The Spanish student visa, and the five ways it gets refused
For any course longer than 90 days you need a national student visa, applied for at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence.
Last reviewed 1 August 2026 · MJ Barba Consulting, Madrid
THE SHORT ANSWER
You need an acceptance letter from a centre officially registered with the Ministry of Education, funds of 100% of the IPREM per month (around €600) for the first year plus tuition, and health insurance with no co-payments and no waiting periods. Language schools must offer at least 20 teaching hours per week.
The consulate is checking form, not merit
This is the thing to understand before you start. A consular officer is not assessing whether you would be a good student. They are checking whether each document says exactly what the rule requires.
That is why refusals here are almost never about your profile. They are about a policy with a co-payment, a course with 15 hours a week instead of 20, or a bank statement that shows a transfer rather than a history.
The five refusals we see over and over
- Travel insurance instead of health insurance. The most common by a distance. You need full medical cover from an insurer authorised in Spain, with no co-payment and no waiting period, valid for the whole stay.
- A course under 20 hours a week. Language schools in particular advertise intensive-sounding courses that fall short. Check the hours before you pay the enrolment.
- A centre that is not registered. The school must be in the Ministry of Education's register of centres. Not every advertised academy is.
- Funds that appeared last week. Consulates look at the trajectory of the account, not the closing balance. A sponsor letter from family, notarised, is often stronger than a transfer.
- Criminal record certificates from one country only. You need one from every country you have lived in over the last five years, apostilled and translated by a sworn translator.
Working while you study
Since the 2025 immigration regulation, students may work up to 30 hours per week provided the work does not interfere with their studies, without needing a separate authorisation. This changed the economics of studying in Spain considerably.
The contract must be compatible with your timetable and the employer registers you with social security in the normal way.
After you arrive
If your course lasts more than six months, you apply for a TIE within a month of arriving: an appointment, fingerprints, and the card arrives a few weeks later.
Register on the padrón as soon as you have an address. It costs nothing and you will need it.
Not sure whether your situation fits? Send us the details and we will tell you whether it works before you spend anything on documents. We answer in English, usually within 24 hours. An initial consultation costs €50.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Questions we get every week
Students can be accompanied by family members, who receive a permit linked to yours. You will need to show additional funds for each.
Since the 2025 regulation, time as a student counts towards permanent residence and citizenship. Previously it counted at half.
Yes. There is a specific route for graduates to move to a work or job-search permit without leaving Spain.
The legal deadline is one month, but one to three months is realistic depending on the consulate. Apply as early as your acceptance letter allows.