Non-EU nationals who will study in Spain for more than 90 days need a national study visa, which incorporates a study stay authorisation (autorización de estancia por estudios) under the new Immigration Regulation in force since 20 May 2025. Apply at least two months before classes start, at the Spanish consulate responsible for where you live — in Russia, through BLS visa centres for the Moscow and St Petersburg consular districts. The core requirements are admission with the enrolment fee paid, $685 (€600) for each month of stay (100% of IPREM), Spanish-standard health insurance and, for stays over six months, a police certificate with an apostille and a medical certificate. University students may work up to 30 hours a week without a separate permit and must apply for the TIE foreigner card within a month of arrival.
This guide covers which visa you need, what changed in 2025, the full document list as required by the Spanish Consulate General in Moscow, fees, legal processing times, applying from inside Spain, renewals, work, family and options after graduation. Checked against Royal Decree 1155/2024 and the consulate and BLS pages on 24 September 2026. The visa follows admission — see applying to Spanish universities and our overview of studying in Spain. The Moscow-specific details illustrate the process; applicants elsewhere should read their own consulate's page, as documents and fees vary by post.
Dollar amounts use the ECB rate of 23 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1411); rouble fees use the Bank of Russia rate of 24 September 2026 ($1 = ₽84.40).
Which visa do you need?
| Situation | What to get | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Study up to 90 days: summer school, short course | Schengen visa or visa-free entry if your nationality allows | No study visa; no work |
| Bachelor's, master's or other official higher education over 90 days | National study visa (type D) with a study stay authorisation | Issued for the official length of the programme; work up to 30 hours a week |
| A university's preparatory course for admitted students | Same higher-education visa | The Regulation treats it as part of higher education |
| PhD | Since 24 August 2026, a national researcher visa (code RIN) rather than a study visa | First obtain a researcher authorisation under art. 72 of Law 14/2013; the candidate or the university applies |
| Spanish language courses over 90 days | National study visa for training activities | Only at Instituto Cervantes-accredited schools or official language schools, in person; one year maximum |
| Upper secondary school or intermediate vocational training | Study visa for secondary education | One year, renewable |
A language authorisation lasts at most a year and can be extended once, only if you passed the course or obtained (or registered for) DELE or SIELE. See Spanish language courses in Spain.
What changed on 20 May 2025
Royal Decree 1155/2024 approved a new Immigration Regulation. For students, five changes matter:
- Authorisation for the whole degree. For higher education it covers the programme's official duration, not one year; you prove enrolment for each new academic year.
- Work without a separate permit. Higher-education students can be employed or self-employed up to 30 hours a week, automatically, if compatible with studies.
- Full-time means 90% of credits. You must be enrolled in at least 90% of the year's credits.
- Hybrid formats are allowed for university programmes if the curriculum provides for them; other higher education must be at least 50% in person.
- Staying on is easier. The old three-year study requirement for switching to a work permit is gone, and a job-search permit lasts up to 24 months.
Requirements
Under arts. 35 and 53 of the Regulation, the consulate and immigration office check:
- admission to a recognised institution for a full-time programme and payment of the enrolment or registration fee;
- age: over 17 for higher education, over 18 for language and training courses;
- funds for living and return: 100% of IPREM per month, plus 75% for the first family member and 50% for each additional one;
- health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, with benefits comparable to the national health system's basic package, valid for the whole stay;
- no criminal record in the last five years for adults staying over six months;
- a medical certificate confirming no diseases with serious public-health implications;
- a passport valid for at least one year.
Recognition is checked against official registers, above all RUCT (the register of universities, centres and degrees). A private school not listed there is a common reason for refusal.
How much money: IPREM in 2026
IPREM is a Spanish reference index. In 2026 it is $685 (€600) a month: the figure was set by the 2023 Budget Act, Spain has passed no new budget since, and the rolled-over budget keeps that value in force.
| Who | Per month | 9 months | 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student | $685 (€600) | $6,162 (€5,400) | $8,216 (€7,200) |
| First family member | $513 (€450) | $4,621 (€4,050) | $6,162 (€5,400) |
| Each additional member | $342 (€300) | $3,081 (€2,700) | $4,108 (€3,600) |
The Moscow consulate accepts a bank certificate with three months of statements, in the student's or legal representative's name. Prepaid accommodation for the whole stay reduces the amount. Under art. 35, scholarships, grants and — for university students, who may work — a valid employment contract or a firm job offer also count; the Moscow consulate's checklist mentions only bank documents, so treat an offer as a supplement to savings, not a substitute. Money earmarked for tuition does not count. The consular minimum is well below real costs of $1,140–1,370 (€1,000–1,200) a month in Madrid or Barcelona — see cost of studying in Spain and scholarships in Spain. If you pay the enrolment fee from Russia, plan a legal payment route early: how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.
Documents (Moscow consulate and BLS)
All foreign documents must be apostilled or legalised and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator recognised in Spain, or certified by the consulate's legalisation section.
| Document | Requirement |
|---|---|
| National visa application form | Completed in Latin characters and signed; a parent signs for a minor |
| Photo | Recent, colour, light background; BLS asks for two |
| Passport | Valid for at least a year, two blank pages, issued within the last 10 years; original and copies of all pages; show any other valid passports |
| Russian internal passport | Original and copy; also proves residence in the consular district |
| Admission and payment | Original and copy, with start and end dates, programme and, where relevant, hours |
| Proof of funds | Bank certificate and three months of statements covering the IPREM amount |
| Health insurance | Policy from an insurer authorised in Spain, for a year or the whole study period |
| Police certificate | Adults, stays over 180 days; from every country of residence in the last 5 years; issued within 3 months; apostille and translation |
| Medical certificate | Stays over 180 days; issued within 3 months; wording per the 2005 International Health Regulations; translated |
| Accommodation | BLS lists a lease or invitation, a Nota Simple property extract no older than 3 months and the owner's ID |
| Minors | Birth certificate, notarised parental consent naming the responsible adult in Spain, that adult's notarial statement and sex-offence record check unless a relative or school staff |
Police certificates from Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Uzbekistan must carry a Hague apostille; Turkmen nationals submit a certificate signed by their consulate in Russia.
Where to apply
Applications go through BLS International visa centres by appointment.
| Consular district | Regions | Visa centres |
|---|---|---|
| Consulate General in Moscow | All of Russia except the St Petersburg district regions, plus Armenia, Belarus, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan | Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Rostov-on-Don, Novosibirsk; BLS centres in Armenia, Belarus and Uzbekistan for residents there |
| Consulate General in St Petersburg | St Petersburg and Leningrad region, Pskov, Novgorod, Kaliningrad, Murmansk regions, Karelia | St Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Murmansk |
You may only apply in the district where you live. Since 1 June 2026 all national visa applications, including study visas, go through the BLS centre of the applicant's country of residence: residents of Armenia, Belarus and Uzbekistan belong to the Moscow consulate's district but file at BLS centres at home. BLS also operates in Kazakhstan, with its own document list and fees.
Fees
| Fee | Amount on 24.09.2026 |
|---|---|
| Consular fee, national study visa (Moscow) | ₽7,547 (≈ $89), roubles only, no exemptions |
| BLS service fee | ₽1,233 (≈ $15) |
| Consular certification of a translation | ₽2,698 (≈ $32) per page |
| TIE card in Spain, fee 790-012 | $18 (€16.08) |
| Extension with a new TIE | $22 (€19.30) |
The consulate's fee table applies from 1 July 2026; rouble amounts follow the euro rate, so check them on the day you apply.
Processing times and a summer plan
Under art. 36, after the consulate's request the immigration office decides on the stay authorisation within seven days; no answer means refusal. After approval the consulate issues the visa within a month. Requests for more documents or an interview extend this.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| March–May | Admission, enrolment payment or deposit, housing |
| May–June | Police and medical certificates (no older than 3 months at submission), apostille, translations, insurance |
| June | Book the visa centre; collect three months of statements |
| Early July at the latest | Apply — at least two months before classes |
| July–August | Collect the visa; buy flexible tickets |
| First month in Spain | Book the TIE appointment and give fingerprints |
The authorisation starts a month before classes and ends 15 days after the programme. Late applications need a justified reason, such as a late admission cycle.
Applying from inside Spain
For higher education, yes: you may apply while legally in Spain (for example on a Schengen visa) if you are 18 or over, at least two months before classes and at least two months before your legal stay expires. File with the immigration office of the province where you will study, including online. The decision takes up to two months, and silence means refusal; your legal situation is extended meanwhile. A recognised Spanish institution may also file for you, with a 15-day decision period; the new register of higher-education institutions that the rule refers to has not been created yet, so officially recognised institutions qualify meanwhile. Language-course students cannot apply from Spain.
After arrival: the TIE card
If your authorisation exceeds six months, apply in person for the TIE within one month of entry at the police in the province where the authorisation was granted:
- Book an appointment (cita previa) online; in Madrid and Barcelona slots go fast.
- Pay fee 790, code 012: $18 (€16.08) for the first card.
- Bring your passport with visa, the TIE application form (EX-17), a photo and the receipt; many offices also ask for your local registration certificate (empadronamiento).
- Give fingerprints and keep the receipt; the card is ready a few weeks later.
With a valid D visa or TIE you can travel to other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180. For housing that allows local registration, see student housing in Spain.
Renewal and annual proof
Bachelor's and master's students no longer renew every year, but must prove enrolment at the start of each year, and the authorities may check conditions at any time. If studies run beyond the official duration, apply online for an extension within two months before expiry; up to two extensions are allowed for higher education. Applications up to three months late are accepted but may be fined.
Work, family and refusals
- Work: up to 30 hours a week, employed or self-employed, in the region where the authorisation was granted and neighbouring localities; exceeding the cap can end the authorisation. Curricular internships need no permit. More in working while studying in Spain.
- Family: spouse or partner and minor children of higher-education students can obtain accompanying visas if at least 90 days of the student's authorisation remain; each needs a full file plus proof of relationship. Family members on these visas may not work (art. 56).
- Refusals: an administrative appeal (recurso de reposición) to the consulate within one month, or a court appeal to the High Court of Justice of Madrid within two months. Often a new, corrected application is faster.
After graduation
- Job-search or start-up permit: graduates at bachelor's level or above (EQF level 6) can stay up to 24 months, non-renewable. Apply within 60 days before or 90 days after the study authorisation expires; the office has 20 days, and silence means approval.
- Direct switch to work: with the degree, you can move to an employed or self-employed residence permit without a new visa, applying within two months before or three months after expiry, or within three months of receiving the degree — except holders of development-cooperation scholarships.
- Long-term residence: study years count at 50% towards the five-year requirement, and only if you are a resident when applying.
Common mistakes
- Choosing an institution missing from official registers, or a language school without Cervantes accreditation.
- Applying less than two months ahead without a reason.
- Getting certificates too early: they must be under three months old when you apply.
- Counting tuition money towards IPREM.
- Buying travel insurance instead of a policy comparable to the public health system.
- Applying in the wrong consular district.
- Missing the one-month TIE deadline.
- Applying for a study visa for a PhD: since August 2026 the consulate routes doctoral candidates to the researcher visa.
FAQ
$685 (€600) per month of stay — $8,216 (€7,200) for a year — plus $513 (€450) a month for the first family member and $342 (€300) for each additional one. Prepaid accommodation reduces the amount; a scholarship, employment contract or firm job offer also counts, but bank statements remain the core of the file.
At least two months before classes. Earlier is possible, but police and medical certificates must be under three months old at submission.
The Regulation gives seven days for the authorisation decision after the consulate's request and up to a month to issue the visa. Extra document requests or interviews add time.
For higher education, yes, if you are 18+, legally present and at least two months ahead of the start. Not for language courses.
Not for higher education; the authorisation covers the official programme length. You prove enrolment each year and extend only if studies take longer.
University students can work up to 30 hours a week without a separate permit; language students need a separate work authorisation.
Yes for adults staying over 180 days, from every country of residence in the past five years, apostilled and translated.
Sources
- Royal Decree 1155/2024, Immigration Regulation — in force 20.05.2025, as amended by Royal Decree 316/2026; arts. 34–36, 52–57, 176, 190; checked 24.09.2026
- Law 14/2013, additional provision 17 — 24-month job-search permit; checked 24.09.2026
- Spanish Consulate General in Moscow: study visa — checked 24.09.2026
- Spanish Consulate General in Moscow: fee table from 01.07.2026, consular district, notices on national visas via BLS from 1 June 2026 and researcher visas for PhD candidates — checked 24.09.2026
- BLS International Russia: consular districts and Moscow national study visa; BLS Spain visa countries — checked 24.09.2026
- Law 31/2022, additional provision 90 and iprem.com.es — IPREM $685 (€600); no budget acts for 2024–2026 in the BOE database, so the value applies in 2026; checked 24.09.2026
- Spanish Police: fee 790-012 — checked 24.09.2026
- Exchange rates: ECB, 23.09.2026; Bank of Russia, 24.09.2026
Next steps
- Applying to Spanish Universities: A Step-by-Step Plan for Non-EU Applicants in 2027
- Working While Studying in Spain in 2026: 30 Hours a Week Without a Separate Permit, Pay, Internships and Tax
- Scholarships in Spain for International Students in 2026: What Is Actually Open to Non-EU Applicants
- Cost of Studying in Spain in 2026/27: Public Credit Prices, Non-EU Surcharges, Private Universities and Living Costs
- How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026
- Studying in Spain for international applicants
