What Is the
Spain Student Visa?
The Spain student visa (estancia por estudios or visado de estudios) is Spain's long-stay visa for non-EU nationals who want to study in Spain for more than 90 days. Here is everything you need to know about what it is, who needs it, and how it works.
What Is the Spain Student Visa?
The Spain student visa — officially called the visado de estudios or estancia por estudios — is a national long-stay visa (tipo D) issued by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to non-EU nationals who want to study in Spain for more than 90 days. It gives you the legal right to live in Spain for the duration of your course, and includes the automatic right to work up to 30 hours per week alongside your studies.
The student visa is different from a tourist visa (Schengen short-stay) in three key ways: it lasts longer than 90 days, it allows you to work, and it can be renewed annually. Without it, non-EU nationals are limited to 90 days in the Schengen Area in any 180-day period — which is not enough for a full academic year.
Who Needs a Spain Student Visa?
You need a Spain student visa if all three of the following apply to you.
You Are a Non-EU National
The Spain student visa is required for citizens of countries outside the European Union and European Economic Area. EU and EEA citizens (including Irish citizens, for example) can study in Spain without any visa. The main groups who need the visa include citizens of the USA, UK (post-Brexit), Canada, Australia, South Africa, India, the Philippines, Brazil, and many other non-EU countries.
You Are Studying in Spain for More Than 90 Days
Stays of 90 days or fewer fall within the Schengen tourist/short-stay allowance and do not require a student visa. The student visa is only required when your course — and therefore your stay — exceeds 90 consecutive days. A standard academic year (8–9 months) clearly exceeds this threshold.
You Are Enrolled in an Accredited Institution
The student visa is issued for studying at a recognised Spanish educational institution — a language school, university, vocational training centre, or research institution that is officially accredited. Private courses at unregistered schools or online-only programmes do not qualify.