Student residence routeArticle 6 of 6 · 2 min read
Studying Spanish only, what a language-course stay allows
A language-only stay in Spain has its own limits on weekly hours, length, extension and work, and it does not lead to residence by itself.
Key rules
- Weekly hours: Your course must be full-time and in person, with 20 classroom hours a week.
What a language-only stay gives you
A language-course stay lets you live in Spain while you study. It is temporary, and it does not lead to residence by itself. Plan it as a fixed period with an end date.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a study visa. UK citizens with Withdrawal Agreement rights follow their own residence rules.
Hours: the course must be intensive
The course must be at a recognised centre, full-time and in person. A few evening classes or an online course will not qualify you for a study stay. Ask the school for the enrolment letter the visa needs before you pay.
Duration: tied to the course
- Up to 90 days: a Schengen short-stay visa or visa-free entry is enough, and it cannot be extended.
- Longer than 90 days: you need a study visa. It lasts as long as the course, up to one year.
If your stay is over 6 months, apply for your TIE within 1 month of entry; a shorter stay uses the visa itself. Fees and where to file are the same as for any student stay (Applying from abroad or from inside Spain). Family members follow the student-stay family rules in Who qualifies for student residence.
Extending
An extension (prórroga) is possible if you show enrolment in a further course and proof that you are making progress. There is no fixed maximum number of extensions, but each one needs a further enrolment, and a language-only stay never leads to residence by itself. Ask for the extension in the 60 days before your current permission ends, or up to 90 days after it ends; after that your stay is irregular and the extension can be refused.
Working during the course
The student-stay work right applies: employed or self-employed, up to 30 hours a week, if the work is compatible with your studies. The conditions are in Working while you study.
After the course
A language-only stay never turns into residence by itself, but its time counts for 50% towards long-term residence if you later hold a residence permit: two years of study count as one year. A language-only stay does not qualify for the job-search and entrepreneurship permit, which needs a finished degree, master's, doctorate or vocational training in Spain (after your studies). After 2 years in Spain you can apply for the arraigo para la formación route. Changing status from inside Spain needs your legal stay to be still running when you file; otherwise you apply from your home country (filing paths).
More in Student residence route
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