Spain Student Visa: Requirements and How to Apply

Checked against official sources on 10 October 2026

A Spain student visa is needed for study stays of more than 90 days. The rules are in the immigration regulation approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024, in force since 20 May 2025, which calls the permit a long-term stay for studies (estancia de larga duración por estudios). The applicant needs admission to a recognised centre, enough money, health insurance and, for stays over six months, a clean criminal record. This guide follows the regulation and the pages of the Spanish consulates in the United States.

Which studies qualify for a Spain student visa

Article 52 of the regulation lists five activities:

• Higher education: a full-time programme at a recognised higher education institution that leads to a recognised degree. This covers university degrees, universities' own degrees (títulos propios), higher vocational training and a preparatory course for students already admitted.
• Upper secondary education at an authorised centre, including intermediate vocational training.
• Student mobility programmes in secondary education.
• Volunteering in an unpaid programme.
• Training activities: language assistants, Spanish language courses taught in person at an official language school or a centre accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, and some professional certificates.

Full time means enrolment in at least 90 per cent of the credits of a university course, or of the programme in other studies. The consulates in New York and Los Angeles also ask for a minimum of 20 hours a week. Applicants for higher education must be over 17; for upper secondary education and training activities, over 18. Recognised centres are listed in the directory of higher education centres in Spain and language schools in Spain; the acceptance letter must come from the centre itself.

Requirements

The consulates turn these rules into amounts. The San Francisco consulate gives the IPREM figures for 2025: €600 per month for a student travelling alone, plus €450 for the first family member and €300 for each further one. The Los Angeles consulate gives a minimum of 600 per month for 2026 (its page writes the figure in US dollars). Tuition money does not count towards this amount. Scholarships, a letter from the university covering room and board, bank statements of the last three months or a notarised letter from the parents are accepted as proof.

For insurance, the New York consulate asks for a policy with no co-payments or deductibles and a minimum cover of €30,000. Travel insurance is not accepted in Los Angeles. In the United States the criminal record certificate must come from the FBI, with the federal apostille and a Spanish translation. The Los Angeles page lists a visa fee, from 1 January 2026, of $160 for US citizens and $106 for other nationalities; the visa centre charges its own service fee on top.

Applying at a Spanish consulate in the United States

Each consulate accepts applications only from people who live or study in its district. Los Angeles covers Southern California, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. New York covers New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Other consulates, such as San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Miami and Boston, have their own pages with the same structure. Non-US citizens must show legal residence in the United States; holders of B1/B2 visas cannot apply there.

• Get the acceptance letter and pay, or part-pay, the enrolment fee.
• Order the FBI certificate and its apostille early if the stay is longer than 180 days.
• Take out the health insurance and collect proof of funds.
• Book an appointment at the BLS visa centre of the consulate. Applications are made in person.
• Submit the national visa application form, photo, passport and the documents above, with Spanish translations where the consulate asks for them.
• Collect the visa in person within two months of the decision.

The regulation asks for the application at least two months before the course starts. Los Angeles and New York accept applications from six months to two months before the start.

Processing time

Under article 36 the immigration office in Spain decides on the stay permit within seven days, and the consulate then issues the visa within one month. Both consulates state a legal period of one month, which can be longer if they ask for more documents or an interview. In practice Los Angeles says to allow at least four weeks and New York at least five weeks from a complete application. New York adds that the authorisation from Spain typically takes about three weeks and cannot be speeded up. Both advise not to buy tickets before the visa is granted.

Applying from inside Spain

A student who is legally in Spain can apply there only for higher education (and for specialised health training). The applicant must be an adult. The application goes to the immigration office (oficina de extranjería) of the province of study, at least two months before the studies begin. The office has two months to decide; no answer in that time means refusal. A higher education institution can also file the application electronically for its student. For other studies, such as language courses, the application is made from abroad.

Length of the stay and the TIE card

The permit lasts as long as the studies, with a limit of one year. Higher education is the exception: the permit covers the official length of the degree, and the student shows enrolment again at the start of each year. The permit starts up to one month before the course and ends 15 days after it. A visa is issued for at most one year.

When the stay is longer than six months, the student must apply in person for the foreigner identity card (TIE) at the police within one month of entering Spain. For shorter stays the visa is enough. An extension can be requested in the two months before the permit expires.

Family members

Only students in higher education can bring family: the spouse or partner, and children who are minors or need support because of a disability. They apply for their own visa and need proof of the family tie, health insurance and the extra financial means. Their stay ends with the student's. Family members are not allowed to work.

What to check before applying

• The centre is recognised, authorised or accredited for the course. A language course must be at an official language school or at a centre accredited by the Instituto Cervantes.
• The page of the consulate of the district of residence: forms, fees and translation rules differ.
• The current IPREM amount and the months of stay to cover.
• Insurance dates: one month before the course to 15 days after it.
• Funding options, such as scholarships, which count as financial means.

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa needed for a course of less than 90 days?

No student visa is required for study stays of up to 90 days. Depending on nationality, a short-stay Schengen visa may be needed.

How much money must a student show?

100% of the IPREM per month of stay. The San Francisco consulate puts this at €600 per month for 2025. Prepaid accommodation lowers the amount.

Can students work in Spain?

Yes, up to 30 hours a week if the job is compatible with the studies. For higher education the study permit includes the right to work; other students need a work authorisation.

Can a tourist change to a student permit in Spain?

Only for higher education, while legally in Spain, and at least two months before the studies start.