We Can Help You Get
a Student Visa for Spain
At Artemis Law, we provide comprehensive legal services to guide you through every step of your student visa application process. Our experienced lawyers will assist you in navigating the complex legal procedures and ensure that your visa application complies with all the legal requirements.
Is This Visa Right for You?
The student stay authorisation is for non-EU nationals admitted to higher education or post-compulsory secondary education in Spain for a stay of more than 90 days.
You do not need to be resident to apply. You can apply as a tourist and submit your application online, as long as you still have at least 60 of your 90 days remaining in the Schengen area.
University & Postgraduate Students
You have been admitted by a recognised institution to a full-time programme: an official university degree, master's (an MBA is a master's degree), doctorate, or higher artistic education.
Higher Vocational Training
You are starting higher-level vocational training, higher-level training in fine arts and design, or higher-level sports training. For non-university studies, at least 50% in-person attendance is required.
Post-Compulsory Secondary Education
You are joining sixth form, intermediate-level vocational training, professional music or dance studies, or intermediate sports education at an authorised centre in Spain.
Language & Preparation Courses
You are enrolled in a full-time Spanish language course or a recognised preparatory programme at an accredited centre, with sufficient weekly teaching hours to qualify for a student stay authorisation.
Families of Students
For higher education students, your spouse or partner and children may apply alongside you or join you later, and remain in Spain under the same conditions for the duration of your studies.
What the Student Visa Provides
The student stay authorisation allows you to stay in Spain for more than ninety days to pursue higher education or post-compulsory secondary education. For higher education, the permit covers the full duration of your studies; for secondary education, it is granted for the duration of the course up to a maximum of one year. Its validity extends from one month before your studies begin until fifteen days after they end.
If your stay exceeds six months, you must apply in person for a Foreigner's Identity Card (TIE) within one month of entering Spain. Where the permit is granted for more than one year, you must provide proof of continued enrolment at the start of each academic year for it to remain valid.
Students may work up to 30 hours per week alongside their studies. For higher education studies this is permitted without a separate work permit; for other study types a work permit must be applied for separately. The work must be compatible with the programme. Family members accompanying a student are not permitted to work.
On completing your studies, you can apply, from within Spain, for a one-year residency permit to search for employment or set up a business, which can later be converted into a standard work or self-employment permit.
Key Facts at a Glance
Requirements
The exact documentation depends on your programme, age, nationality, and where you apply. Below is an overview of the core conditions; Pina confirms precisely what your application requires.
Core Conditions
- Admission by a recognised institution to a full-time programme, with registration or enrolment fees paid
- Application submitted at least two months before your studies begin
- Health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, with cover similar to the public health system
- For stays over six months: no criminal record in your countries of residence over the last five years
Financial Means
- For yourself: 100% of the IPREM per month (around €600), unless accommodation is paid in advance for the whole stay
- For family members: an additional 75% of IPREM for the first member and 50% for each further member
- Funds set aside for tuition do not count towards these amounts
- Personal funds, family support, grants, and scholarships can all be used as proof
Every Case Is Different
- Requirements differ for minors, in-Spain applications, and family members
- Translations, apostilles, and medical certificates depend on where and how you apply
- Pina assesses your situation and confirms exactly what your application needs
Have questions about your student visa?
Book a consultation with Pina and get clear answers tailored to your situation.
Book Your ConsultationOur Process
From your first consultation to your post-study options, Artemis Law guides you through every stage.
Initial Consultation
We review your offer of admission, programme length, and financial situation, and confirm whether the Student Visa, or another route, is the right fit. You leave with a clear picture of your timeline and requirements.
Personalised Document Checklist
Artemis Law provides a checklist tailored to your programme and nationality, with guidance on financial proof, apostilles, certified translations, and health insurance.
Document Review & Dossier Compilation
Pina reviews your complete dossier against current consulate requirements before submission, addressing any gaps in advance.
Consulate Appointment & Visa Application
We prepare you fully for the consulate appointment in your country of residence. The decision deadline is one month, and a granted visa must be collected within two months. For higher education students already legally resident in Spain, we can submit the application from within Spain instead.
Arrival & TIE Registration
If your stay exceeds six months, we assist with your town hall registration and your Foreigner's Identity Card (TIE) application after arrival, and with the annual proof of enrolment that keeps a multi-year permit valid.
Post-Study Pathway Planning
As your studies conclude, we advise on converting your status into the one-year job-search/entrepreneur permit, or into a work permit if you have secured employment.
Student Visa vs Digital Nomad Visa
Some applicants are torn between studying in Spain and simply relocating to work remotely. Here is how the two routes compare.
| Criteria | Student Visa | Digital Nomad Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Who is it for? | People enrolled in an accredited course of study | Remote workers & freelancers earning income abroad |
| Work permitted? | Yes, up to 30 hours/week, alongside studies (higher education studies only) | Yes, remote work; self-employed may have up to 20% of activity in Spain |
| Minimum financial requirement | ~€600/month (100% IPREM) | €2,849/month (200% SMI, 2026) |
| Initial duration | Matches course length | 1 year (visa) |
| TIE required if | Stay exceeds 6 months | Always, on conversion to residence permit |
| Family members | Higher education students only (family may not work) | Yes, from the outset |
| Processing time | ~1 month | ~10–20 working days |
| Post-permit pathway | 1-year job-search/entrepreneur permit | Renewal as Digital Nomad, then permanent residency |
| Path to permanent residency | After 5 years of legal residence (stay conditions apply) | After 5 years (stay conditions apply) |
| Best for | Those whose primary purpose is studying in Spain | Those who already work remotely and want to relocate now |
Not sure which route applies to your situation? Book a consultation with Pina for a clear assessment of your case.
Why Work with Pina
Artemis Law is a boutique immigration law practice founded in September 2020, led personally by Pina Espinoza. With 10 years of experience exclusively in Spanish immigration law, Pina has guided hundreds of clients, including students and their families, through Spain's residency system.
Pina is a dual-qualified lawyer in both Spain and Germany. She has followed the reform of the student permit under Royal Decree 1155/2024 closely since it came into force, and advises students on how to make the most of the new work rights and post-study pathways it introduced.
As a German national who moved to Spain to build her own career, Pina has a genuine personal understanding of what it means to start a new chapter of life in another country, an experience many students share.
- Dual-qualified lawyer in Spain and Germany, with 10 years in Spanish immigration law
- Specialist guidance on the student permit rules under RD 1155/2024
- Fluent in Spanish, English, and German
- Based in Barcelona, serving all of Spain and the islands
- You work directly with Pina from start to finish, with no handoffs or case managers
- Transparent pricing and clear timelines from day one
"There Is No Lawyer More Eloquent Than the Heart."
Sylvain Maréchal, 1788. The guiding principle of Artemis Law
What Clients Say
Trusted by students and families from across the world who have successfully relocated to Spain with Artemis Law.
"Pina is the best immigration lawyer I have ever met. She is highly knowledgeable in her field of expertise and can navigate even the most complicated of immigration processes with great ease."
"Pina assisted me with my son's student visa to study abroad. She is an excellent communicator as exhibited by her timely responses and her thorough and clearly written emails."
Dozens of families and professionals have shared their experience of working with Pina. Read their reviews directly on Google.
Transparent Pricing.
No Hidden Costs.
Artemis Law provides a personalised quote at the outset of every engagement. You will know precisely what the legal service costs before we begin.
Our fees reflect the expertise and thoroughness that a successful Student Visa application requires, including up-to-date guidance on the work rights and post-study pathways introduced by the 2022 reform.
Government fees, consular charges, apostille costs, and certified translation fees are separate and vary by country of application.
Included in Our Legal Fee
- Full eligibility assessment for the Student Visa route
- Advice on financial proof, sponsorship letters, and insurance
- Personalised document checklist tailored to your programme
- Review and quality-check of every document before submission
- Preparation and compilation of the complete application dossier
- Guidance on consulate appointment and visa application
- Assistance with TIE registration and annual renewals
- Post-study pathway planning (job-search/entrepreneur permit)
- Direct, personal access to Pina throughout the entire process
Ready to study in Spain?
Book a consultation and we will guide your application from start to grant.
Book Your ConsultationCommon Questions
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Your Studies in Spain?
Book a consultation with Pina to confirm your eligibility, understand the documentation you need, and get a clear plan for your application.
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