In short: the student stay (from abroad you apply for it as a student visa at the consulate) lets you pursue higher or post-compulsory studies in Spain. It requires admission to an official centre, financial means and health insurance, and allows working up to 30 h/week in higher studies (RD 1155/2024).
It is for master's degrees, undergraduate degrees and other regulated studies; if you are coming to do a PhD, do not apply for this stay: you need the national research residence authorisation instead (Criterio de Gestión DGGM 2/2026).
In person or by representative? It depends on where you apply (RD 1155/2024). From abroad, the visa is requested at the Spanish consulate, in person or through a representative, and that application includes the authorisation request (art. 36.1). The consulate may summon you in person to check your identity and documents or interview you; if you do not attend within the time it sets (15 days at most), the application is treated as withdrawn (art. 27.3). From Spain, in person, through a representative or electronically, at the immigration office (oficina de extranjería) of the province where you will start your studies (art. 54.3). This route is for people who already hold a residence authorisation or, for higher studies and specialised health training (art. 58), who are lawfully in Spain and of legal age (art. 54.1). For higher studies, if you are lawfully in Spain, your centre can also file it electronically (art. 54.6). The extension is requested electronically, by you or a representative (art. 55.4). If the stay exceeds 6 months, you apply for the TIE card in person within one month of entering Spain or of the authorisation being granted (art. 209.1).
Deadlines: the visa, at least 2 months before your studies start, unless there is a justified reason (art. 36.1). From Spain, at least 2 months before your current legal status ends (art. 54.3); on the higher-studies or specialised-health-training route while lawfully in Spain, also at least 2 months before you start (art. 54.1). The extension is requested in the 2 months before the authorisation expires (art. 55.3). If you apply within 3 months after it expires, the previous authorisation stays valid until a decision is made, but a penalty procedure may be opened (art. 55.4).
Requirements:
- Not being an EU citizen or in an irregular situation.
- Being admitted to an official study centre in Spain.
- Sufficient financial means.
- Health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, with benefits similar to the basic common service package of the National Health System (the basic public cover), valid for the whole planned stay (art. 35.i).
- A medical certificate showing you do not have any disease with serious public-health consequences under the 2005 International Health Regulations (art. 35.l).
- If you are an adult under criminal law and the stay exceeds 6 months: no criminal record in the countries where you have lived in the last 5 years, for offences that are also crimes in Spain (art. 35.j).
If you work on the stay and are registered with Social Security, the insurance requirement counts as met (art. 57.5). Details and consulate practice: health insurance for a residence visa. Student case, with the practice of Bogotá, Lima and Kyiv: medical insurance for students in Spain.
Work: a student-stay holder may work up to 30 hours a week (employed or self-employed) when pursuing higher studies. Family members accompanying the student cannot work.
Duration: it can be multi-year (matching the official programme's length); extensions have been simplified.
Official source: Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024); student-stay sheet at inclusion.gob.es.
Informational only; exact requirements and documents vary — check the official source and a professional for your case.
