How to get a student visa to Spain

Type of Visa

First, you’ll have to find out which type of visa you need depending on the length of the course. If you plan to stay for less than 90 days, a regular Schengen tourist visa will suffice. Here is a list of countries that do and do not require tourist visas. If your program lasts between 3 and 6 months, you will need a student visa. If the program is more than 6 months, you will be required to get a student visa and a student’s residence permit or tarjeta de identidad de extranjero (Foreigner’s Identity Card, TIE). You can do this at a police station or foreigner’s office within 30 days of arriving in Spain.

Documents

These are the documents you will need to apply for the student visa:

• An acceptance letter from the school you are applying to, the program should be at least 20 hours per week

• 2 passport photos

• A valid passport

• A medical certificate proving you don’t have any diseases that would require quarantine

• Medical insurance (Sanitas and AME are two insurance providers in Spain)

• Proof of financial means showing that you have enough to support yourself for the duration of your stay. This can be a bank statement, scholarship details, or letter from a parent saying they are taking full financial responsibility

• A criminal record certificate

• Proof of accommodation such as a rental agreement

Once you have all the required documents, you can apply for the student visa in your country’s Spanish consulate or embassy.

Watch our short video on how to get a student visa:

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