Planning to learn Spanish in Spain for more than three months? Here is what you need to do legally.
The Spain language course visa is a Type D national student visa for non-EU nationals who plan to attend an accredited Spanish language school for more than 90 consecutive days. It is issued by the Spanish consulate in your home country and authorises you to reside in Spain for the duration of your course.
The key threshold to understand is 90 days. If you hold a passport that is exempt from Schengen short-stay visa requirements (including US, UK, Canadian, and Australian passports), you can enter Spain and study for up to 90 days without a visa. Your standard tourist entry covers this. Once your intended stay exceeds 90 days, however, you must apply for a student visa before you arrive. You cannot convert a tourist entry into a student visa from inside Spain.
The course itself must be offered by an officially recognised or accredited language school and require a minimum of 20 hours per week of in-person instruction to qualify for a Type D student visa. Short, flexible, or predominantly online programmes generally do not meet this requirement.
You qualify for the Spain language course student visa if all of the following apply:
If your course is fewer than 20 hours per week, or is primarily delivered online, the Type D student visa is unlikely to apply. Contact us and we will advise you on the most appropriate immigration route for your circumstances.
The document requirements for the language course visa closely mirror those for the university student visa. Every item must be prepared to your consulate’s exact specifications.
Not every language school in Spain is officially recognised, and not every programme qualifies for a Type D student visa. Before beginning your application, confirm that your school is accredited by the relevant Spanish authority and that your course includes at least 20 hours of in-person instruction each week. Instituto Cervantes-accredited schools and government-recognised institutions are generally accepted, although individual consulates may apply additional requirements. We can verify this for you before you apply.
Your school must issue formal confirmation that you have enrolled and paid for your course. This is separate from a course brochure or preliminary booking confirmation. Request the official enrolment letter early, as some schools require one to two weeks to prepare it in the correct format.
Obtain an apostille for your criminal background check and any other documents your consulate requires to be authenticated. In countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, this step alone can take four to eight weeks, so begin as soon as your course booking is confirmed.
Language course visa applications are submitted through the Spanish consulate responsible for your place of residence. Book your appointment as early as possible and aim to submit your application at least 60 days before your course begins.
Once your visa has been approved, travel to Spain before your visa activation date. Within 30 days of arrival, complete your empadronamiento (register your address with the local town hall) and apply for your TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero). If your course lasts six months or longer, the TIE is required. For shorter courses, the visa sticker in your passport may serve as your authorisation document, although you should confirm the applicable procedure with your consulate before travelling.
We work with language school students throughout every stage of the application process. Our service for language course visa applicants includes:
We also handle student visa extensions if you decide to continue studying after your initial visa expires.
Moving from a language course to a full university program? The university student visa has additional requirements, including degree-level enrolment verification.
Planning to extend your language course beyond your initial visa period? We handle renewal applications and TIE updates to keep you legal.
Learning Spanish in Spain is an investment worth protecting. A visa application that goes wrong does not just delay your course; it can affect your ability to return. We prepare your file correctly the first time, so the only thing you have to focus on is getting ready for Barcelona.
If your total stay in Spain is 90 days or fewer, and you hold a Schengen-exempt passport (US, UK, Canadian, and Australian passports are all exempt), you do not need a student visa. You can enter on a standard tourist entry and attend your language course legally. The student visa is only required for stays that exceed 90 days.
The most reliable benchmark is Instituto Cervantes accreditation, which is the Spanish government’s own standard for Spanish-language teaching institutions. Many consulates also accept enrollment at government-registered schools. We can verify whether your specific school will satisfy your consulate’s requirements before you proceed with an application.
Yes. If you want to continue studying beyond your initial visa period, you can apply for a student visa extension. The application must be submitted before your current permit expires (up to 60 days before the expiry date) and requires updated proof of enrolment and continuing financial means. We handle the full extension process.
Under RD 1155/2024, non-EU students on a student residence permit may work up to 30 hours per week, provided the work does not interfere with their studies. This applies to language course students who hold a TIE (the residence card issued after arrival). If you only hold the consulate visa sticker and have not yet received a TIE, the work rules are different. Contact us for guidance specific to your situation.
A Type C Schengen visa allows stays of up to 90 days across the Schengen area. For language students who need a visa at all (some nationalities require one even for short stays), a Type C short-stay visa covers courses under 90 days. A Type D national visa is required for courses exceeding 90 days. Most of our clients from the US, UK, Canada, and Australia do not need a Type C visa (their passports are already exempt), so they are mainly concerned with the Type D for longer programs.
The consulate fee for a Spanish student visa is approximately €80 for most nationalities, though this is waived for some countries under bilateral agreements. Additional costs include health insurance, apostille fees, translation fees (if required by your consulate), and potentially courier or travel costs to reach your consulate. Our legal fee is separate and depends on the complexity of your case. We provide a clear cost estimate in your initial consultation.
