10 years. You should have the original and a photocopy of the main page. Also, it is important that the document has two blank pages.
• You will also have to prove that you are within the jurisdiction of the corresponding consulates. This can be done with a driver’s license, state ID card, voter registration card, or current student ID. For example: in the case of the United States: if you live in Texas you would go to the Houston consulate, you cannot process your visa at the Chicago consulate.
• A letter certifying your admission to a public or private educational institution. Remember that the institution must be an authorized teaching center.
• Health insurance, whether public or private. Travel insurance will not be considered as a health certificate.
• Proof of sufficient financial resources to cover living expenses, the cost of studies and the return trip.
• Certification of “Absence of Police Record” showing that there is no criminal record. This document is only valid during the 90 days following its issuance and must be legalized with the “Hague Apostille”.
• Parental consent in the case of minors.

All documentation that is not in Spanish or the co-official language of the province of residence must be translated by an official translator with a sworn statement of the accuracy of the translation.

In addition to all this, you must submit the corresponding applications, proof of payment of the fees, which must be made by postal order. This process must be done twice,  first with the application to receive the visa, then to get an appointment fingerprints registration and to collect your Foreigner Identification Card (TIE).

You may also need to provide additional documentation related to the family if you are traveling together.

As each case may vary, we can help you from the first meeting to prepare the required documentation and go through the process together.

Depending on the visa application, obtaining the initial visa may take a variable time. In the case of student visas it can take 2 to 4 weeks, however, this period is subject to change depending on a wide range of variables.

After obtaining the visa and coming to Spain, it is required to obtain a Foreigner Identity Card (NIE), if you´re staying longer than 90 days. For this reason, you must get an appointment fingerprints registration and then collect your document.

We can assist you at every step, from accompanying you to all appointments to making sure all your documentation is in order.

The student visa must be applied by non-European Union citizens, however, if the stay for studies is less than 90 days, it is not a requirement to apply for the permit, since the studies may be carried out with a tourist visa if Spain so requires, depending on the applicant’s country of origin. 

• Short-term student visa: for foreigners who have a study stay of 91 to 180 days in Spain. 
• Long-term student visa: in case the study period is longer than six months. 
• Student visa for more than one year: it is possible to apply for a student visa for stays of more than one year, however, for this permit it is necessary to apply for a renewable residence card. 

To apply for a student visa in Spain, the following requirements must be met: 

• Not being a citizen of the European Union. 
• Legal stay in Spain. 
• Certify sufficient income or funds to live on during the period of study.
• Have full medical insurance coverage in Spain.
• Have in your possession a letter of admission from the authorized study center before making the application. 
• Certificate of criminal record.
• If required, the homologation or validation of the university degree. 
• Required documentation legalized and translated into Spanish if necessary. 

You can apply your student visa in Spain, for example, if you have a tourist visa, or in the country of origin at the Spanish consulate. The application must be made within a maximum period of 90 days prior to the start of the course and not less than 30 days before. 

The applicant will be able to carry out the procedure personally or through a lawyer by means of an authorization in notary’s office. 

The application is quite fast. After sending the application, the authorization response will be given within a maximum period of one month. 

The student visa does not allow working; however, it allows an authorized internship of a maximum of 20 hours per week, the possibility of extending the permit, or making an application for a work permit. The following options are available for internships: 

• Study-related internships:  In this case a signed agreement between the educational institution and the company is required. It is very important to consider that the remuneration received for these internships does not count as sufficient funds to live in Spain. 
• Extracurricular internships: In this case, it is the company that must apply for a work authorization at the Immigration Office. 

The student visa can be renewed 60 days prior to the expiration of the permit or within 90 days thereafter. 

For the renewal the applicant will be asked to meet the same requirements as in the initial procedure such as sufficient financial means for the extension of stay, medical insurance, etc. The main document to apply for a student visa renewal is the certificate of satisfactory completion of studies. 

The student must submit the application to the Immigration Office, which will respond within three months. 

If you have finished your studies in Spain and your student visa is about to expire, but you would like to stay in the country, you need to legalize your situation. Whether you wish to continue with your studies and renew your visa, or plan to look for work, you will need to consider the requirements and deadlines for each case. In the case of changing to a work visa, we will offer you legal counsel on the internship agreements or the allowed hours per workday in order to avoid penalties.