All countries
Dossier
Spain
National long-stay student visa
Verified 2026-02-19 · Secondary, consulate-dependent
Spain's funds requirement is IPREM-linked and varies by consulate — do NOT rely on any single figure you find online. Confirm your consulate's exact IPREM multiplier before gathering bank statements. Also: most exchange students stay < 6 months and therefore do NOT need a TIE — NIE is enough. Do not over-apply.
Visa fee
Varies
Proof of funds
IPREM-linked · confirm with your consulate
Processing
15 working days (up to 1 month)
Apply before
90 days
Consular jurisdiction · India
Which center covers your home state?
For a long-stay / national visa, you must apply through the center covering your home state — Schengen short-stay visas are more flexible, this rule applies specifically to the long-stay visa exchange students need.
Confirm your applicable center
Spain consular jurisdictions vary — Delhi / Mumbai / Chennai / Kolkata / Bengaluru handle different Indian states, and the split is not centrally mirrored on a single Indian-side page. Check the country's own India consular website + your appointment booking flow to confirm which office covers your home state.
Consular jurisdiction depends on your home state — confirm your specific center when booking your appointment.
Book at this center Official checklist
What you need for Spain
- National long-stay student visa form
- Passport valid ≥ 1 year + copies
- Two passport photos (Spanish spec)
- Admission letter from Spanish university
- Proof of funds. IPREM-linked, ≈ EUR 675/month
- Medical certificate signed by registered physician
- Police clearance certificate. Apostilled
- Health insurance ≥ EUR 30,000 (no co-pay)
- Proof of accommodation
- BLS + consular fee. Verify current rate
Indian B-schools with partners here
10 schools · 18 partners
Nikshala partner services
Services in scope for Spain
Vetted partners for the practical parts of your move. Referral partners help fund Ministry of Exchange. Nikshala products are shipped in-house.
Accommodation
Partner links: Ministry of Exchange may earn a commission if you sign up through this partner. Official actions above are never re-ranked by fees.
Nikshala products: Provided by Nikshala.
Legal & identity
Get your NIE — everything else depends on it · In your first week — before opening a bank account or signing a rental
The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is a Spanish tax/identity number. Without it, most banks won't open an account, most landlords won't sign a lease, and most administrative processes stall.
- 1Book a cita previa on sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es for the 'Certificado NIE' or 'Asignación de NIE' at your host city's Extranjería office.
- 2Attend with: passport, visa page, admission letter, proof of address (or NIE-purpose form EX-15), and payment of Modelo 790 fee (~EUR 12).
- 3Collect your NIE certificate — this is a paper document; keep the original and multiple copies.
Cita Previa · Sede Electrónica
Single national appointment system for NIE and TIE. Filter by your province (Barcelona, Madrid, Bizkaia, Navarra…) and by trámite type ('Asignación de NIE' vs 'TIE — Toma de huellas').
sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/pagina/index/directorio/icpplus You almost certainly do NOT need a TIE
TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is only required for stays LONGER than 6 months. Most exchange semesters run 45-120 days, which means NIE-only. Over-applying for TIE is a common student mistake — it costs extra fees, extra appointments, and is unnecessary paperwork. Only start the TIE process if your visa specifically authorises a stay > 180 days.
Home & essentials
SIM, groceries, marketplace.
Supermarkets
MercadonaCarrefourDiaLidl EspañaAldi España
SIM / Mobile
Lebara (simplest short-stay SIM)Yoigo (simple + cheap plans)MovistarVodafone EspañaOrange España
Marketplace
WallapopMilanunciosIKEA España
Food delivery
Glovo (Spanish original)Uber EatsJust Eat
Money & digital
Bank, statutory health cover, doctor booking.
Banks
CaixaBankSantanderBBVAING España (digital-only)
Doctor booking
Doctoralia
Blocked account, forex and insurance partners → see Nikshala partner services above.
Mobility
Trains, rideshare, rentals, cross-Europe rail.
Notable universities
IE Business School (Madrid)ESADE (Barcelona)IESE (Barcelona)EADA Business School (Barcelona)Deusto Business School (Bilbao)IESE — Navarra (Pamplona)ESIC Business & Marketing School
Major cities · train app
Barcelona (10 partners)Madrid (5)Bilbao (1)Pamplona (1)
Renfe · Trainline (cross-border)