Study in Spain from India, Nigeria, Pakistan

Public universities in Spain charge about 700 to 1,800 euros a year for a bachelor’s, though some regions, such as Madrid, charge non-EU students more. For the student visa you must show 600 euros per month for living costs. A master’s needs no recognition of your degree, but a bachelor’s starts with recognising your school certificate. You may work up to 30 hours a week while studying, and stay up to 24 months after graduating to look for a job.

Key points

Tuition depends on the region. Madrid charges non-EU students who are not residents several times the normal price.
Visa money: 600 euros per month, plus health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain.
Bachelor’s: homologation of your school certificate, then UNEDasiss and usually PCE exams.
Master’s: no homologation; the university checks your degree’s level.
Check that your degree is official and your university is in the RUCT register.
Work up to 30 hours a week while studying; 24 months to look for a job after a bachelor’s or higher.

Is Spain right for you?

Spain suits you if these points work for you:

Low public tuition, at least outside regions that charge non-EU students more.
Work while you study. Your student authorisation already allows up to 30 hours a week.
Time to find a job. After a bachelor’s or higher, you can stay up to 24 months to look for work or start a business.

It may not suit you if:

You want to start a bachelor’s quickly. Recognising your school certificate and the UNEDasiss steps take time.
You do not want to learn Spanish. English-taught programmes exist, but programmes taught in Spanish can ask for level B2, as at UC3M in Madrid.

Comparing destinations? Our Germany guide covers the same questions for Germany.

Sources: SEPIE: Study in Spain; Comunidad de Madrid: Decreto 43/2022 on public university prices (BOCM, 1 July 2022); Spain: Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), consolidated text; Spain: Ley 14/2013, additional provision 17 (job search after studies); Universidad Carlos III de Madrid: Language requirements for master's programmes.

What does it cost to study in Spain?

Tuition for official degrees at public universities is set by each region, as a price per credit. Some regions charge non-EU students more, as Madrid does.

Scroll sideways to see the notes.

Cost	Amount	Note
Bachelor's tuition at a public university	About 700 to 1,800 euros a year	Each region sets its own prices per credit, and some charge non-EU students more.
Madrid, non-EU students who are not residents	113.71 to 136.44 euros per credit	Bachelor's at a public university, instead of 16.92 to 20.68 euros per credit at first enrolment. A student stay does not count as residence.
Private universities	Set by each university	Check the programme's own page.
Proof of money for the visa	600 euros per month (7,200 euros a year)	100% of IPREM, Spain's reference income. Tuition does not count towards it.
Visa fee	90 euros	Ordinary rate for a national (D) visa, charged in local currency.
Health insurance	Required	Public or private, from an insurer authorised in Spain, covering what the Spanish public health system covers, for your whole stay.

Before you choose a university, check the price decree of its region for non-EU students. Madrid’s prices are from the decree it applies for the 2025/26 year. We found no official national figure for student living costs. Proof of money also works differently from Germany’s blocked account. The Embassy in New Delhi, for example, asks for a sponsor’s bank statements for the last six months.

Sources: Spain: Ley Orgánica 2/2023 on the University System (LOSU), article 57; SEPIE: Study in Spain; Comunidad de Madrid: Decreto 43/2022 on public university prices (BOCM, 1 July 2022), article 8 and annex I; Comunidad de Madrid: Public university prices; Spain: Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), consolidated text, article 35; Embassy of Spain in New Delhi: Study visa; Spain: Orden AUC/891/2024 on visa fees. Figures last verified 7 November 2026.

Bachelor’s: recognising your school certificate

With a school certificate from India, Nigeria or Pakistan, you will usually need to have it recognised as equal to the Spanish Bachillerato. This is called homologation. Spanish law requires it for certificates from non-EU countries without a reciprocity agreement with Spain.

For a public university, the usual route then has two more steps:

UNEDasiss accreditation. You send proof of homologation. If it is not finished yet, you send proof that you have started it, plus apostilled or legalised transcripts of your last two school years.
PCE exams. Public universities ask for the accreditation with your access grade, and UNEDasiss recommends taking PCE exams in at least four subjects.

Each university sets its own admission, so check its page for the subjects it weights, and check the current UNEDasiss requirements before you apply.

Sources: Spain: Ley Orgánica 2/2006 on Education, additional provision 36; UNEDasiss: Documents for the accreditation; UNEDasiss: Access to public universities.

Master’s: how admission works

For an official master’s, a bachelor’s from outside the European Higher Education Area needs no homologation. Instead, the university checks that your degree is at the level of a Spanish bachelor’s. Your degree must also give access to postgraduate studies in the country that issued it.

Being admitted this way does not recognise your degree for any other purpose. The law sets no minimum length for your degree, so whether a three-year degree is enough depends on the university’s check. Our German admission guide shows how universities assess subject fit and grades in Germany, which helps if you compare the two countries.

Source: Spain: Real Decreto 822/2021 on university studies, article 18.

Official degrees and how to check them

Spanish universities offer official degrees and their own degrees (títulos propios). An official master’s is called “Máster Universitario”. The RUCT, the Ministry’s public register, lists Spain’s public and private universities and their official degrees. Check your programme there before you apply.

For the student visa, the institution must be recognised in Spain, and the studies must be full-time and lead to a recognised higher education degree. The regulation also includes títulos propios taught by recognised institutions.

Sources: Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities: Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT); Spain: Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), consolidated text, article 52.

Do you need Spanish?

Not for every programme. SEPIE, Spain’s agency for internationalising education, counts 80 bachelor’s and 322 master’s programmes taught fully in English, and more taught partly in English.

Programmes taught in Spanish can ask you to prove your level. At Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, for example, master’s programmes in Spanish require B2, shown with a DELE or SIELE certificate. English-taught programmes there also ask for English at B2.

Sources: SEPIE: Study in Spain; Universidad Carlos III de Madrid: Language requirements for master's programmes.

The student visa

For studies of more than 90 days you need a national (D) study visa. You apply at the Spanish mission for where you live. The law requires, among other things, your admission, proof of money and health insurance. Adults staying more than six months also need a criminal record certificate.

Scroll sideways to see Nigeria and Pakistan.

	India	Nigeria	Pakistan
Responsible mission	Consulate General in Mumbai for Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and some Union Territories; Embassy in New Delhi for the rest	Consulate General in Lagos, for the whole of Nigeria	Embassy in Islamabad; Spain's offices in Karachi and Lahore are honorary consulates
Where you submit	Any BLS visa centre, with an appointment	In person at the BLS office, with an appointment	In person at the Consular Office, with an appointment
When to apply	At least 2 months before your programme starts	Sufficiently in advance of your programme	Sufficiently in advance of your programme

The legal time limit for a decision is one month from the day after you apply. It can be extended if the mission asks for an interview or more documents. In India, your police certificate must come from the Regional Passport Office and be apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The ordinary visa fee is 90 euros, paid in local currency. The Islamabad page still states an older, lower amount, so confirm the fee when you book.

After you arrive

The visa is issued for up to one year, but your stay authorisation covers the official length of your studies. If you stay more than six months, you need a foreigner identity card (TIE). Apply for it in person at the police within one month of entering Spain.

Sources: Spain: Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), consolidated text, articles 34, 35, 55 and 209; Spain: Orden AUC/891/2024 on visa fees; Embassy of Spain in New Delhi: Study visa; Embassy of Spain in New Delhi: Consular jurisdictions in India; Consulate General of Spain in Lagos: Study visa; Embassy of Spain in Abuja: Consulates; Embassy of Spain in Islamabad: Study visa; Embassy of Spain in Islamabad: Consulates (in Spanish); Policía Nacional: Foreigner identity card (TIE) for students.

Working during and after your studies

During your studies

A stay authorisation for higher studies lets you work, employed or self-employed, without a separate permit. The work must be compatible with your studies. As a general rule you may work up to 30 hours a week, and going over this limit can end your authorisation.

After graduating

With a degree of at least bachelor’s level (EQF level 6), you can apply for a residence permit to look for a job or start a business. It lasts up to 24 months and cannot be extended. Apply online in the 60 days before your student authorisation expires, or up to 90 days after. The office checks only your degree, health insurance and that you still have enough money.

Sources: Spain: Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), consolidated text, articles 57 and 190; Spain: Ley 14/2013, additional provision 17 (job search after studies).

Your steps in order

Check your route. Bachelor’s: start the homologation of your school certificate early. Master’s: check the university’s level check and language rules.
Check the programme in the RUCT and the region’s price for non-EU students.
Apply to universities and, for a bachelor’s, complete UNEDasiss and the PCE.
After your admission: prepare proof of money, health insurance and, if needed, your criminal record certificate.
Apply for the visa at your mission or its visa centre; in India at least 2 months before your programme starts.
Within one month of arrival: apply for your TIE card.

Sources: Spain: Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), consolidated text; Embassy of Spain in New Delhi: Study visa; UNEDasiss: Access to public universities.

Frequently asked questions

How much money do I need for a Spanish student visa?

You must show at least 600 euros per month for your living costs in 2026, which is 100% of IPREM, Spain's reference income. Tuition does not count towards this amount. The visa fee is 90 euros at the ordinary rate, charged in local currency.

Sources: Embassy of Spain in New Delhi: Study visa; Spain: Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), consolidated text; Spain: Orden AUC/891/2024 on visa fees.

Is studying in Spain cheap for international students?

Public tuition is low: a bachelor's costs about 700 to 1,800 euros a year, according to SEPIE. But regions set their own prices, and Madrid charges non-EU students who are not residents 113.71 to 136.44 euros per credit for a bachelor's.

Sources: SEPIE: Study in Spain; Comunidad de Madrid: Decreto 43/2022 on public university prices (BOCM, 1 July 2022).

Do I need to get my degree recognised to do a master's in Spain?

No. With a degree from outside the European Higher Education Area, you need no homologation for an official master's. The university checks that your degree is at bachelor's level and that it gives access to postgraduate studies in your country. Admission does not recognise your degree for other purposes.

Source: Spain: Real Decreto 822/2021 on university studies, article 18.

Can I work while studying in Spain?

Yes. A stay authorisation for higher studies lets you work, employed or self-employed, without a separate permit, as long as the work is compatible with your studies. As a general rule you may work up to 30 hours a week; going over this limit can end your authorisation.

Source: Spain: Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), consolidated text.

Can I stay in Spain after graduating?

Yes, if your degree is at least a bachelor's (EQF level 6). You can apply online for a residence permit to look for a job or start a business. It lasts up to 24 months and cannot be extended. Apply within 60 days before or 90 days after your student authorisation expires.

Sources: Spain: Ley 14/2013, additional provision 17 (job search after studies); Spain: Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), consolidated text.

Where do Nigerians apply for a Spanish student visa?

The Consulate General of Spain in Lagos is responsible for the whole of Nigeria. You submit your application in person at the BLS office, after booking an appointment online.

Sources: Embassy of Spain in Abuja: Consulates; Consulate General of Spain in Lagos: Study visa.

Sources and method

On 7 November 2026 we read the Spanish laws in their consolidated BOE versions and the study visa pages of the Spanish missions in India, Nigeria and Pakistan. We also read pages of UNEDasiss, SEPIE, the Comunidad de Madrid and UC3M. We checked each rule against the original text. Mission pages show no update date, and where they disagree with the law we say so. We review this guide at least every three months.

Study in Spain from India, Nigeria or Pakistan (2027): costs, admission, visa and work