University or language courses?

Choosing a Path for a Student Visa in Spain: University or Language Courses? A student visa is one of the most accessible visas at the moment. It grants you a foreigner's number (NIE) and a student card (TIE), which becomes your ID for the duration of your studies. This is considered a temporary residence permit in Spain. The TIE opens doors to all of Europe, meaning you can travel freely with it. But on what basis should you obtain it—through language courses or university enrollment? We’ll explore this in today’s article.

Language Courses

This option is convenient for adult applicants who do not yet know the language and do not plan to pursue another higher education degree. The course must last at least 7 months, and after a year of study, you’ll be able to understand and converse with locals in Spanish. There are two main conditions:

1. The school must provide 4 hours of classes 5 times a week (totaling 20 hours).
2. The school must be accredited by the Cervantes Institute.

However, the cost is quite high: a year of study averages around 3,000 euros. You’ll need to apply separately for a work permit.

University

This is not the easiest path, but it’s the longest-lasting one. It’s ideal for those who want to change careers, gain additional education, or have just graduated from high school in their home country. To enroll in a university, you need to legalize your existing certificate/diploma, pass entrance exams, and take a Spanish language test (DELE). Only after successfully enrolling in a higher education institution can you apply for a student visa. With university-based student residency, you don’t need to submit additional requests to work 30 hours a week—this is already included in the permit. Tuition at a public university starts from 950 euros per year (depending on the city and program).

So, What Should You Choose?

If you’re unsure whether you’ll like the country, if your language skills are sufficient, or if you can integrate into Spanish society, we recommend taking language courses. They’ll help you adapt more easily to the new country, especially if you’re surrounded by the same group of people. As for universities, if you’re not interested in learning Spanish, you can enroll in a university where courses are taught in English. This is a great option for those who still want to receive a European education and live in Spain. And if you’re still in doubt, you can always reach out to us! Yours truly, EL Relocator