When do you need a visa?
If you're a non-EU citizen and are staying in Spain to study for more than three months, you'll need a student visa. If your studies are to last more than six months you will also need to request in person a residence permit.
You have 30 days from entering Spain to start the procedures to obtain your residence permit, which you can do at the Immigration Office or Police Station in the province where the authorisation is processed.
Where can you obtain your visa?
You can request your student visa at the Spanish consulate in your country.
However, you will need to pre-enrol at an officially recognised public or private educational institution in Spain beforehand. Once you are in possession of the certificate or letter of acceptance from the centre, you can contact the consulate and process your visa.
List of consulates and embassies: http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal/en/ServiciosAlCiudadano/Paginas/EmbajadasConsulados.aspx
What other documents do you need to apply for your visa?
1. Valid passport.
2. Medical insurance for the duration of your stay in Spain to cover your medical expenses, and repatriation in the case of accident or sudden illness.
3. Evidence that you have means of subsistence and accommodation for the period for which you are requesting the visa, and where applicable, the funds to guarantee your return to your country.
If your stay is to be for longer than six months you will also need:
A criminal record certificate for Spain and your previous countries of residence in the last five years for crimes included under Spanish legislation.
A medical certificate stating that you do not suffer from any diseases with serious repercussions for public health in accordance with the provisions of international health regulations.
Things to remember
You cannot enter Spain with a tourist visa and then apply for a student visa.
We recommend that you submit your visa application sufficiently in advance (around two or three months before travelling).
If the studies you intended to pursue in Spain have a duration of less than six months, the Spanish consulate may issue you a student visa with the specification “STUDENT, TOTAL 180 DAYS”. This type of visa makes it impossible subsequently to obtain a student's card in Spain.
You are permitted to work during your period of student residence as long as your work activities do not conflict with completing your studies. Moreover, the income you obtain must not represent a necessary resource for your maintenance or stay and the company hiring you must be registered in the Social Security system.
If you would like family members to come and visit you in Spain, you can also apply for the corresponding visas so that they can enter and stay legally in Spain while you are here studying.
Always check with the Spanish consulate or embassy in your country to make sure of the current conditions for processing a visa, as they may vary.
Contact information for international students
Many universities have services to assist international students.
Contact the centre you are interested in so they can help you to apply for your visa and student's residence permit.
You'll find useful contact data in the following link:
http://extranjeros.empleo.gob.es/es/informacioninteres/informacionprocedimientos/Ciudadanosnocomunitarios/hoja003/index.html