International students are preferring Spain student visa because of the no IELTS condition, and the wide range of scholarships offered for masters and Ph.D. students.
Recently, for this academic year, Spanish Government announced scholarships for 850,000 students.
Spain is providing quality education and has inexpensive private and public institutes.
The Ministry of educational funds and vocational training program grants scholarships to international students in the universities of Spain.
Excellent and brilliant students have a good chance to achieve these scholarships in their chosen programs.
But most International students who show their interest in 76 Spanish universities, face problems while applying for a Spain student visa.
This is why a detailed guide was necessary about the subject.
This guide will provide you detailed information about the Spain study visa process, fee structure, documentation, requirements, etc.
It will not only solve your every query but will also prepare you step by step.
A summary of the whole guide is also given at the end of this blog guide.
Check step by step process of the Italy study visa.
Spain Student Visa
1. Types of Spain student visa for International Students
3. Spanish Consulates and Embassies
4. Spain study Visa process time
5. Documents Required for Spain Study Visa
6. How to Apply for Spain Student Visa
7. Interview Questions for Spain Student Visa
8. Spain Student Visa Success Rate
1. Type of Spain student visas for international students
There are two types of Spanish student visas for international Non-Eu students.
Spain Schengen (Student) visa
and
Spain National (student) visa
Depends on the duration of time, a student wants to spend in Spain.
Let me explain.
1.1. Spain Schengen (Student) Visa
Short-term visa (less than 90 days)
If the student is applying for a “Short Course” or “Apprenticeship” or “Seminars”, or “Vocational training” or “Exchange & mobility program”, or “University single course” that only requires them to stay in Spain for up to 90 days then the applicant should apply for “Spain Schengen (student) visa.
Students interested in Spanish language courses and short courses will apply for this type of visa.
Non-EU students from USA, UK, Austrlia, Canada etc don’t need a TYPE C Schengen visa. Upon arrival, they can show the required identity documents to justify their stay in Spain.
Spain Schengen (Student) Visa Application form
1.2. Spain National (Student) visa
Long-term visa (More than 90 days)
If the Student is applying for a course that is taking more than 90 days, then they should apply for visa type D.
In most cases, if the student is applying for a full-time Bachelor’s, Masters, PhD, Research or Intrenship etc. Their course duration will take more than 90 days, so they should apply for Spain National Student visa.
Later on, these students will be required to apply for Spanish Residence permit (With in one month) at the Immigration Office or Police Station of the province.
Spain National (Student visa)Application form
1.3. Study programs & Spain Visa table
|
Study Programs |
Stay of Duration |
Type of Spanish student visas |
|
Exchange & mobility program |
Less than 90 days |
Schengen (Student) Visa |
|
University single course |
Less than 90 days |
Schengen (Student) Visa |
|
Vocational training |
Less than 90 days |
Schengen (Student) Visa |
|
Academic short course |
Less than 90 days |
Schengen (Student) Visa |
|
Apprenticeship |
Less than 90 days |
Schengen (Student) Visa |
|
Full-time Graduate or post-graduate programs |
More than 90 days |
Spain National (Student) visa |
|
Exchange & mobility program, University single course, Vocational training, Academic short course, Apprenticeship |
IF More than 90 days |
Spain National (Student) visa |
If you want to study in the UK, check our ultimate UK study visa guide.
2. Spain Student Visa fee
The Spain study visa fee is 80 euros for both the National student visa [Long-term stay (more than 90 days)] and for Schengen (student) visa [ Short-term stay [(Less than 90 days)].
Note: Sometimes Extra fees could be charged like Service Fees or Convenience Fees by third parties like VFX global etc. That extra fee could be between 10-20 euros.
The Fee for Spain student visa from Pakistan (Both for short-term & long-term) is 12026 PKR.
While for India the long-term Study visa fee (D-Type) is 7,005.52 INR for a short & long term student visa.
(The amount is taken when 1 euro was equal to 242 PKR, it could change according to the international market)
Remember These visa fees exclude the additional services by third parties like VFX etc.
How to apply for Australian study visa? check our step by step process.
3. Spanish Consulates and Embassies
Spain has different Embassies, Representative Offices, and Consulates all over the world. The list of Spanish Consulates and Embassies is given here.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della) is the office that give decisions related to Spain visas applications.
4. Spain Student Visa process time
The Spain student visa processing time strictly depends upon
The Applicant’s Nationality,
Spanish embassy in that particular region,
Number of applicants
and
sometimes specific requirements of the Applicant’s case.
It is necessary to submit a visa application before the beginning of the study program.
According to the instructions of the Spain Embassy, the official processing time for a Spain student visa is 15 Calendar days (It may delay depending on case to case).
However, International Students will eventually get a response to their visa application within 3 weeks, when they file for their Spanish student visa.
It can be a lot less in case of some countries like Australia, Canada, UK, USA etc while for other countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana etc the Spanish visa processing time can take up to even 45 days due to huge number of applicants.
Applications accepted at the Spain Visa Application Centre will be submitted on the next working day at the Embassy of Spain/Consulate General of Spain.
Once the application has been submitted, the embassy can further request additional documentation.
If You have any questions related to your spain study visa or any other study visa, you can also contact us for a live one-on-one session.
Whatsapp Contact: +393512735708
5. Documents Required for Spain Study Visa
5.2. Passport-size photographs
5.5. Academic Documents for the Spain Study Visa
5.7. English Language Proficiency for Spain Student Visa
5.9. Acceptance Letter for Study
5.10. Bank statement for Spain student visa
5.12. Criminal record certificate for Spain student visa
5.14. Parents/Guardian Authority Letter for Spain Student Visa
5.16. Proof of University Legal Fees
5.17. Copy of Hotel Reservation & Flight Booking
5.18. Family Registration Certificate (FRC)
5.19. No Objection Certificate (Optional)
5.20. Certificates of extracurricular achievements
5.21. Corona Vaccination Certificates
5.22. Marriage and Childbirth Certificate
Check our detailed guide about Finland student visa.
5.1. Visa Application form
International students must sign, date and complete the correct visa application form.
-For long-term (More than 90 days), Spain National (Student visa)Application form
-For Short-term (Less than 90 days) Spain Schengen (Student) Visa Application form
Here is our detailed guide about Sweden study visas.
5.2. Passport-size photographs
The general picture format for a Spanish student visa is the following.
A: Two recent (within 6 months) passport-size (35x45mm) photos.
B: White background with neutral facial expressions. (Unedited)
C: Avoid uniforms & the head should be 80% in the photo.
D: The applicant should look at the camera.
E: One photograph should be glued to the visa application, while the other should contain the applicant’s full name on the reverse side, & should be attached with a paper clip to the visa form.
The same rules apply to every Schengen country.
5.3. Valid Passport
A: A passport must have at least 18 months of validity from the date of visa application.
B: Applicants will also provide visa copies (if they have any).
C: The passport must have at least two blank pages.
D: All the previous passports must also be attached. (If they have any)
5.4. CNIC
A birth certificate and a National Identity card are mandatory for international student study visas in Spain. It depends on case to case.
If you want to study in Hungary, check out our ultimate Hungarian study visa guide.
5.5. Academic Documents for the Spain Study Visa
This includes all your certificates & academic transcripts like
A: Bachelor’s transcript & certificate (if you are applying for a master’s)
B: Master’s transcript & certificate (if you are applying for PhD.
C: Metric & FSC transcripts (12th Grade-high school) (A level) (DMCs) and certificates (if you are applying for Bachelors)
D: Course summary (to explain your courses & how your previous courses & studies resemble your future studies in which you are applying)
E: Two Letters of recommendation from the university & also the detail of the Referees. (it require specifically in case of university admission, but good to carry them along with your educational documents)
If the applicants’ documents are not in English, they must translate them into English & Spanish.
Different international embassies have their own official recommended Spanish translation centers.
Translated Spanish Documents contain
A. Confirmation from Translation Company/Translator
B. Translation Date
C. Name and Signature of the Translator
D. Translator’s Contact Details
NOTE: Respective universities, Boards & ministries (Ministry of foreign affairs) must attest the above documents for a Spanish study visa.
5.6. CV
CV is compulsory for the university admission process and optional for embassy interviews.
It should contain all the contact details and academic information.
Students can make a perfect Cv in Europass here in under a few minutes.
5.7. English Language Proficiency for Spain Student Visa
International students need to provide a language proficiency certificate in case to get admission to an English program. TOEFL and IELTS tests are accepted as English proficiency certificates.
English proficiency certificate is a proof that the medium of taught courses was English.
5.8. Statement of purpose/cover letter/Letter of motivation
This document comprises the following information about the student
A. Previous academic documents and studies
B. Employment Status
C. Relationship with your home country
D. Immigration History
E. Economic conditions of the applicant
A statement of purpose (SOP) & letter of motivation (LOM) are almost the same thing & could be interchangeable.
In this letter, you are asked to write about your personal and professional reasons why are you applying for a course or the scholarship and what is your intention of traveling to Spain.
The maximum length of this letter is three pages, But it is advised to make it short & concise to one page.
If you want to study in china, check out our ultimate Chinese study visa guide.
5.9. Acceptance Letter from Spanish institute
This letter could be in the form of a university formal invitation or internship or training program.
Remember Acceptance letter should also mention the exchange program.
It could also includes accommodation proof and details of the organization supporting the student.
It may be acceptable for an unpaid internship program too.
5.10. Bank statement for Spain student visa
The most important part of a Spain study visa is the applicant’s economic status.
Students must present the source of income or financial means that will cover their expenses.
The minimum amount required for a student to travel to Spain is around 650 euros per month.
Which is 7812 thousand euros per annum. But it is advised to submit a bank statement of Upto 10,000 euros.
Applicants must provide a bank statement for the last six months which is signed and stamped by the bank officer.
In the case of a Recent Bank statement, the applicant should carry the bank letter mentioning the account opening date and the authorized signatory of the account.
Non-Spanish documents must be legalized and submitted with an official translation into Spanish.
5.10.1 SPONSORSHIP
In the case of sponsorship, the applicant should make an Affidavit of the sponsor, in which they will state their relationship.
The sponsor is also required to show the tax return for the last two years.
Property Details & other Income sources of the sponsor are also required.
5.11. Health insurance
The student must submit health insurance coverage from an authorized insurance agency for a Spain student visa.
This document must cover all the insurance risks of Spain’s public health system. Insurance cards will not be accepted for insurance proof.
The insurance policy must cover 100% of hospital and medical costs.
The document of insurance proof will demonstrate a minimum coverage of 500,000 USD with no deductibles.
5.12. Criminal record certificate for Spain student visa
(Criminal record certificate is also known as PCC-Police clearance certificate)
International students who want to apply for a Spain long term student visa (more than 90 days) must submit a document showing a history of a criminal record.
This document must be issued by country of your residence within five months after starting the visa application.
It must be verified according to the “Apostille of the Hague” and then translated into Spanish language. Applicant can Provide a notarized copy of both documents.
If the country is not subscribed to the Hague Convention of 1961, the background must be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and the Consulate of Spain in that country.
Generally PCC can be issued by your local security police station or many international students can also make it online.
Indian students can make it through Passport seva, and Pakistani students can make it in “Police Khidmat Markaz” or ICTP app or ICTP website.
Students don’t need PCC for short term Spain student visa, but for a long-term stay it is needed.
5.13. Medical certificate
International students applying for a stay period of more than 180 days must submit copy and original medical certificate. It demonstrates that the applicant is not suffering from any serious disease that has repercussions for public health.
The medical certificate must be issued within 90 days of submitting the visa application, signed, and stamped by the doctor. The medical certificate must be translated into Spanish if it is in the English language.
5.14. Authority of legal representation for Spain Student Visa (Optional)
It is only required in case of minors, (if the is an applicant is legally a child and below a certain age).
Minor applicants must submit their parent’s/guardian’s notarized authority letter. This letter must mention that the Guardian will be responsible for the student visa of Spain.
The notarized authority letter must express some of the information of the person in Spain like:
Full name
DNI number
Address
Notarized copy of the person’s ID
Students must authenticate non-Spanish documents according to the Apostille of Hague and translate them into the Spanish language. Copies of the original document must be notarized.
5.15. Receipt of the visa fee
The student will pay a non-refundable visa fee and fill out the form. Visa fee payments are made at the time of visa appointments. Only a money order is accepted.
Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted. Money orders are to be sent to the address of the “Consulate General of Spain”.
Remember, The Spain study visa fee is 80 euros for both National student visa [Long-term stay (more than 90 days)] and for Schengen (student) visa [ Short-term stay [(Less than 90 days)].
Note: Sometimes Extra fees could be charged like Service Fees or Convenience Fees by third parties like VFX global etc. That extra fee could be between 10-20 euros.
5.16. Proof of university legal Fees
It is a receipt or proof of the application fee from the university. Depends from university to university. It may be the first-semester fee or the fee for the whole year.
5.17. Copy of Hotel Reservation & Flight Booking
The booking confirms the arrival date in a particular country. The hotel reservation shows that a student researched the process.
5.18. Family Registration Certificate (FRC)
A family registration certificate (FRC) means that your family record is complete in the country database.
This document specifically contains the names & information of your siblings & parents. (or spouse in some cases)
5.19. No Objection Certificate (Optional)
It also varies from country to country. It is compulsory for some countries and known as NOC. The university issued this message that tells students to return to their country.
NOC must be written by the Dean or HOD of the university.
This letter will include that the student is applying for a student visa of Spain. The student will return to the country after completing their education.
5.20. Certificates of extracurricular achievements (Optional)
These certificates include internship certificates and experience letters.
The embassy gives extra value to these certificates.
5.21. Corona Vaccination Certificates
Students must complete the COVID-19 vaccination before the medical appointment.
The administered vaccines are listed by the WHO (World Health Organization).
5.22. Marriage and Childbirth Certificate
The embassy may ask about Childbirth Certificates and marriage certificates. It is better to bring both childbirth and marriage certificates along with you.
NOTE: Students should carry all these documents along with their photocopies when applying for a Spain study visa.
The Spanish embassy reserve the right to ask for additional documents, that why it’s good to carry the optional documents.
The passport will not be returned until the final decision on the visa is taken.
Check our detailed guide for Denmark study visa.
6. How to Apply for Spain Student Visa
It can be done in simple Five Steps.
6.1 Take admission to a Spanish university
The first step is to ensure your admission seat in Spanish University in your desired course, which could require applying for a short-term (Schengen) or long-term Spain (National) student visa.
6.2. Fulfill the list of 22 documents
Above we discussed a list of 22 documents & how to get them. Applicants are advised to go through it 2-3 times to not miss anything.
6.3. Application Submission
International students must sign, date, and complete the correct visa application form.
-For long-term (More than 90 days), Spain National (Student visa)Application form
-For Short term (Less than 90 days) Spain Schengen (Student) Visa Application form
6.4. Take visa appointment & Application Rectification
After Submitting the list of documents Students may be asked by the Consular Office later to provide missing documents, before necessary decisions about the application.
A student may also be called to appear for an interview. which we discussed below & gave a list of possible questions.
6.5. Refusal of Spain Study visa & Appeal
Incase of Visa refusal, the reasons are always mentioned in the written application. Applicants can submit an appeal for the reconsideration of the decision.
An appeal can be submitted within 1 month after the date of the refusal decision to the Consular Office.
Students can submit their appeals here.
7. Interview Questions for Spain Student Visa
There are common questions students face during their visa interviews. These questions vary from profile to profile.
What is the name of the student?
Tell us about your previous educational qualification.
What is your purpose for going to Spain?
Did you already search for opportunities in your home country?
Where is the university located in Spain?
What is your course structure or Course summary?
Which course will you start at the university?
Why did you choose this university and subject?
How did you find this university? And How will this course shape your career?
What are your plans after the completion of the course?
When will your course start?
Why did you choose Spain and not another country?
Where will you stay in Spain?
8. Spain Student Visa Success Rate
The rejection rate for a Spain student visa is 3%. It says that 97% of visa applications for Spain student visa are accepted. In this guide we try to cover every aspect, Students are strongly recommended to avoid the mistake that led to student visa rejection.
If you want to study in UK for free, find out our detailed guides about Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
IS PCC required for a Spain study visa? International Students?
YES. All the Consulates of Spain required a Police clearance certificate (Criminal record certificate) for a long-term visa (more than 90 days). Check details here
When should a student apply for Spain student visa?
After being accepted into a study program in Spain, a student should contact the consulate of the home country to start the application for a student visa.
In case of scheduling an appointment, the student must apply for an appointment 7-10 weeks before the start of the program.
How is a Spain study visa issued to international students?
Consulates email students about their passport and visa collection, while some consulates require visiting them and collecting visas and passports.
Do I Need a Visa to Study in Spain?
It Depends on your nationality & type of visa you are looking for.
If you are an international student from countries outside of the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you will need to apply for a visa to study in Spain.
EU/EEA, American, Canadian, Australian citizens, etc only need a Spain student visa if their course duration is more than 90 days.
These students will only need to apply for a residence card at Spanish authorities and do not need to undergo the process of applying for a student visa to Spain.
Students can check the details here.
Is IELTS necessary for a Spanish Student visa?
NO. Technically IELTS isn’t required for a Spain student visa, however, Having a strong band in IELTS certainly increases your chances of getting a Spanish student visa.
Students are still advised to check the university requirements & Their particular Spanish embassy checklist.
Students can check the details here.
If you want to study in Italy for free, find out our detailed guides about DSU and EDISU scholarships.
10. Spain study visa for international students (SUMMARY)
1. Take a visa appointment at a Spain embassy in your home country & choose the correct category of visa like we discussed above.
2. Pay the visa fee & provide financial resources and bank statement details.
3. Prepare the list of 22 documents we discussed above in detail.
4. Appear at the visa interview & wait for the result. It will take up some time.
we tried to cover everything but still, If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask us in the comments.
If You have any questions related to your spain study visa or any other study visa, you can also contact us for a live one-on-one session.
Whatsapp Contact: +393512735708
I am applying for a visa to travel to Spain for intensive language course for a year, which documents should I submit?
Hi Richard, The required documents are explained in detail in Point Number 5. Please read it thoroughly.
Study loan accept for bank statement for study in spain?
what is rate for language course student visa rejection.