What documents you need for a Spanish student visa

Why a separate checklist when there's one in the general guide

In the general student visa guide, the list of documents is given briefly — as one line among the other steps. Here it's the same thing, but in detail: exactly what the enrolment certificate needs to say so it isn't rejected, what amount in your account the consulate will find convincing and what it won't, and why a translation by a sworn translator appointed by Spain is the safest option.

Passport and application form

Your international passport must be valid for the whole period of the visa, with at least two blank pages. Consulates are usually wary of passports older than 10 years — if yours is one, it's better to replace it in advance. Some consulates and visa centres add their own local requirements — for example, copies of a national identity document as well as the passport — so always check the checklist published by the consulate where you apply.

The application form is a single form for all national visas ("Solicitud de visado nacional"), free of charge, with no separate code number on the form. Plus a 3.5×4.5 cm photo on a light background, taken no more than six months ago — and it must be a real print, not a photocopy of a photo: photo copies are rejected.

Enrolment certificate

The enrolment letter itself is the most common source of nitpicking — not because it lacks something substantive, but because it lacks specifics. The consulate wants to see: the student's full name, the exact name of the programme, exact start and end dates, the number of teaching hours per week (the programme must be in person; for university programmes the official guideline is at least 20 hours a week, while for language courses the workload is set by the study plan), and the contact details of the institution and of a specific person responsible, not a general admissions office address. If the letter doesn't include this, ask the school to redo it before you apply, not after a refusal.

How much money and how to show it

The requirement is tied to Spain's IPREM indicator, which in 2026 is €600 a month — a figure that hasn't changed since 2023. You need 100% of IPREM for the applicant (the same €600 a month), plus 75% for the first accompanying family member and 50% for each additional one.

More important than the figure itself is how it's proven. The consulate reads a one-off deposit of a large sum a week before applying as artificially boosting the figures — this is what people run into most often. More convincing are a 3-month statement where the amount stays steadily at the required level, a scholarship certificate, a guarantee letter from an employer, or a sponsor letter with the sponsor's own financial documents attached. If your accommodation for the whole period of study has already been paid in advance, part of the money requirement can be covered by the payment contract — this directly reduces what you have to show separately.

Insurance: what the consulate considers suitable and what it doesn't

The policy must be from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, issued in Spanish, with no excess, co-payments or waiting periods, and cover the entire period of study. The requirements regularly mention a minimum cover of €30,000 for injury or sudden illness, plus repatriation separately. It's worth checking this specific limit against the requirements of your own consulate, just in case, because the figure isn't fixed by a single nationwide rule and differs between application points. If you already have a policy but aren't sure it meets all these conditions at once, it's more sensible to check it in advance than to find out it doesn't at the application itself.

The most common reason for refusal on this point isn't the absence of insurance but the wrong type of insurance: with an excess, co-payments for doctor's visits or a waiting period before cover begins. The consulate won't accept such a policy, even if the amount of cover looks impressive.

Proof of accommodation

A copy of a rental contract together with a recent (usually no older than 3 months) extract from the property register will do, or a copy of the property owner's passport together with an invitation letter if the accommodation is provided not by a landlord but by a private individual.

Criminal record certificate

Needed if the visa is for longer than 180 days, and only for applicants aged 18 and over. It must cover the countries where you've lived in the last 5 years. If the issuing country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, you need an apostille from its competent authority; if not, consular legalisation. Then the document is translated into Spanish. It's important to follow the order: apostille first, then translation, not the other way round, otherwise the legalisation chain may be incomplete.

As for the certificate's validity, many sources say 3 months from the date of issue, but this isn't a strict universal rule — what counts may be the period stated on the certificate itself or the requirement of a particular application point. The most practical thing is to check this directly with the consulate or visa centre at the time of applying rather than going by a figure from an article, even ours.

Medical certificate

Needed for the same visas longer than 180 days. The certificate must explicitly state that the applicant doesn't suffer from any diseases classed by the WHO's 2005 International Health Regulations as posing a threat to public health. The certificate must be signed by a doctor (not a nurse or paramedic), issued no more than 3 months before applying and translated into Spanish if it isn't bilingual to begin with.

Apostille and translation — where people lose the most time

All documents issued outside Spain and intended for official submission (the criminal record certificate, and sometimes a diploma or marriage certificate if they're relevant to the case) need to be legalised: with an apostille if the issuing country is a party to the Hague Convention, or with consular legalisation if not. Which authority adds the apostille depends on the country and often on the type of document — see our article on apostilles.

Next comes translation. Spain recognises translations by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or translations legalised by the Spanish consulate. A notarised translation made in your own country is a different system, and consulates don't automatically treat it as equivalent. So the most reliable option is a sworn translator appointed by Spain; many work remotely and accept scanned legalised documents by email. If you're unsure which translation will be accepted in your case, check with the consulate or visa centre in advance, not on the day of your appointment.

Frequently asked questions

If something in your situation doesn't fit the general pattern, that's normal — visa cases almost always have nuances. Get in touch and we'll look at it for free and suggest your next step.