Student visa Spain online: requirements 2026

01What it is and who it is for

Royal Decree 1155/2024, Spain's immigration regulations in force since 20 May 2025, overhauled the rules for international students. Legally it is still a stay, not residence: the official name is the long-term stay permit for studies, student mobility, voluntary service or training activities (estancia de larga duración por estudios). What changed is the substance. For higher education the permit now covers the full official length of the programme, lets you work without a separate permit and makes it easier to stay in Spain once you graduate.

It covers higher education at recognised institutions (bachelor's and master's degrees, university-specific qualifications and vocational master's), upper secondary and intermediate vocational courses, pupil exchange programmes, volunteering and certain training activities: language assistant posts, Spanish or regional language courses at official language schools or Instituto Cervantes accredited centres, courses preparing for specialist medical training exams and professional certificates at levels 2 and 3.

The programme must be full-time (enrolment in at least 90% of the year's credits) and, except for university degrees, at least 50% of the teaching must be in person. Online-only language courses do not qualify.

Doctoral candidates no longer use this route: since management criterion 2/2026 of the Directorate General for Migration Management (August 2026), a PhD is processed through the research permit with the Large Companies Unit (UGE).

02Requirements

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Admission to a recognised or authorised institution in Spain, with tuition or registration fees paid.
Minimum age: 17 for higher education and 18 for upper secondary, vocational courses and training activities. Minors need consent from their parents or guardians.
Funds: 100% of IPREM per month (€600 in 2026), unless your accommodation is prepaid for the whole period. Scholarships, grants and, where the permit allows work, a job contract or firm offer count. Money set aside for tuition does not.
For dependants: 75% of IPREM per month for the first and 50% for each additional one.
Health insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain, with cover similar to the Spanish public health system.
A passport valid for at least one year.
If you are an adult and the stay is longer than six months: no criminal record in any country you have lived in during the last five years.
A medical certificate under the 2005 International Health Regulations.
You are not in Spain irregularly.

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03Documents

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Official application form and full passport.
Letter of admission and proof that tuition or registration fees are paid.
Proof of funds: bank statements, scholarship letter, sponsor's undertaking or proof of prepaid accommodation.
Health insurance policy and certificate.
Police certificate, apostilled and translated into Spanish, where required.
Medical certificate.
Proof of payment of the fee.
For family members: marriage, partnership or birth certificates, apostilled and translated.

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04How we handle it online

Case review
We look at the institution, the type of course and your current status, and tell you whether you can apply from Spain or need to go through a consulate.
Document check
We confirm that the institution is officially recognised, that your enrolment meets the minimum credits and that your funds and insurance are sufficient.
Online filing
If you are legally in Spain, we file the application electronically with the immigration office. If you are abroad, we prepare a complete file for the consulate.
Follow-up
We handle any requests for further documents and guide you through the TIE (foreigner identity card) appointment when the permit exceeds six months.
Extensions and next steps
We file your extensions and, when you finish, your switch to a residence and work permit or to the job-search permit.

05Timescales and validity

From abroad, you must apply at least two months before your course starts; the immigration office then has seven days to decide on the permit and the consulate one month to issue the visa. From within Spain, you apply at least two months before the course starts and two months before your current legal stay ends; the decision is due within two months and silence means refusal. When the university files the application for you, the deadline is 15 days.

For higher education the permit lasts as long as the official programme. In other cases it lasts up to one year and can be extended year by year (up to two extensions per permit for higher education and secondary or vocational studies, one for volunteering and training activities). Extensions are filed online in the two months before expiry and decided within one month; silence means refusal. If the permit runs for more than a year, you must show your enrolment at the start of each academic year.

When you finish, you can apply for a residence and work permit (employed or self-employed) without a visa, in the two months before or the three months after your stay ends or you obtain your qualification. If you have completed at least a bachelor's degree (level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework), you can instead apply for a residence permit of up to 24 months to look for work or start a business.

06Do I need to attend anything in person?

If you apply from your home country, the visa is lodged at the Spanish consulate, in person or through a representative. If you are already in Spain legally and starting higher education, we file online and you do not need an appointment. Either way, if the permit is for more than six months you must attend a police station in person to give your fingerprints for the TIE within one month of arrival or approval.

07Common mistakes and reasons for refusal

Enrolling at an institution that is not on the official registers, or on a course below 90% of the year's credits.
Online language courses, or courses with less than 50% in-person teaching.
Applying from Spain when your visitor stay is about to run out.
Working more than 30 hours a week: this can lead to the permit being withdrawn.
Missing the extension deadline or failing to show enrolment each year.
Letting the deadline pass to switch to residence and work after graduating.

08Frequently asked questions

Can I work while studying in Spain?

If you are in higher education, yes, automatically and without a separate permit, as long as the work is compatible with your studies and does not exceed 30 hours a week. For other courses you must apply for a work permit. Curricular internships that are part of your programme need no extra permission.

Can I apply from Spain if I came as a tourist?

Yes, if you are starting higher education and are legally in Spain. You must be an adult and apply at least two months before the course starts and two months before your legal stay ends. With a 90-day visitor stay, the window is very short, so plan early.

Can my partner and children come?

Yes, if you are in higher education. Your spouse or partner, children under 18 and adult children who need support can join you, as long as at least 90 days remain on your permit. They are not allowed to work.

What happens when I graduate?

You can switch straight to a residence and work permit, employed or self-employed, without leaving Spain. With a bachelor's degree or higher you can also apply for a residence permit of up to 24 months to look for work or set up a business.

Does student time count towards permanent residence?

It counts at 50% towards EU long-term residence, provided you already hold a residence permit when you apply.

I am British or American. Is the process different for me?

No. Since Brexit, UK nationals need a student visa or permit for courses longer than 90 days, on the same terms as US, Canadian or Australian students. Short courses of up to 90 days can usually be done as a visitor.

How long does the student visa take?

You apply at the consulate at least two months before your course starts, unless there is a justified reason for applying later. The immigration office then has seven days to decide on the permit; if it does not answer in that time, the application is treated as refused. After a favourable decision, the consulate has up to one month to issue the visa. On top of these legal deadlines you need time to get a consulate appointment and to gather apostilles and translations, which varies a great deal from country to country, so we recommend starting as soon as you have your letter of admission.

Can I switch to a work permit before graduating?

As a general rule, no. The regulations require you to have obtained the qualification or certificate for your studies before switching, without a visa, to a residence and work permit as an employee or self-employed person, and you must not have been funded under a development cooperation or humanitarian programme. You apply in the two months before or the three months after your stay ends or you obtain your qualification, and once the application is admitted for processing you may work full time while it is decided. Until then, if you are in higher education, you can work up to 30 hours a week on your student permit.

09Legal basis

Royal Decree 1155/2024, articles 34 to 36 (study visa)
Royal Decree 1155/2024, articles 52 to 57 (long-term stay for studies)
Royal Decree 1155/2024, article 190, as amended by Royal Decree 316/2026
Law 14/2013, seventeenth additional provision (job-search permit)
Organic Law 4/2000, article 33

Information reviewed on 03.10.2026 against the law in force. This page is for general information and is not a substitute for advice on your own case.

Student visa Spain: requirements, work rights and staying on after your studies

At a glance