Student loans and other ways to finance your studies

Key rules

• Spanish bank loans: Banks usually lend only to residents or people with a Spanish guarantor, an NIE and a Spanish account.
• Home-country loans: These only work at institutions approved by your home country's scheme, so check your school is listed.
• Regional schemes: Regional loans mostly target residents and master's students, and non-resident access depends on the current call.
• School plans: Instalment plans and partner lenders from your school are often the most practical option.

Loan offers, school listings and regional calls change often, so confirm current terms with the lender, your home country's loan body and your school before acting.

The short answer

Spanish student loans are hard to get if you are not a resident. Spain's own support system is built mainly on grants, not loans. Your best options are usually a loan from your home country, a lender that serves international students, or a payment plan from your school.

Loans from your home country

Start here. This is often the easiest route.

• US students: Federal Direct Loans can be used at foreign schools that are registered with Federal Student Aid and have a school code. Only some Spanish institutions are on that list, so check your school's listing first. You apply with the FAFSA. Pell Grants and similar aid cannot be used abroad.
• Study-abroad route: If you study in Spain through your US university's own study-abroad programme, you keep your normal aid eligibility.
• Other countries: The UK, Canada and Australia, among others, have their own schemes. They usually cover exchange programmes or approved institutions only.

Ask your home country's loan body and your Spanish school's admissions or financial office before you rely on any of this.

Loans from Spanish banks

Several large Spanish banks offer education loans. They are mostly for residents or for people with a Spanish guarantor and Spanish accounts. As a non-resident you will usually need three things:

• an NIE (your foreigner ID number),
• a Spanish bank account,
• a guarantor, meaning someone who agrees to repay if you cannot.

The guarantor is the biggest barrier for most newcomers. MicroBank, the social-impact arm of CaixaBank, offers study and master's loans, again mainly to residents. Terms vary by lender, so ask each bank for its current offer.

International lenders

Some lenders outside Spain, such as MPOWER, lend to international students, including those studying in Spain. They are worth comparing if you have no Spanish guarantor. Compare interest, fees and repayment terms carefully before you sign.

Regional schemes and your university

Some regions have run loan or repayable-advance schemes, often for master's students. Examples include Catalonia, the Basque Country and Andalusia. Most target residents of that region. The state credit institute, the ICO, has also run master's loan lines in the past.

Whether any of these are open to non-residents depends on the current call. Ask the regional education department and your university.

Private universities and business schools often have partner lenders or instalment plans. These can be the most practical option for a non-resident. Ask the admissions office what they offer before you pay any deposit.

What to do

1. Check whether your home country's scheme covers your Spanish school.
2. Ask the school about instalment plans and partner lenders.
3. Compare international lenders if you have no guarantor.
4. Ask Spanish banks only if you have an NIE, a Spanish account and a guarantor.

The questions below cover the most common doubts.

Frequently asked questions

Can a non-resident student get a loan from a Spanish bank?

Yes, but only in limited cases, because most Spanish banks lend to residents or to people with a Spanish guarantor. You will usually need an NIE (foreigner ID number), a Spanish bank account and a guarantor.

Can I use US federal student loans at a Spanish university?

Yes, but only if the Spanish institution is approved by the US federal student aid programme and has a school code. Direct Loans can cover it, but Pell Grants cannot be used abroad.

Do Spanish regions offer loans for international students?

Yes, some regions have run loan or repayable-advance schemes, but these mostly target residents and master's students. Whether non-residents can apply depends on the current call.