Education · Spain

Student visa and study permit in Spain

We check your chosen programme, start dates, funds and documents. We help you prepare the application and deal with renewal; choosing schools and universities is not part of this service.

Reviewed by: Francisco Romero Jiménez, abogado ICAB 33641, 21.10.2026

In brief

What we handle: estancia de larga duración por estudios
for more than 90 days, articles 34-36 and 52-57 of the Reglamento
Funds: 100% of IPREM a month per student
€600 with IPREM at €600 (SEPE, 3 October 2026; we check it on the filing date); family +75% and +50%
When to apply: 2 months before the programme starts
from the consulate or, for universities, from Spain
Work while studying: up to 30 hours a week
automatically, only for full-time, in-person higher education
Renewal: 2 months before expiry, up to three months after
universities and secondary education: no more than two renewals
After university: up to 24 months to look for work
at Grado level or above, under Ley 14/2013

Who it suits and who it doesn’t

Fits

You have been admitted, or are applying, to an in-person programme at a university or other higher education institution and want to study for more than 90 days
You have chosen an in-person Spanish or Catalan course at an official language school or an Instituto Cervantes centre
Your studies are a secondary education, vocational training or school exchange programme
You want to come with your family: in higher education, a spouse or partner and children can get a permit

Does not fit

The programme is shorter than 90 days: a short stay fits, not an estancia
The programme is fully online: the law allows in-person and hybrid programmes, and outside universities at least half of the classes must be in person
The centre or programme is not on the official registers: the institution must be recognised in Spain
You need to work full time: student status allows work only with restrictions

Which programmes qualify

You choose the programme; we check whether it falls under the law and what conditions apply to it. Age, work and family rules depend on the category.

Category	What you need	Details
Higher education	In-person or hybrid programme, at least 90% of credits, admission, paid matrícula, institution on the register (RUCT or equivalent)	Work up to 30 hours, family, filing from Spain, 24 months to look for work after graduating
Post-compulsory secondary education, vocational training	At least 50% of the programme in person, aged 18 or over	Work only with a separate permit; no status for the family
School exchange and volunteering	The organisation covers the costs; you live with a host family	Age under the programme rules
Language courses	In person, at an official language school or an Instituto Cervantes centre, not your native language	Renewal only after passing the course or DELE
Other study activities	MIR exam preparation, language assistants, vocational training certificates	Rules depend on the subtype

Student visa requirements and what they mean in practice

Requirement	What it means in practice
Passport	Valid for at least a year.
Admission and payment	You have been admitted, and the entry fees or matrícula are paid.
Funds	100% of IPREM a month per student, which is €600, plus 75% (€450) for the first family member and 50% (€300) for each additional one. The cost of the studies themselves is not included. If accommodation is prepaid for the whole period, the amount for living costs is not required.
Health cover	A policy from an insurer authorised in Spain, with cover equal to the basic package of the public system, for the whole period. If you work, registration with social security replaces it.
Criminal record certificate	For adults staying more than 6 months: from the countries of residence in the last 5 years, with an apostille and translation. See Criminal record certificate for a residence permit: countries, timing and translation
Medical certificate	Confirms you have no diseases with serious public health consequences under the 2005 International Health Regulations.
Parental consent	For minors: if the child is looked after by someone who is not their guardian, consent from both parents is needed.

What counts as means

Scholarships, grants, an employment contract or a firm job offer (if the status allows work) count, as does a declaration from the school, host organisation or volunteer organisation that it will cover the costs. We check before applying how the consulate converts the monthly amount into a total for the whole period. See Means for a Spanish study visa: what to show and how to document it.

Step-by-step application

Programme and admission. You choose the programme and pay the matrícula; we check the institution against the registers and the conditions of the category.
Documents. We gather the criminal record certificate, the medical certificate, proof of means and the policy, arrange the apostilles and translations (Documents for a Spanish student visa: a short list).
Filing. From abroad: in person at the consulate 2 months before the start; from Spain: Oficina de Extranjería, and for universities the university itself can file.
Decision. After filing at the consulate, the Oficina de Extranjería decides within 7 days, then the consulate issues the visa within a month. From Spain the deadline is two months. Silence means refusal in every case.
Entry and TIE. For stays over 6 months, the TIE card is requested in person within a month.

Work while studying

Case handling: from €726 incl. IVA, family member +€363. All prices.

Higher education automatically gives the right to work as an employee or self-employed if the work is compatible with the studies, up to 30 hours a week. Going over the limit leads to the status being revoked. Work is limited to the autonomous community that issued the authorisation and neighbouring towns. Secondary education, language courses and other categories need a separate work permit. Work placements that are part of the programme need no separate permit. See Can you work with a student permit in Spain and Can you study with a residence permit that does not allow work.

A student’s family

Family status is available in higher education: a spouse, a registered or stable partner (a year of living together or a child in common), minor children, and adult children who need support because of a disability. You need documents proving the relationship, means, health cover and a criminal record certificate for adults. Family members cannot work. A child born in Spain gets a permit automatically; the application is filed within 6 months. See A student’s family in Spain: who can get a study estancia.

Renewal

Renewal is filed electronically 2 months before expiry or within 3 months after; in the second case a fine is possible. The application extends the previous status until a decision. The decision comes within a month, and silence means refusal. Universities and secondary education allow up to two renewals, volunteering and other activities one, and school exchange none. Language courses are renewed after passing the course, a DELE diploma or registering for the exam. If the permit was issued for more than a year, the matrícula must be confirmed every year. See Renewing a study estancia: what to prove, Language courses in Spain and the study permit and CCSE and DELE A2 for Spanish citizenship: what to take and how to prepare.

In July 2026 the Supreme Court annulled the general list of procedures that must be filed electronically (article 197.2), but article 55 still refers to electronic filing for renewals. How this works in practice is covered on the “Documents and procedures” page.

After your studies, and homologation

After higher education at Grado level or above, you can stay for up to 24 months without a renewal to find work in your field or start a business. The application is filed 60 days before the status expires or within 90 days after; the decision takes 20 days, and silence means approval. Family members who came with you can stay. After university or vocational training, with a diploma and an employer, you can switch to residence with work without a visa. See After studying in Spain: work, job seeking and changing status.

Homologation of a foreign diploma is not needed to get a study estancia: article 53 does not require it. You need it when you want to work in a regulated profession. There are three procedures (RD 889/2022): homologation (profession), a declaration of equivalence (Grado or Máster level) and convalidation (to continue studying at a Spanish university). The application is filed electronically with an apostille, a sworn translation and, for homologation, proof of Spanish at B2 or above. The decision takes 6 months, and silence means refusal. See Diploma homologation in Spain: procedure, timescales and documents.

Fees and timeframes

What	Amount or timeframe	Basis
Initial estancia	10,94 €	Order PJC/617/2025
Estancia renewal	17,49 €	Order PJC/617/2025
TIE card	first €16.08, on renewal €19.30	Order PJC/617/2025
Visa	consular fee at the consulate’s rate	decided by the consulate
Decision when filed from Spain	2 months, silence means refusal; 15 days when filed through the university	article 54

Amounts are updated at the start of the year; before paying we check them against the modelo 790 form. We are not responsible for how long the authorities take to respond.

Common mistakes

Choose a programme that is not on the register, or an online format.
File the documents less than 2 months before the start.
Work more than 30 hours or without the required permit.
Miss both the 2 months before the status expires and the 3 months after.
Fail to request the TIE within a month of entry.

How we work and what is paid separately

First consultation: 15 minutes free. Full individual consultation: €121 for 45 minutes. After that we price the work individually and draw up an estimate, which you sign before we start. Government fees and translations are paid separately and appear as separate lines in the estimate. Advance payment: 50% before work begins and 50% before filing.

We handle your case until the authority’s decision. Corrections in response to requests and refiling are included in the price; an appeal is not. If you miss an appointment, the appointment has to be paid for again. We do not promise approval and are not responsible for the authorities’ timeframes: the decision is made by a government body. The legal side is handled by the team’s lawyer; tax and administrative matters by a tax and administrative specialist (graduada social). We file wherever the law allows a representative; where filing must be in person, we prepare the file and accompany you.

We do not select schools or universities: you choose the programme, and we check how to get a status for it. Book a consultation

Frequently asked questions

How much money do you need to show for a student visa?

100% of IPREM a month per student: with IPREM at €600 (SEPE, 3 October 2026) that is €600. Add €450 for the first family member and €300 for each additional one. Study costs do not count.

Can you work on a student visa?

In full-time, in-person higher education, yes: up to 30 hours a week if the work is compatible with your studies. Other categories need a separate permit.

Can you apply while in Spain?

For higher education and medical specialisation, yes, if you are in Spain legally and apply 2 months before the start. Other categories apply through the consulate or while holding a residence permit.

How many times can it be renewed?

Universities and secondary education allow up to two renewals per authorisation, volunteering and other activities one, and school exchange none.

Do you need to speak Spanish?

The law does not require a language certificate for a study estancia. Spanish at B2 is needed for homologation; check the programme’s own requirements with the university.

Can you bring your family?

Only in higher education. You need documents proving the relationship, means, health cover and a criminal record certificate for adults. Family members cannot work.

What happens after graduation?

At Grado level or above, you can apply for 24 months to look for work or develop a project. The decision takes 20 days, and silence means approval. There is also a route to residence with work.

Do you need diploma homologation to study?

No, it is not required for an estancia. It is needed to work in a regulated profession. The decision takes 6 months.

Sources

Sources reviewed on 03.10.2026. This material is for information only and does not replace an individual consultation. DNV figures updated on 01.10.2026.

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