This article describes the visa requirements for students interested in booking a Spanish course at a language school in Spain. Students studying at a language school in Spain are subject to both Schengen and Spanish national visa and immigration laws.
1. Overview
If you plan to study in Europe for 90 days or less, you have to apply for a short-stay Schengen visa. If you plan to study for more than 90 days up to a year, you need a long-stay Schengen visa. The school will provide a letter of acceptance to support your Schengen visa application. Your letter of acceptance will be sent to you after we receive full payment for your course.
There are two categories of visitors:
- Students from countries that need a visa: these students need to apply for a Schengen visa for a course of less than 12 weeks. For courses lasting longer than 12 weeks, the students will need to apply for either a long-stay visa or a student visa, depending on local policy of every country.
- Students from countries that do not need visas (ex: EU, EEA and Schengen member states): these students do NOT need a visa for courses of less than 12 weeks. For courses lasting longer than 12 weeks, the students will need to apply for either a long-stay visa or a student visa, depending on local policy of every country.
2. Who needs a visa?
All students who are not citizens of an EU, Schengen or EEA member state or from Switzerland are subject to visa policies and will need a visa to study in Spain. Find out if you need to apply for a Schengen visa »
3. Visa types
Schengen (short-stay) visa
Schengen visas are issued only for stays that do not exceed three months (90 days) within a six-month period. Visas for visits exceeding that period remain subject to national procedures and authorise the holder to stay on the national territory of the host Member State only. Every Schengen country has their own policy, and specific requirements for student visas. The cost of a Schengen visa is €60 (subject to change). You are not allowed to work on a Schengen visa.
Usually, a short-term visa issued by one of the Schengen States is valid for the entire Schengen area (Schengen countries as of May 2009: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland).
These are the types of visas issued by Schengen member states:
- A: airport transit visa
- B: transit visa
- C: short-stay visa
- D: long-stay NATIONAL visa
- D+C: NATIONAL long-stay visa valid concurrently as a short-stay visa
- VTL: visa with limited territorial validity
- ADS: visas issued for members of tourist groups from the People’s Republic of China. Designated travel agencies in China can act as authorised representatives of visa applicants from the People’s Republic of China who are travelling in a group. Such groups may be issued a Schengen visa, limited to a maximum of 30 days and bearing the reference “ADS".
Learn more about Schengen student visas »
Spain: Student VisaTo apply for a Student Visa in Spain, you must enroll in a course with more than 20 hours of class per week for a period longer than 30 weeks. Only with that duration can the issued visa be renewed from Spain. Student visas for shorter periods must be renewed from the origin country. At the end of a +30 week course, the student will also be able to renew the visa and enroll in a course with less than 20 hours of classes per week.
The cost of this visa is 60 EUR (subject to change). You will also need to present all the documents listed above, as well as a transcript of your academic records and a letter of acceptance from the school.
Students are allowed to work part-time (less than 20 hours per week) on this visa type.
4. Requirements for visa applications
You need to present the following to apply for a Schengen visa to go to Spain:
- Passport
- Bank statement (for the last three months)
- Proof of financial means (for at least the first three months)
- Proof of status (student, employee etc)
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of transportation (flight ticket out of Spain)
- Proof of residency in the country where you apply for the visa
- Itinerary for your trip
- Travel health insurance (needs to cover at least 30.000 EUR of medical coverage, including 30.000 EUR of emergency medical evacuation and repatriation)
There are additional rules for minors. Learn more about the requirements for minors »
You need to present the following to apply for a student visa to go to Spain:
- Passport
- Permit or ticket to return to home country
- ID and school ID with current address
- Letter of admission from school (in Spanish, addressed to the specific consulate)
- Travel health insurance (needs to cover at least $50,000)
- Proof of means (bank statement, statement from sponsor or similar)
- Proof of accommodation
- Local health certificate (in Spanish)
- May be required: proof of good conduct
5. Frequently asked questions
How can I get a Schengen visa?
If you plan to study in Europe for 90 days or less, you have to apply for a short-stay Schengen visa. If you plan to study for more than 90 days up to a year, you need a long-stay Schengen visa. The school will provide a letter of acceptance to support your Schengen visa application. Your letter of acceptance will be sent to you after we receive full payment for your course.
Please note that you also need to show proof of overseas health insurance when you apply for a Schengen visa. The Schengen visa insurance requirements are very specific. Your insurance must provide 30.000 EUR of medical coverage, including 30.000 EUR of emergency medical evacuation and repatriation.
If your proof of insurance does not state these, your visa application may get denied. If you don't have an overseas insurance yet, we can provide this to you. Your proof of insurance will be sent to you, together with your letter of acceptance, after we receive full payment.