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Last modified: 2026-09-24

# Working While Studying in Spain in 2026: 30 Hours a Week Without a Separate Permit, Pay, Internships and Tax

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International students at Spanish universities may work up to 30 hours a week — as employees or self-employed — without a separate work permit. Since 20 May 2025 this right is built into the study stay authorisation, provided the work is compatible with studies. It applies in the autonomous community where the authorisation was granted, and exceeding 30 hours can cost you your student status. Spain's 2026 minimum wage is $1,390 (€1,221) a month for full-time work (paid 14 times a year), so 30 hours a week at the minimum rate gives about $1,210 (€1,068) gross a month. Language-course and secondary students do not get the automatic right and need a separate authorisation.

Below: who may work and on what terms, how hiring works, realistic earnings, internships versus jobs, self-employment, tax and social security, and options after graduation. Rules were checked against Royal Decree 1155/2024, the Workers' Statute, the income-tax and social-security laws and the 2026 minimum-wage decree on 24 September 2026. Dollar figures use the ECB rate of 29 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355), rounded. Country overview: [studying in Spain](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-spain).

Palm-lined walkway in the Central Garden of the Vera campus of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain. Photo: Joanbanjo / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Passeig_al_jardí_Central_de_la_Universitat_Politècnica_de_València.JPG), [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0).

## At a glance {#section-1}

| Status | Right to work | Cap | What you need |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| University student: bachelor's, master's, other official higher education | Automatic, employed and self-employed | 30 hours/week | Employment contract and social-security registration |
| Admitted student on a university preparatory course | Same as university students (the Regulation treats the course as higher education) | 30 hours | Same |
| Language-course, upper-secondary or intermediate vocational student | Only with a separate authorisation | 30 hours | Application by employer or student to the immigration office |
| Curricular internship | No permit needed | Per the university–company agreement | Internship agreement (convenio de prácticas) |
| Family member on an accompanying visa | No (art. 56 of the Regulation) | — | — |
| PhD candidate | Since August 2026 treated as a researcher, not a student | 30-hour cap does not apply | Researcher authorisation under art. 72 of Law 14/2013 |
| EU student | Unrestricted | None | — |

## What the law says {#section-2}

Article 57 of the Immigration Regulation approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024:

- Automatic right. A higher-education study authorisation "authorises employed and self-employed work automatically and without an additional procedure", if compatible with studies.
- 30 hours a week is the general cap; the only exception is intensive vocational training. There is no holiday exception, so the cap applies in summer too.
- Breaching the cap is grounds for ending the stay authorisation.
- Geography. Work is limited to the autonomous community that granted the authorisation and neighbouring localities in bordering regions; exceptions are possible if commuting does not undermine studies.
- Duration. The right to work lasts as long as the stay authorisation.
- Insurance. While you work and are registered with Social Security, that registration satisfies the private health-insurance requirement.

Before May 2025 the employer had to apply for a separate permit tied to one job. Many online guides still describe that system and a 20-hour cap; follow the current Regulation.

## How to start a job {#section-3}

1. Find an employer and agree hours that do not clash with classes. Keep your timetable: you may be asked to show the job is compatible.
2. Sign a written contract. Part-time contracts must be in writing under art. 12 of the Workers' Statute and state the hours per day, week or month; otherwise the contract is presumed full-time — a direct breach of the cap.
3. Social Security. The employer registers you before your first day; if you have no social-security number (NUSS) yet, request one with your foreigner documents.
4. NIE. You already have it on your authorisation and TIE.
5. Keep payslips (nóminas) and track total hours across employers — the cap is cumulative.

Language-course students need an authorisation first: the employer or student applies under arts. 57 and 74 of the Regulation, and the office checks contract terms against the collective agreement. No work until it is granted.

## How much you can earn {#section-4}

Royal Decree 126/2026 sets the 2026 minimum wage at $1,390 (€1,221) a month full-time, or $46 (€40.70) a day, and at least $19,410 (€17,094) a year including two extra payments. Part-time minimums are pro rata; sector agreements often pay more.

| Hours per week | Minimum gross per year | Monthly equivalent (1/12) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 | $4,850 (€4,273.50) | ≈ €356 (≈ $406) |
| 20 | $9,710 (€8,547) | ≈ €712 (≈ $813) |
| 30 | $14,560 (€12,820.50) | ≈ €1,068 (≈ $1,219) |

Calculation: $19,410 (€17,094) × share of a 40-hour week. Social-security contributions and income-tax withholding reduce take-home pay. For temporary contracts of up to 120 days with one employer the decree sets at least $66 (€57.82) per working day, and domestic workers paid by the hour get at least $11 (€9.55) an hour — a useful benchmark for hourly offers.

Even 30 hours at the minimum covers living costs in a smaller city but not a full budget in Madrid or Barcelona ($1,140–1,360 (€1,000–1,200) a month). See [cost of studying in Spain](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-spain).

## Balancing work and study {#section-5}

Check your programme's timetable, add self-study and commuting, and treat exam weeks at the end of each semester as fully booked.

| Pattern | Hours/week | Suits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Two evening shifts plus one weekend shift | 12–15 | First year, while language and coursework are demanding |
| Weekend shifts plus tutoring | 16–20 | Second year onwards with stable grades |
| Close to the cap | 25–30 | Master's students with evening classes, summer |

Retaking a course is expensive (2.4 times the first-enrolment price in Madrid), so extra shifts at the cost of grades rarely pay off.

## Your rights as an employee {#section-6}

- Pay at least the pro-rata minimum wage and the sector agreement rate.
- A payslip for each pay period, which cannot exceed a month.
- At least 30 calendar days of paid holiday a year, pro rata.
- A written contract stating hours for part-time work.
- Social-security registration from day one.

Undeclared work also breaches the conditions of your student authorisation.

## Can a job offer replace visa funds? {#section-7}

Partly, in theory. The Regulation lets applicants count "a valid employment contract or a firm job offer" when the authorisation allows work, which it does for university students. In practice a signed offer from a Spanish employer before arrival is hard to get, the Moscow consulate's checklist mentions only bank documents, and the consulate may check whether the schedule fits your studies. Keep the full $680 (€600) per month of stay in the bank. See our [Spanish student visa guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-spain).

## Where students find work {#section-8}

| Sector | Notes |
| --- | --- |
| Cafés, restaurants, hotels | Plenty of openings in tourist cities; evening and weekend shifts fit study; conversational Spanish needed |
| Retail | 12–24-hour contracts are common; make sure hours are in the contract |
| Tutoring and languages | Employed at a school or self-employed; native languages are an asset |
| The university | Department, library or international-office roles, advertised by the university careers service |
| IT, design, translation | Self-employment or start-ups; clients abroad raise tax questions to check with an adviser |

Use your university's careers service (Complutense runs Empleo UCM, for example), regional employment services, job portals and campus boards. Spanish widens options more than anything else; in Catalonia, Valencia, the Basque Country and Galicia some jobs also ask for the regional language. See [DELE and SIELE exams](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-dele-and-siele-spanish-exams).

## Internships {#section-9}

| Type | What it is | Permit? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prácticas curriculares | Part of the curriculum, earns ECTS, via a university–company agreement | No; expressly covered by the study authorisation |
| Prácticas extracurriculares | Voluntary internship via a university agreement | Not an employment relationship; university students usually need no extra permit, but confirm with the internship office |
| Employment contract | Regular job | No for university students; 30-hour cap |

Under additional provision 52 of the General Social Security Act, university interns — curricular or not, paid or unpaid — are included in the general social-security system as assimilated employees.

## Self-employment (autónomo) {#section-10}

University students may also work as self-employed. Register with the tax agency and the self-employed social-security scheme (RETA) and pay a monthly contribution based on income. The 30-hour cap and compatibility rule still apply; for small gigs, contributions and accounting can eat a large share of income.

## Tax and social security {#section-11}

- Contributions: the employer withholds the employee share and pays its own; in return you access public healthcare and benefits.
- Income tax (IRPF): more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year makes you tax resident; employers withhold tax.
- Tax return: not required if your only income is salary up to $24,980 (€22,000) a year from one employer; with several employers the threshold is lower, and filing may get you a refund.

## After graduation {#section-12}

- Job-search or start-up permit for up to 24 months (non-renewable) for bachelor's-level graduates and above; apply 60 days before to 90 days after the study authorisation ends; 20-day decision, silence means approval.
- Direct switch to a work permit without a new visa; employer or graduate applies, employer pays the fee; apply two months before to three months after expiry; first permit for one year. Not available to development-cooperation scholarship holders.
- Long-term residence: study years count at 50%.

## Common mistakes {#section-13}

- Contracts without stated hours, or working over 30 hours, including in summer.
- Not adding up hours across two employers.
- Taking a job in another region far from your university.
- Treating an extracurricular internship as a job without a university agreement.
- Relying on part-time pay in the first months.
- Working without social-security registration.

## FAQ {#faq}

### How many hours can international students work in Spain?

Up to 30 hours a week, counted across all employers together, whether you work as an employee or self-employed. The cap applies all year, including the summer holidays; the only exception is intensive vocational training. University students get this right automatically with their study authorisation as long as the work is compatible with their studies, while language-course and secondary students need a separate authorisation.

### Do university students need a work permit?

No. Since 20 May 2025 the higher-education study authorisation includes the right to work. Language students need a separate authorisation.

### What is the minimum wage in Spain in 2026?

$1,390 (€1,221) a month full-time over 14 payments ($19,410 (€17,094) a year). Part-time is pro rata: about $1,210 (€1,068) gross a month for 30 hours a week.

### Can I work full-time in the summer?

No holiday exception exists; the 30-hour cap applies year-round and breaching it can end your authorisation.

### Do I pay tax on part-time earnings?

Contributions and income tax are withheld. If you are tax resident and earn only salary from one employer up to $24,980 (€22,000) a year, you need not file a return.

### Can I work remotely for a foreign company?

The Regulation covers employed and self-employed work in Spain; remote work for a foreign employer raises tax and social-security questions in two countries. The 30-hour cap still applies. Get advice from a Spanish tax adviser first.

### Does working help me stay after graduation?

Experience and contacts help. Legally, you can stay through the 24-month job-search permit or a direct switch to a work permit.

## Sources {#section-15}

- [Royal Decree 1155/2024, Immigration Regulation](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) — arts. 35, 52, 56, 57, 176, 190, as amended by Royal Decree 316/2026; checked 24.09.2026
- [Law 14/2013, additional provision 17](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074) — checked 24.09.2026
- [Royal Decree 126/2026, minimum wage 2026](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2026-3815) — checked 24.09.2026
- [Workers' Statute (RDL 2/2015)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-11430) — arts. 12, 29, 38; checked 24.09.2026
- [General Social Security Act (RDL 8/2015), additional provision 52](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-11724) — checked 24.09.2026
- [Income Tax Act 35/2006, arts. 9 and 96](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2006-20764) — checked 24.09.2026
- [Spanish Consulate General in Moscow: status change for PhD candidates](https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/moscu/ru/Comunicacion/Noticias/Paginas/Articulos/20260824_NOT1.aspx) — researcher visa instead of study visa from 24.08.2026; checked 24.09.2026
- Exchange rate: [ECB](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/index.en.html), 29.09.2026, €1 = $1.1355

[During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply)

## Next steps

- [DELE and SIELE Spanish Exams: 2026–2027 Dates, Fees and the Level You Need to Study in Spain](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-dele-and-siele-spanish-exams)
- [Cost of Studying in Spain in 2026/27: Public Credit Prices, Non-EU Surcharges, Private Universities and Living Costs](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-spain)
- [Spanish Student Visa in 2026: Documents, IPREM Funds, Applying from Russia and the TIE Card](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-spain)
- [Studying in Spain for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-spain)
- [Bachelor's Degree in Spain: How to Get In from Abroad and What It Costs in 2027](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-bachelors-in-spain)
- [Public or Private University in Spain? A 2027 Guide for International Students](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-public-or-private-universities-spain)

Updated: September 2026