Study in Spain

STUDY IN SPAIN FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Study in Spain: Get Admitted to the Right University or College

You can study in Spain if a recognized Spanish institution accepts you into a full-time program, you pay your enrolment fees, and you can show EUR 600 for each month of your stay. AIA checks all three with you first, applies for you, and charges no fee for admission.

No admission fee. We apply for you.

35+ Years of Immigration Experience|25,000+ Clients Guided Since 1991

AIA supports your admission. Visa applications are separate and are made by you through a Spanish consulate.

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Why Spain Admission Language Money Work Start dates How it works Who we are Visa Questions Check my chances

The key facts at a glance

Study levels: Bachelor, master and doctorate at recognized higher education institutions, plus higher vocational programs
Language: Spanish or English, set by each university and program
Money to show: EUR 600 for each month of your stay (100% of the IPREM), unless your housing is prepaid (October 2026)
Insurance: Health insurance from an insurer authorized in Spain, valid for the whole stay
Visa: Long-stay study visa for stays over 90 days, applied for at least 2 months before you start
Work in term: Up to 30 hours a week, if the work fits with your studies
After you graduate: Switch to a work permit, or stay up to 24 months after a level 6 or higher degree to look for work or start a business
Start dates: Set by each university. Check the program page.
AIA fee for admission: None
Last updated: October 2026

Why do students choose Spain?

Students choose Spain because the money rule is one clear formula, you can work up to 30 hours a week while you study, and graduates can stay to look for work. You must show 100% of the IPREM, which is EUR 600, for each month of your stay. After a degree at level 6 or higher you can stay up to 24 months to look for work or start a business (Royal Decree 1155/2024, BOE, October 2026).

Three reasons come up most often:

Clear money rule: the regulation sets the amount as a share of one public index, so you can work out your figure yourself.
Work while you study: a higher education study permit lets you work up to 30 hours a week when the job fits with your studies.
A route after study: you can switch to a work permit without leaving Spain, or use the 24-month job search stay after a degree.

Can I get admitted? What do I need for each study level?

To be admitted, you need the right education for the level, the language level the university asks for, and a place in a full-time program at a recognized institution. Each university sets its own entry rules, so the program page has the last word. Use the table as a starting point.

Study level	Education usually needed	Language	What to know
Bachelor (grado)	Finished secondary school. If your school education is outside Spain’s system, access runs through UNEDasiss, the service run by UNED for Spain’s universities.	Spanish or English, as the program requires	You apply through the university. It sets the entry marks.
Master	A recognized bachelor degree	Set by the program	You apply directly to the university. The program page states the language of teaching.
Doctorate	A recognized master degree	Set by the university	Check the university for its research requirements.
Higher vocational program	Secondary school	Usually Spanish	It counts as higher education when it leads to a recognized qualification. Check the center is registered.
Preparatory course	Admission to the main program	Set by the program	A preparatory course offered to admitted students counts as part of your higher studies for the permit.

The examples come from the Spanish immigration regulation and university admission pages, read in October 2026. Your university sets the final requirement.

Popular program types

Business and tourism

Bachelor or master. Check each program for its language and entry marks.

Engineering

Bachelor or master. Strong maths marks help.

Architecture and design

Bachelor or master. Some programs ask for a portfolio.

Humanities and languages

Bachelor or master. Spanish helps in most programs.

Health sciences

Check each program for extra entry steps.

Higher vocational

Shorter, job-focused programs at registered centers.

Public university fees are set by each autonomous community, and private universities set their own. We show your exact first-year fee when we match you.

What language level do I need to study in Spain?

Each Spanish university sets its own language rule, and it depends on the language of the program. Spanish-taught programs ask for Spanish, and English-taught programs ask for English. The immigration regulation lists no language score for the study visa, so your university’s rule is the one that counts.

Where language matters	What it means
The university	Sets its own score for each program. Spanish-taught programs ask for Spanish and English-taught programs ask for English.
The visa application	The regulation lists no language score for the study visa.
Spanish language courses	A full-time in-person Spanish course at an official language school or a Cervantes-accredited center can qualify for a study stay. It does not give the automatic work right that higher studies do.

Check each university’s rule before you book a test, because accepted tests and scores differ.

How much money do I need to show?

You must show EUR 600 for each month of your stay, which is 100% of the IPREM, unless you have already paid your housing for the whole stay (Royal Decree 1155/2024 art. 35, and the IPREM table of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, October 2026). You must also pay your university enrolment fees before the permit is granted, and hold health insurance for the whole stay.

What you must cover	Amount (October 2026)
Your enrolment fees	Paid before the permit is granted
Living costs	EUR 600 a month (100% of the IPREM), unless your housing is prepaid for the whole stay
A 12-month stay	12 × EUR 600 = EUR 7,200
Money that counts	Your own funds, scholarships, grants, and a valid job contract or firm job offer if your permit lets you work
Family members	75% of the IPREM (EUR 450) a month for the first, and 50% (EUR 300) for each other. Study fees do not count.
Return trip	Your funds must also cover your trip home
Health insurance	From an insurer authorized in Spain, with cover similar to the public health system, valid for the whole stay
Criminal record check	If you are an adult staying over 6 months, for the countries where you lived in the last 5 years
Medical certificate	Required under the International Health Regulations 2005
Visa fee	Set and collected by the consulate that handles your application

Example only: a 10-month stay means 10 × EUR 600 = EUR 6,000, plus your health insurance and the enrolment fees you pay to the university.

What proof works: the regulation counts scholarships, grants and a valid job contract or firm job offer toward your funds, as well as your own money. Ask your consulate which documents it wants, because it decides the format.

Fees: Public university fees are set by each autonomous community, and private universities set their own. We show your exact first-year fee when we match you.

Can I work while I study and after I graduate?

Yes. A higher education study permit lets you work as an employee or on your own up to 30 hours a week, with no separate work permit, as long as the work fits with your studies (Royal Decree 1155/2024, BOE, October 2026). Going over 30 hours ends your permit. Do not plan to pay your living costs from work, because you must show your money before you come.

Your work is limited to the autonomous community that granted your permit, plus nearby towns in a neighbouring community. Internships that are part of your study plan need no extra permission.

After your studies you have two routes. You can switch to a residence and work permit without a visa if you finished your degree and meet the work rules, applying from 2 months before to 3 months after your study permit ends. Or, with a qualification at level 6 or higher (a bachelor degree or above), you can stay up to 24 months, not extendable, to look for a job or start a business. You apply from 60 days before to 90 days after your study permit ends (Spanish Law 14/2013, additional provision 17). Students funded by a Spanish development cooperation scholarship cannot use the switch.

When can I start studying in Spain?

Start dates, deadlines and admission steps are set by each university, so check yours first. After you get an admission, pay your enrolment fees and apply for your visa at least 2 months before your start date (Royal Decree 1155/2024, BOE, October 2026).

Step	What to know
1. Choose a recognized program	It must be full-time (at least 90% of the credits for a university program) and taught in person or in a hybrid format. A program taught fully online does not qualify.
2. Apply to the university	Admission steps vary. If your school education is outside Spain’s system, UNEDasiss (run by UNED) handles access to university, so ask the university which step it needs from you.
3. Accept your offer and pay enrolment fees	You need proof that you paid your enrolment fees before the authorization.
4. Gather documents and apply for the visa	Apply at least 2 months before your start date. You need a passport valid for at least one year, funds, health insurance, a criminal record check if you stay over 6 months, and a medical certificate.
5. Arrive and register	The visa can cover up to one year. For a stay over 6 months, you apply in person for your foreigner identity card within one month of arrival.

Dates change every year, so check your university’s current dates before you plan.

How does admission work with AIA?

We find programs that fit your marks, language level and budget, apply for you, and follow each application until you have an offer. There is no fee for this. You only pay what the institution charges, such as an application fee or a tuition deposit.

Step 1: Check your admission chances

Answer seven short steps. You see where you are strong and what to fix first.

Step 2: Send your documents

If you look admissible, we ask for your passport, transcripts and language score through a private link, and send you a short agreement to sign.

Step 3: We apply for you

We submit your applications, follow each task and tell you when an offer arrives. A conditional offer is not final enrolment, so we show you what you still need to meet.

Ready to see where you stand?

Two minutes. Seven short steps. No fee.

“Know where you stand first. Then choose the school.”

Amir Ismail · Founder, Amir Ismail & Associates

Why students choose Amir Ismail & Associates

Since 1991, AIA has guided 25,000+ clients from offices in Toronto, Dubai and Karachi. We help you find programs that fit your marks, language level and budget, and we apply for you at no fee. Schools make the decisions, and your visa stays a separate step that you handle yourself or through a regulated adviser.

Honest admission check

We tell you when a plan does not fit, before you spend money.

Programs that fit you

We match your marks, language level and budget, not a template.

Free for you

Our admission help costs you nothing. You pay only the school’s own fees.

Clear on who does what

AIA supports your admission. You handle the visa yourself or through a regulated adviser.

A real application

We prepare your documents and submit your applications for you.

Since 1991

35+ years in immigration and 25,000+ clients guided.

What about the Spanish student visa?

If you are not an EU or EEA citizen and you study for more than 90 days, you apply for a long-stay study visa at a Spanish consulate. AIA supports your admission. The visa is a separate application you submit yourself or through a regulated adviser in your country.

The regulation asks for the application form, a passport valid for at least one year, proof that you were admitted and paid your enrolment fees, the visa fee, funds of 100% of the IPREM a month, health insurance, a criminal record check if you stay over six months, and a medical certificate. Read the rules in the official text: Spanish Immigration Regulations, Royal Decree 1155/2024 (BOE).

See where you stand

Two minutes. Seven short steps. No fee. We tell you honestly if you are ready to apply or what to fix first.