There are various types of permits and visas for staying in Spain, depending on what you will be doing and how long you will be staying.
These include tourist visas, work visas, residence visas, Schengen visas, and student visas. Within each category there are sub-categories.
A Spain Short-Term Student Visa permits you to stay and study in Spain between 91 and 180 days.
If you are planning to come to Spain to study for less than 90 days, maybe to participate in a language course, you won’t need a visa if you are an EU/EEA/Switzerland national.
US nationals also are not required to hold a visa to study in Spain for less than 90 days.
Other international students are required to apply for a Schengen Student Visa for courses shorter than 90 days.
For courses longer than 90 days you will have to consider a Spain Short-Term Student Visa.
Types of Visas for students in Spain
Spain Short-Term Student Visas permit studying courses that last up to 180 days. If the course is longer than 180 days, a Long-Term Student Visa will be required.
It is important to know that you cannot extend a Short-term Student Visa. If you wanted to stay longer than 180 days, you would be required to return home and apply again for a Long-Term Visa.
With a Spain Short-Term Student Visa you will not be able to apply for a Spanish residence card or work in Spain.
You will be coming to Spain solely to study a course with a maximum duration of 180 days. The application process is quite straightforward, much simpler than applying for a Long-Term Student Visa.
The first step to gaining a Spain Short-Term Student Visa is to be accepted on a course with a Spanish school or university.
You must be officially offered a place on a course before you start your application and your visa application should be submitted around three months before you are due to travel.
Go! Go! España has contacts with many excellent schools and universities across Spain and is here to help any potential students find the course of their dreams!
Please get in touch if you would like any help with finding a course and/or applying for a Spanish student visa.
Requirements for a Spain Short-Term Student Visa
- Completed Visa application form
- Passport style photo
- Original and photocopy of passport or similar official travel document
- Letter of admission from the school or university in Spain where you have already organized to start a course, indicating start and finish dates with an official stamp or signature.
- Proof of sufficient funds for the duration of the stay in Spain
- Proof of health insurance provided by a provider who is authorized to operate in Spain
- Applicants who are under 18 must provide a notarised authorization letter from their parents or guardian permitting them to study in Spain
- Payment of nominal visa application fee
