A student visa to Spain, or a long-term type D visa, gives international students the opportunity to study at universities, colleges, and language courses. In this article, we will tell you how to get a student visa to Spain. Let’s consider the conditions for obtaining a study visa for Russians, the necessary documents and the registration procedure.
The content of the article
- Conditions for obtaining a D study visa to Spain
- Advantages of a student visa to Spain (what gives)
- Required documents for a student visa to Spain
- Certificate of criminal record with apostille
- Medical certificate
- Bank statement
- Documents for accommodation
- Study documents
- Insurance
- Motivation letter
- List of documents for family members
- Translation of documents into Spanish
- The procedure for obtaining a student visa to Spain
- Student visa validity period
- In which cases they may refuse (and then what to do)
The main changes will take effect on May 20, 2025.:
- Students of language courses need to be over 18 years old, and they can apply only at the consulate of their country no later than 2 months before the start of their studies. You can extend your visa only once and with passing the DELE or SIELE exams. You will not be allowed to take escorts with you.
- After completing the courses, you cannot apply for a work visa, but you can enroll in a university.
In each individual case, it is better to consult with specialists.
Submit your application
Conditions for obtaining a D study visa to Spain
To study in Spain for a period of more than 6 months, a foreigner needs a long-term D visa. To do this, the student must receive an admission invitation from an accredited educational institution.
Basic requirements for students:
- Availability of financial means for living: paid housing for the duration of your stay in the country and the amount of IPREM 600 euros per month (minimum wage in Spain).
- If the student is a minor, his parents or guardian will come to the country with him.
- Financial requirements for accompanying relatives: the amount of 75% IPREM for one relative and 50% IPREM for each additional relative.
- Admission to an educational institution with a course duration of at least 20 hours per week and a duration of more than 6 months.
Advantages of a student visa to Spain (what gives)
Advantages of education in Spain:
- More than 10 universities in Spain are among the top 500 best universities in the world according to the British company QS.
- The opportunity to receive education in English.
- Employment opportunities in the following countries EU after completing the course.
- The opportunity to obtain a Spanish residence permit, open and unblock accounts in EU countries.
- The convenience and mobility of the European standard of the Bologna system in universities.
- Universal unified knowledge assessment scale — ECTS credits.
With a D study visa, Russians can travel to all Schengen countries without additional visas, take their family with them to Spain (spouses, children) and get a job with a workload of up to 30 hours per week.
Required documents for a student visa to Spain
To apply for a student visa, you must provide the following documents:
- completed application form;
- a foreign passport with photocopies;
- 2 passport-sized photos;
- confirmation of admission to an educational institution and a payment document for the course;
- confirmation of the availability of funds for life for 6 months (bank statement);
- medical insurance;
- certificate of absence of criminal record;
- medical certificate;
- receipt of payment of the visa fee;
- confirmation of the place of residence in Spain (for example, a rental agreement for an apartment or a hotel room);
- motivation letter (when applying to Russia).
You can apply at the consulate of your country or in Spain at the immigration department. If the representative offices need additional information to evaluate the application, they can request other information, as well as invite the applicant to a personal meeting.
Certificate of criminal record with apostille
It must be issued in the applicant’s country of citizenship or permanent residence if he plans to study in Spain for a period of more than 180 days. This document will confirm the reliability and purity of the criminal record. In Russia, it can be obtained on the portal of public services.
Medical certificate
When applying for a visa for a stay of more than 180 days, you must also provide the original and a copy of the medical certificate. She must confirm that the applicant has no dangerous diseases in accordance with the International Health Regulations of 2005.
Bank statement
A bank statement must be issued in the name of the applicant or his relatives and confirm the availability of funds for living during his studies. For example, to study for six months, the account must have 6 IPREM amounts, that is, 3,600 euros.
Documents for accommodation
Documents confirming the place of residence in Spain can be a lease agreement, a purchase and sale of real estate, or a confirmation from an educational institution about the provision of housing.
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Submit your application
Study documents
These include:
- an invitation letter from an educational institution;
- a curriculum for six months or more, or a schedule of courses with a confirmed duration of at least 20 hours per week;
- payment receipt for the course.
Insurance
You must provide the original and a copy of the medical insurance certificate signed with a licensed insurance company authorized to operate in Spain. The policy should provide risk coverage for 30 thousand euros, including for accompanying relatives. Examples of large insurance companies are DKV, Allianz, Sanitas.
Motivation letter
This is an important document that plays a key role in the success of applying for a student visa at the consulate in the Russian Federation. In it, the student needs to explain his intentions to study in Spain and show why he chose this particular country and program.
List of documents for family members
If the student’s relatives are moving to Spain, they must provide additional documents to the main package.:
- birth or marriage certificates;
- documents confirming financial viability and place of residence.
Translation of documents into Spanish
All documents submitted for obtaining a visa must be translated into Spanish by sworn translators and certified by the consulate.
The procedure for obtaining a student visa to Spain
For Russians, the receipt procedure includes:
- Choosing an educational institution and signing a contract. This may be a public university or a private language center accredited by the Cervantes Institute.
- Preparation and collection of all necessary documents.
- Make an appointment to submit documents to the consulate in the Russian Federation.
- Waiting for a decision. It usually takes from 1 to 4 months.
- Moving to Spain and getting a student card at the police station.
A student visa can also be obtained in Spain, while in the country on a tourist visa. However, starting in May 2025, the condition for language course students will change: you only need to apply at the consulate of the country of origin. Which means a longer process.
Student visa validity period
The D visa to Spain is issued for the entire duration of the study, usually from six months to a year. Students have the opportunity to extend their visa.
To extend a student visa in Spain, it is better to apply 3 months before the expiration of the current visa. A fee of 80 euros must be paid for the basic package of documents and confirmation of continued studies, successful completion of part of the course or exams.
University students can permanently extend their student visa, and then obtain another residence permit without leaving Spain, for example, based on work.
In which cases they may refuse (and then what to do)
A visa may be refused for the following reasons:
- incomplete package of documents;
- incorrectly executed documents;
- insufficient financial viability.
If you are refused, it is recommended to file an appeal with the consulate within one month of notification.
You can also appeal to the Madrid Supreme Court within 2 months.
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