Student Visa Spain from UK

If you wish to study for longer than 3 months in Spain and are a UK citizen or are from a country outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you will require a Student visa.

The Spanish visa for Spain allows you to:

• Study at a higher education facility pursuing an undergraduate or advanced graduate degree programme
• Partake in student exchange programmes through public and private international education or scientific institutional partnerships
• Undertake training and take courses
• Conduct or undertake research projects
• To apply as an intern
• Engage in volunteer work

What Other Benefits Are Included with a Student Visa?

Most visas have a strict criteria of what you can and can’t do whilst staying in Spain during the validity period of your visa.

Staying in Spain on a student visa will also allow you to:

• Work part time for up to 30 hours per week
• Obtain a TIE residence card
• Partake in internships and volunteer work
• Bring your spouse and/or any children under the age of 18 with you to Spain, so long as you can prove that they will be financially supported during that time

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for a Spanish student visa, you must be able to prove that you are undertaking training, a course or similar that complies with the following categories:

• Full time studies for a certificate, degree or diploma through an accredited educational institution
• PhD studies
• Training programmes for work or other purposes
• Teaching assistant
• Internships that do not otherwise qualify for the separate internship visa
• Volunteering for organisations that benefit the wider social or public interest
• Au pair and language exchange programmes
• Foreign exchange programmes for accredited secondary schools or scientific centres

Applicants will also need to:

• Meet certain financial requirements, detailed below
• Have health insurance that:
  • Covers the full period of your visa
  • Has a minimum coverage of €30,000
  • Is valid in all Schengen zone states
• Pass a criminal record check

Financial requirements

Applicants for the Spain student visa are required to meet certain financial requirements before they can travel to Spain for study or training purposes.

In order for your financial situation to qualify for a study visa for Spain, you must:

• Have enough money to allow you to live in Spain and to travel back to the UK or other country of origin/residence once your visa expires. As of 2024, the minimum amount you must prove you have access to or are earning is €600 per month, or €7,200 per year. This number is based on the IPREM (Spain’s Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator) and may be subject to change, and is expected to increase in future

• Prove that your primary income is not any job that you take on in Spain – your primary income as per IPREM must come from abroad or from your savings in order to qualify
• Provide documented evidence that your accommodation has been paid for in advance for a full year in Spain, if you cannot meet the IPREM amount

If you intend to have a family member join you, an additional 75% of the IPREM amount must be available to you and your family member on top of the minimum amount to support you, and then a further 50% for each additional family member you intend to bring to Spain with you.

Full Academic Year Applicants

Applicants who wish to study in Spain for an academic year will be required to provide additional background information as part of the application process. Before applying for the visa, you will need to complete the following steps:

• Obtain a medical certificate to prove you do not have an illness that could be a threat to public health – this must then be translated into Spanish and include Apostille authentication
• Have a clear criminal record for the past 5 years, verified by your fingerprints, which must be translated into Spanish and include Apostille authentication. You must do this check within 3 months of applying

Spanish Government Grants to Foreign Students

The Spanish government offers MAEC-AECID grants and scholarships to certain foreign nationals and international students that can help cover costs such as living expenses, accommodation costs, and medical insurance.

For foreign nationals who already are living in Spain, you may be eligible for a study grant, offered by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport.

The documentation required to apply for the student visa will vary according to what your reasons for travelling to Spain are.

You will need to have already applied for and been accepted onto the course, internship or volunteering role before you consider applying for a Study visa.

The documents required are as follows:

• Your passport with at least 3 months of validity on it (we recommend at least 1 year)
• A letter or offer of acceptance from the institution or organisation in Spain that you will be involved with
• Proof of financial means – this can be bank statements, payment slips, or other forms that prove you can support yourself during your stay in Spain – this must be signed by the parent or legal guardian if the applicant is under 18
• Proof of accommodation in Spain available to you from the day you plan to enter the country
• Proof of health insurance of a minimum of €30,000

• Medical certificate (with Apostille authorisation)
• Criminal record certificate (with Apostille authorisation)
• Any other relevant documents that support your case

Application process

In order to apply for a Spain study visa from the UK, you will need to first ensure that:

• You meet all the eligibility criteria outlined on this page
• You have applied for and received an offer from an accredited or relevant institution
• You have gathered all necessary documents for the visa application
• You have completed in full the application form for your visa

Once all of the above is arranged, you can then make an appointment at your nearest Spanish embassy or consulate. It is recommended you do not make any arrangements to travel abroad during this time.

If you are in the UK, you can visit one of the addressed below:

BLS Spain Visa Application Centre London

Ground Floor,
20 St Andrew’s Street
London
EC4A 3AG

BLS Spain Visa Application Centre Manchester

55 Brown Street
Manchester
M2 1YB

Spain Visa Application Centre Edinburgh

1a
6 Dock Pl
Leith
Edinburgh
EH6 6LU

How Long Does the Visa Process Take?

In general, you can expect the student visa application process to have your application processed within 2-3 weeks. However, this can vary according to the volume of applications a given consulate receives at that time, and can take longer if your application requires further documents or an interview in order for the immigration officer to make a final decision.

Once You Arrive in Spain

Once you have applied for and had your student visa approved, you will then be able to travel to Spain. Once you arrive in the country, you will be required to apply for a TIE (residence permit) within 1 month of arriving. This costs around €15.76 to purchase.

You will also be required to obtain a foreign student identity card (NIE). This costs around €11 to purchase.

In general, the cost of a Student visa for Spain is around €80 (approximately £68). However, this can differ depending on what country you are applying from and other factors. To check the application fee, it is best to consult with your nearest Spanish embassy.

In order to be eligible to apply, you will need to prove you have access to at least €7,200 a year (or €600 per month), and more if you intend to have your spouse or children under 18 join you.

Other fees such as travel costs to and from the embassy, printing costs, and translation costs will also be incurred during the application process.

Once you are in Spain, you will also be required to pay for:

• Your resident permit (TIE), which costs approximately €15.76
• Your student foreigner identity card (NIE), which costs approximately €11