Distinct European cuisine, hospitality and world-class education make Spain a popular study destination for many students. With over 74 universities, Spain is ranked among the famous study place for international students. Besides the affordable tuition fees, the cost of living in the European country is a lot cheaper than in other neighbouring countries.
Applying to study in a Spanish school goes beyond sending in your applications to prospective schools. While studying abroad is a milestone to your academic and professional career, you might want to make your application stand out, meeting all the requirements. Studying abroad requires a lot of decision-making and analysis. We’ve come up with this guide to make your study overseas a fulfilling and enjoyable experience. Below are steps to study in Spain from Nigeria.
Choose a city
While you’re applying to study in Spain, you need to select a city where you would want to study. You have to be specific about the place of study because your learning environment influences your study experience. Guess you want to study in a conducive environment where you have access to quality education. Seville, Barcelona, Granada, Madrid and Valencia are good cities to study in. These cities boast top universities with great infrastructure and exceptional education standards.
Select a university and program
After you’ve chosen a city, the next thing to do is to explore the list of universities and courses offered. Narrow down your search to the best universities. Find out about the tuition fees, curricula, programs, community reviews and ratings. Also, find out if the programs are delivered in English or Spanish. Some good universities include the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the University of Barcelona, Pompeu Fabra University, etc.
Check the requirements
Once you’ve selected a university and program, you’ll need to consider the university’s admission requirements. You can look up more information on their website. While some programs are taught in English, others are delivered in Spanish. If you’re applying for a Spanish taught program, you may need to do a Spanish language proficiency test and translate your documents to Spanish. For programs delivered in English, you may be required to prove your English language proficiency through tests like IELTS Academic, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT. Undergraduate studies do not require a Spanish proficiency certificate except specified by your prospective department or program. If required, you can write any of the following tests:
- Spanish University Access Tests (Prueba de Acceso a Estudios Universitarios)
- Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE)
As a graduate degree applicant, you might not have to obtain a Spanish certificate, but it’s advised to get one as you may likely work with local students for your research.
Submit your application
Typically, the documents required for application vary from one program to the other. Below is a list of documents needed for your application.
- Academic transcript
- Proof of language proficiency (If applicable)
- High school equivalent (for Bachelor’s degree) or Master’s certificate (for PhD degree)
- Academic diplomas
If you’re pursuing a master’s degree program, the following documents are needed:
- Birth certificate
- Health Insurance
- Social Security Card
- Source of funds
Contacts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and your country’s embassy
Contact your prospective school to find out about all the requirements. You may need to translate the documents into Spanish.
Generally, Spanish universities admit students during autumn and spring. For the autumn semester, you can apply in June. You can start processing your admission for the summer in July. Irrespective of the semester you opt for, ensure you submit your application on time.
Obtain your student visa
After you’ve completed your application and have been offered admission, you can proceed to process your visa. To apply for a visa at the embassy, you need the following:
- Valid Passport (at least 180 days) (Including photocopy of the identification page).
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2 colour passport photographs on WHITE background.
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a.- Original WAEC Statement of Result forwarded to the Embassy by WAEC.
b.- Original First Degree Certificate (for Masters’ degree)
c.- Masters Degree Certificate ( for PhD degree)
- If educational documents are issued by other countries, they should be legalised by the Spanish consular office accredited to the country concerned.
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All the documents mentioned in 3a and 3b ( original WAEC statement of result and original first-degree certificate) are legalised and translated into Spanish.
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Letter of admission into the University concerned.
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Original receipt of payment from the University in respect of tuition fees for the first year.
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Original receipt of payment from the University in respect of accommodation fees for the first year.
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Bank Statement of your sponsor and yourself ( within the last 6 months).
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Medical certificate indicating the health status of the applicant. It should show that the applicant is not a carrier of any contagious disease dangerous to public health, in accordance with the International Health Rules of 2005. (Translated into Spanish).
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Police certificate issued by the countries where the applicant has been living for the last 5 years (only if you are over 18 years of age). If you are a Nigerian citizen, you should present the police report with your fingerprints (a Police Character Certificate legalised and translated into Spanish).
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If Police certificates are issued by other countries, they should be legalised by the Spanish consular office accredited to the country concerned. And also translated into Spanish.
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Birth Certificate (legalised and translated into Spanish).
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In the case of minors, AUTHORIZATION LETTER, signed by father/mother/legal guardian, resident in Nigeria, legalised by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Travel insurance covering Schengen countries with a minimum coverage of €30.000, for the period of the stay, including:
A.- Medical treatment.
B.- Emergency admission to hospital.
C.- Repatriation
- Visa Fee; N13,400.00
• Translations must be done by a Spanish official translator and duly authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• The Spanish Consulate in Lagos legalise ONLY the signature of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria.
The documents mentioned above should be legalised at the Spanish Consulate in Lagos.
Once you’ve obtained your visa, you can start making travel plans to Spain. Upon arrival, start processing your residence permit. This should be done after 30 days of arriving in the country. We hope you find this article useful. Don’t hoard this knowledge; share it with others. We wish you the best in your study plans.
