Visa for non-EU students

General information

If you are a citizen from a country belonging to the European Union you will not need to follow any administrative procedure to become a UPC-BARCELONATECH full time student.

Students from countries not belonging to the European Union who come to study for more than three months must apply for a student visa at the Spanish embassy in their home country. Students’ relatives must apply for a student family visa.

Important: If your studies take less than six months, the Spanish embassy is likely to issue a student visa with the label ESTUDIOS TOTAL 180 DÍAS (total stay for studies 180 days). This kind of visa will not allow you to obtain another student visa during your stay in Spain, so you can not extend your stay.

How to obtain my visa?

First, we have to inform you that in most embassies and consulates there are BIG DELAYS and administrative difficulties when applying for your student visa. DO NOT WAIT until a few days before your departure to apply for your visa; START NOW with all the procedures.  The entire procedure usually lasts around 3 (THREE) MONTHS.

Each Spanish embassy/consulate in every country has its own procedures and requirements. Please contact the corresponding Spanish embassy or consulate in your home country in order to ask for your student visa.

Usual documents that are requested are:

- Application form
- Fee
- Admission letter to the corresponding Master/Doctorate/posgraduate programme at UPC-BARCELONATECH
- Criminal records certificate from your home country
- Some certificate or document stating that you have enough economic resources for your stay
- Some certificate or document about your health and/or travel insurance
- Your accommodation in Barcelona

Some of these may not be requested for your visa application, and others that are not on this list may be.

That is why we tell you to contact DIRECTLY with the Spanish embassy/consulate.