When choosing Spain as a study destination, your first best step is to know how you can secure a student visa. Before starting your visa application, make sure to consider which type of visa you’re looking to acquire. There are two types you can choose from, depending on how long you plan to study.

The first one is the Short-term Student Visa, which you can only use for three to six months. While it is relatively easy to apply for this type of student visa in Spain, you can’t extend its validity for any reason. The other type is the Long-Term or Type D Visa, which you can use for more than six months. This visa is more preferable as you can use this to complete your entire study in Spain. However, the requirements list for this visa is more extensive than the Short-Term Student Visa.

Besides the visa application, you’ll also need to apply for a residence card within a month of arrival in the country. Once you’re all settled in Spain, you can finally fulfill your academic goals and have an excellent time in this country. So, here’s what you need to know about how to get a Student Visa in Spain.

What documents do you need to apply for a student visa in Spain?

To apply for a student visa, you’ll need the following documents:

  • Completed application form
  • One passport-sized photo with white background
  • Valid passport
  • Photocopy of the data page of your valid passport and all prior visas and stamps
  • Previous passports, if applicable.
  • Certificate of admission at a public or private university, school, or college, indicating the start and end date, and duration of your program
  • Details of your entire program plan, such as the number of hours per week
  • Proof of economic means
  • Medical insurance

If you’re applying for a Long-Term student visa, you’ll need to provide the following as well:

  • Medical certificate
  • Certificate of no criminal conviction

How much money do you need for Spain Student Visa?

The processing fee for a student visa in Spain costs around $67 to $160. However, you will need to provide a proof of economic means, which means you need to have money to fund your entire stay in Spain. It should cover your living costs and expenses, including flight costs to return to your home country.

To give you an idea, you’ll need at least $600 per month, unless you’ve already paid for your accommodation in advance. So, for a study duration of two years, you’ll need to have at least $14,400 as proof of economic means. If you plan to bring relatives with you, you should also have the funding to support their stay in Spain.

If someone else is funding your study, say your parents or other family members, you’ll need to prove that your sponsor can support you and their stay in Spain.

Check Also: Programs in Europe for International Students

Steps on Applying for a Student Visa in Spain

Now that you know the things to prepare for the application, here’s how to get a student visa in Spain:

1. Get accepted to a university or school

Before starting your student visa application, you’ll need to apply and get accepted to a university or school in Spain. Make sure to complete the university application requirements and submit those as soon as possible. This way, you’ll have better chances of receiving your acceptance letter and start on your student visa application.

Besides the fact that the Certificate of Admission is a requirement for Spain student visa application, having the complete details for your entire study can help you prepare for your stay. You can choose a student visa type to apply for depending on whether you’ve applied for a short program or a full degree program. Additionally, this will help you determine how much money you need as proof of economic means.

2. Book an Appointment at the Spanish Consulate

Once you receive your letter of acceptance from the university, you may start your application for a student visa. Take note that you can only apply for a student visa in your home country; it is not allowed to get a tourist visa first, then go to Spain and get the student visa there.

Make sure to book an appointment with the Spanish Consulate in your home country. By contacting them before submitting your requirements, you can inquire if there are additional requirements you might need to present.

You can find information on the Spanish consulate and embassies here. Simply locate your country on the map and click on the letter E to see the link to the Spanish embassy website. You can also download the application form from their website instead of personally getting a copy of it from the embassy.

3. Complete the Requirements for Student Visa Application

Once you have definite information about the student visa requirements from the embassy, make sure to complete these before your appointment date. You will also need the documents translated to Spanish by an official translator.

Additionally, the embassy will not photocopy documents for you, so make sure you have the required photocopies. If you bring incomplete requirements, you will need to set another appointment again.

4. Submit Your Visa Application

Bring your complete requirements and application fee payment on your appointment date. Check the embassy website if there are any specific regulations when entering the embassy. For example, the Spanish embassy does not allow visitors to bring their mobile phones for security reasons in some countries.

The processing of your Spain student visa application can take up to one month. However, you can ask the consulate general during your interview for the processing time.

5. Get Your Visa

Once you receive notice of your visa approval, you’ll need to personally go to the embassy to get it within one month of the notice. Along with your visa, you’ll also receive your Foreigner Identification Number. You can now book your flight to Spain and get ready for your stay there.

6. Apply for Foreigner Identity Card

Suppose you’ve received a Long-term student visa or Type-D, which means you’ll be staying for over six months. In this case, you’ll need to apply for a Foreigner Identity Card within 30 days from your arrival in Spain. You’ll need the Foreigner Identification Number that came with your visa to apply for the Foreigner Identity Card. This will serve as your temporary residence permit in Spain for the duration of your studies.

You’ll need this card for your economic activities in Spain, such as opening a bank account, applying for a telephone contract, or getting employment. This card is renewable annually, and you don’t have to apply for a new visa to renew this.

In conclusion, there are multiple steps that are required when you apply for your student visa, but what you need to keep in mind is that knowing the local language is one of the most important steps as that allows you to communicate with others through your daily life but it also makes your university experience more pleasing. There are a lot of different ways to learn Spanish and one of the most preferred ways is through online courses that can help you develop your skills.

 

We hope that this article on applying for a student visa in Spain was helpful. If you are interested in studying in Europe, make sure to check out Available Programs in Europe for International Students.

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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