How to get a Spanish student visa (type D)

Since 20 May 2025 Spain has applied a new Regulation on foreign nationals (Reglamento de Extranjería, approved by RD 1155/2024), and the rules for students have become stricter. On 14 April 2026 Royal Decree 316/2026 amended the Regulation, including the rules on moving from a student stay (estancia) to residence and work. Below is a step-by-step guide that takes these changes into account: where to apply, which documents to gather and what to watch out for.

What a student visa D gives you

The visa is issued for study programmes of more than 90 days and allows you to:

• stay in Spain legally for the whole length of your programme;
• work up to 30 hours a week — automatically for university and FP Grado Superior students (other types of studies have different rules, see below);
• bring family members — for higher-education programmes (family members do not get the right to work under this authorisation);
• travel freely within the Schengen area;
• switch to a residence and work permit after your studies: you can apply during the last 2 months of your stay or within 3 months after it ends or after you receive your degree. A provisional right to work full-time starts once the application is admitted for processing (admisión a trámite).

A student stay is not residence, but it can be changed into residence. For higher-education studies the authorisation is granted for the full length of the programme — no annual renewal application is needed, but you must provide proof of enrolment at the start of each academic year.

Who needs it: visa-required and visa-free nationals

Every non-EU/EEA/Swiss national needs a student authorisation for studies of more than 90 days — including UK citizens after Brexit and citizens of visa-free Latin American countries. The 90-day visa-free stay (and the future ETIAS) only covers short courses. What differs is where you can apply:

• Visa-required nationals (for example, citizens of Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Russia, India or Morocco) usually apply at the Spanish consulate before travelling.
• Visa-free nationals (for example, citizens of the UK, the US, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru or Uruguay) can either apply at the consulate or, for higher-education programmes, enter Spain as visitors and apply from inside the country. The application must be filed at least 2 months before your legal stay expires — with a 90-day visa-free stay, that means in practice within the first month after entry.

Types and categories

If your programme is 90 days or shorter, you need a Schengen visa C (or no visa at all if you are visa-exempt), not a visa D. Student visas D are:

• short — for programmes of 91 to 180 days;
• long — for studies of more than 180 days.

Categories by type of programme

• Higher education — official university degrees (Grado, Máster, Doctorado) and university-issued títulos propios, Enseñanzas Artísticas Superiores, FP Grado Superior and other higher-level vocational programmes: at the consulate (from age 17) or from Spain (adults only, with legal status in Spain).
• Post-compulsory secondary education — Bachillerato, FP Grado Medio, intermediate-level arts and sports programmes: from age 18; from Spain only if you already hold a residence status there, so in practice through the consulate.
• Language courses — whether a particular course qualifies depends on the type of centre (university language centre, Escuela Oficial de Idiomas, Instituto Cervantes-accredited school) and the programme. Confirm with the consulate before you pay for the course.

How the visa periods work

• Up to 6 months (91–180 days): visa D for the length of the course; no TIE card required; no criminal record certificate or medical certificate.
• Over 6 months (181–365 days): the visa is usually issued for around 90 days to enter Spain, and the authorisation covers the programme (up to 1 year for non-university studies); TIE is mandatory within 1 month of entry; criminal record certificate and medical certificate required.
• More than 1 year (higher education): the authorisation covers the full length of the studies; TIE is mandatory; criminal record certificate and medical certificate required.

Built-in margin: under the new Regulation, the authorisation is valid from 1 month before the start of the programme until 15 days after it ends.

Requirements for the school

• a full-time programme, usually at least 20 hours of classes per week;
• a degree or certificate is awarded on completion;
• official recognition: for universities — registration in RUCT; for other centres — the relevant official authorisation or accreditation.

Studies must be in person; hybrid formats are accepted with at least 50% in-person attendance where the rules allow it. Since May 2025, attending an ordinary secondary school (ESO) no longer qualifies for a student visa, except under official pupil exchange programmes; Bachillerato, FP Grado Medio and official pupil mobility programmes may qualify if the requirements are met.

Where to apply

• At a Spanish consulate — for all programme categories. You can apply in your country of residence or citizenship, or in a third country where you hold a residence permit. Appointments and document submission usually go through a visa application centre (BLS or VFS, depending on the country) or directly through the consulate; check the procedure on the website of the consulate for your district.
• From Spain — only for higher-education programmes, only for adults legally present in Spain (for example, visa-free visitors). You apply online via the Mercurio platform or in person at the Oficina de Extranjería of the province where you will study, at least 2 months before your legal stay expires. A fee is paid using form 790, code 052 (check the current amount on the official website).

Step by step: visa through the consulate

Step 1. Get your matrícula

The matrícula is the document confirming your enrolment and payment of fees: exact start date, student’s name, passport number. Consulates usually expect it to be recent — many will not accept a document older than 3 months.

Step 2. Book an appointment

The booking process depends on the country: via the visa centre’s website or by email to the consulate (usually with a scan of your passport and matrícula). If you are a foreign national in the country where you apply, the consulate will ask you to prove that you belong to its consular district — a residence permit or long-stay visa.

Step 3. Gather your documents

• Application form. Download the current form from the consulate’s website — it is updated from time to time. For minors, the guardian’s details and a parent’s signature are required. When applying from Spain, the form is EX-00; if a representative files it, their details go in sections 2 and 3.
• Photos — colour, 3.5×4.5 cm, recent.
• Passport — valid for at least 1 year, with at least two blank pages, issued within the last 10 years. When applying from Spain — copies of all pages, including the entry record.
• Proof of legal status in the country of application — if you are not applying in your country of citizenship: residence permit or visa plus a copy.
• National ID card (cédula, DNI, etc., if your country issues one) — some consulates ask for the original and a copy.
• Matrícula — letter from the school with the start date, address and contacts; the programme with the number of hours (usually at least 20 per week) and dates; proof of payment, full or partial (for partial payment, document the payment terms).
• Proof of funds — bank statements showing activity over the last 3–6 months. The legal minimum is 100% of IPREM per month: €600 a month, or €7,200 for a year (IPREM 2026). Course fees are not counted towards this amount. If your accommodation is prepaid for the whole stay, the required amount can be reduced. Requirements for banks depend on the consulate: some accept statements from local banks in the country of application; for applications from Spain, Spanish, EU or international banks are usually expected. Statements should be recent (often no older than 30 days).
• Health insurance — from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, for the whole study period, with cover similar to the Spanish public health system: in practice, repatriation and hospitalisation, no waiting periods (sin carencias) and no co-payments (sin copago). You will need the certificado de contrato/cobertura and the recibo de pago; some consulates also ask for the policy’s condiciones particulares and generales.
• Proof of accommodation — rental contract, student residence booking, or a declaración responsable from a relative (up to the second degree) if you will live with family. Mandatory at some consulates.
• Sponsorship letter — if the student does not have their own funds. The sponsor is usually a close relative (parents or spouse). You need a copy of the sponsor’s passport and the birth or marriage certificate with a sworn translation. Notarisation requirements depend on the consulate; for applications from Spain, notarisation, apostille and sworn translation are required.
• Criminal record certificate (only for stays over 6 months, for applicants of legal age) — from your country of origin or every country where you have lived in the last 5 years, apostilled or legalised and with a sworn translation into Spanish; usually valid for 6 months. Start with this document — it often takes the longest.
• Medical certificate (only for consulate applications for stays over 6 months) — must state that the applicant does not suffer from any disease that could have serious public health consequences under the International Health Regulations 2005. It must be recent — check the validity required by your consulate. According to the official information sheet, this certificate is not required when you apply from Spain.
• Birth certificate — for minors, or if the sponsor is a parent. Original, copy and sworn translation; whether an apostille is needed depends on the issuing country.
• Notarised consent of both parents (for minors) — with details of the guardian, the school and the place of residence, apostilled. If one parent has died — the death certificate, apostilled and translated.
• Guardian’s notarial deed (for minors) — an acta de manifestaciones before a Spanish notary in which the guardian accepts responsibility, with consent to a check in the sex offenders register, plus a copy of the guardian’s ID. In practice, the authorities often expect the guardian to be a legal entity (the school).
• Previous education certificate — school leaving certificate or diploma: original, copy and translation.
• Motivation letter in Spanish — strongly recommended, especially for adult applicants and non-standard situations.
• Appointment confirmation — printed.
• Consular fee — around €80 in local currency for most nationalities (some nationalities pay a different amount under reciprocity), plus the visa centre’s service fee if you apply through one.

Family members (if accompanying): a copy of the student’s passport with the visa or of their foreign national ID card, plus the application form, photo, passport, insurance, funds and proof of the family relationship. The consulate may request additional documents or invite you to an interview.

Step 4. Waiting for the decision

By law the consulate has up to 1 month to notify its decision; in practice it takes from about 1.5 weeks to a month, depending on the consulate and the season. If there is no answer within the legal deadline, the application may be considered refused (silencio administrativo). The decision is sent to the email address in your application — check your spam folder. Some consulates keep your passport during processing. You must collect the visa within 2 months of being notified; otherwise the file is closed.

Step 5. Entering Spain and getting your TIE

Enter Spain within the dates shown on your visa. If your stay is longer than 6 months, apply in person for the TIE card at the police within 1 month of entry: first register at your address (padrón), then book the fingerprinting appointment. If you entered through another Schengen country and there was no entry check in Spain, file a Declaración de Entrada with the police within 72 hours.

Applying from Spain (visa-free nationals)

• only for higher-education programmes and only for adults legally present in Spain;
• apply at least 2 months before your legal stay expires and, as a rule, at least 2 months before your studies start (exceptions are possible if enrolment dates make this impossible);
• online via Mercurio or in person at the Oficina de Extranjería of the province where you will study; the university or school registered in the official register can also file electronically;
• the same requirements apply (admission and fee payment, funds, insurance, criminal record certificate for stays over 6 months), with documents apostilled or legalised and translated by a sworn translator;
• the authorities have up to 2 months to decide; no answer within that time means the application is considered refused;
• if the stay is longer than 6 months, apply for the TIE within 1 month of being notified of the approval.

Citizens of visa-required countries who are in Spain legally (for example, on a Schengen visa) are in principle covered by the same rule, but a short visa often leaves too little time to apply 2 months before it expires.

How much it costs

• consular fee — around €80 for most nationalities, payable in local currency; some nationalities pay a different amount;
• visa centre service fee — depends on the country;
• application from Spain — fee form 790, code 052 (check the current amount);
• health insurance — roughly €150–400 a year, depending on the insurer and your age;
• criminal record certificate with apostille and translation, medical certificate, sworn translations — costs depend on the country that issues the documents.

Common mistakes

• Applying too late. The application must be filed at least 2 months before your studies start. Allowing for processing time and gathering documents, start 4–5 months in advance; some consulates do not accept applications too far ahead, so check the earliest date.
• Outdated matrícula — documents older than about 3 months are often rejected.
• Wrong amount in the account — €7,200 for a year (100% IPREM per month), not counting the money needed for tuition.
• Criminal record certificate without an apostille — request it first and check where apostilles are issued in your country.
• Insurance without the right cover — insurer authorised in Spain, no waiting periods, no co-payments, repatriation.
• No motivation letter — especially critical for adults on language courses.
• Inconsistent details — name, passport number and dates must match in all documents.
• Legal status in the country of application not proven — if you are not applying in your country of citizenship, you need a residence permit or visa.
• Applying from Spain too late — visa-free visitors who wait until the last weeks of their 90 days miss the 2-month deadline.

Key points of the new Regulation

• Right to work: university studies and FP Grado Superior — up to 30 hours a week automatically; Bachillerato and FP Grado Medio — paid placements within the curriculum; other courses (for example, language schools) — may require a separate work authorisation through the employer.
• Switching to a residence and work permit: after Grado, Máster, Doctorado, FP Grado Superior, Bachillerato, FP Grado Medio and certain health-sector programmes. Apply during the last 2 months of your stay or within 3 months after it ends or after you receive your degree; a provisional right to work more than 30 hours starts after admisión a trámite.
• Extensions: where an extension is needed, apply online during the 2 months before or the 3 months after your authorisation expires; up to two extensions are allowed.

Student’s family members

A spouse, registered or proven stable partner and children under 18 (and adult children who need support due to disability or illness) can apply together with the student or later — only for higher-education programmes, as long as the student’s authorisation has at least 90 days left. Funds: an extra 75% of IPREM for the first family member (€450 a month) and 50% for each additional one (€300 a month). They are not allowed to work under this authorisation.

Frequently asked questions

• How long does processing take? At a consulate — up to 1 month by law, often 1.5 weeks to a month in practice; from Spain via Mercurio — up to 2 months.
• Are bank statements from my home country accepted? It depends on the consulate; for applications from Spain, Spanish, EU or international banks are usually expected.
• Can I apply from Spain if I entered visa-free? Yes, for higher-education programmes, if you are an adult and file at least 2 months before your 90 days run out.
• Can I work? University and FP Grado Superior — up to 30 hours a week automatically; language school — only with a separate authorisation.
• What if I am refused? You can file a recurso de reposición within 1 month or take the case to court; the decision letter states the available remedies.
• When should I apply? At least 2 months before your studies start. We recommend 4–5 months ahead.

Information current as of October 2026, based on RD 1155/2024 and the amendments made by RD 316/2026. Rules and consular practice change — always check the website of your consulate or the official Spanish government information.

How Via Globally can help

• we help you choose a programme and school that meet the visa requirements;
• we prepare and check your full set of documents, translations and motivation letter;
• we advise where you should apply — in your country of residence, in a third country where you hold a residence permit, or from Spain if you are visa-exempt;
• we support you after arrival: padrón, TIE, switching to a residence and work permit.

The decision on your application is always made by the consulate or the Spanish authorities.

Free consultation: WhatsApp +34 691 527 216 · viaglobally.com