Have you got admission in a Spanish institution and you are left with how to apply for Spain Student visa in Nigeria? Well, I’m glad to welcome you here. This is a well-organized and detailed guide to follow when applying for Spain student visa in Nigeria. Applying for this type of visa is something you can do on your own. So continue reading below to learn how.
What is Spain Student Visa?
Spanish student visa is the type of visa awarded to anyone who wants to visit Spain for study. Any foreign citizen who wants to stay in Spain and study for more than three months will need a student residence permit. Students must have been accepted into an institution in Spain before they are granted visas.
Visa can be issued for study, student exchanges, research, internship or volunteer services. After students arrive in Spain, they must apply for authorization for staying in the country until their visa expires. This should be done at Spanish Foreign Office or any Police Station.
If you wish to study longer than three months in Spain, you should apply for Spain student visa in Nigeria. However, you must apply for Spain tourist visa if want to take a short course, shorter than three months, in Spain.
Why You Should Study in Spain
If you are willing to study abroad, Spain is one of the recommended destinations for international students. This is especially true if you are going for your post-graduate education. Spain boasts of the top business schools in Europe, including IE Business School in Madrid. This and the following are reasons why you should study in Spain:
Friendly People
Spanish people are friendly and open. They are exceptionally warm towards students and you would find living among them a fantastic experience. Since they find starting a conversation and relating with foreigners easy, you can easily network in Spain. But, you must be prepared to get acquainted with people very often. And should be ready to get out of your shell if you are an introvert.
History
Spain is a country blessed with cultural and historical scenery. And you are free to visit any of the exquisite landmarks. Some of them are:
Toledo’s Old City, Costa del Sol Beaches, The Prado and Paseo del Artes, Plaza Mayor, Madrid, The Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, Granada and so on.
Attitude
The Spanish attitude can be Fiesta attitude. Festive period go throughout the year, this makes life richer and merrier for the inhabitants and visitors alike. This merrier attitude goes a long way on the impact it has on the people as they tend to live happily with each other.
Student Jobs
When you study in Spain, you have the chance to work part-time or full time while you’re studying. You can work full-time for a period of three months so far it does not affect your study. Employers in Spain normally employ foreign students with long term student visa. The Spanish also usually have very long lunch-breaks during school hours. Such that you have three hours or so to do anything you like. You can run errands, shop, work or just observe siesta.
English courses
Institutions in Spain have lots of English courses that they teach. This is another reason why Spain attracts English speaking international students. While students are required to learn passible Spanish language when studying, some courses are entirely taught in English.
Get to know the world
You are allowed to travel countries surrounding Spain. Therefore, you can take advantage of this to travel the world and feed your curiosity. You also have the opportunity to travel around Spain alone and keep yourself busy for the whole semester. The landscape of the country makes it ideal for surfing and skiing for those who know how. Living in Spain gives you the opportunity to explore.
Learn Spanish
Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. And there’s hardly a place to learn the language than in Spain. So when you travel for study, you become open to the world of Spanish. You learn the language in school and you converse it with people every day.
Nigerian Students in Spain
Nigerian community in Spain is large and some of them are members of a website for Nigerian community in Spain. It has been reported that over 23% of African students in Spanish institutions are Nigerians. Moreover, Nigerian students leaving for Spain to study can make use of websites, such as this, to connect with other Nigerians over there.
Spain Student Visa Requirements for Nigerian Citizens
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands that an applicant who wishes to apply for Spain student visa in Nigeria provides some documents. Outlined below are some of them:
1- Filled English and Spanish application form.
2- International passport which must have at least six months validity
3- Original copy of previously received certificates. Including WAEC result statement, certificate of first degree and master’s degree (as applicable). You should note that the WAEC result must be sent to the embassy directly from WAEC. Also, educational certificates from other countries must be duly legalized by the accredited Spanish consulate in the country.
4- Translated copies of all educational certificates by a Spanish embassy certified translator.
5- Two passport photographs
6- Letter of admission from a recognized institution in Spain, which should include the proof of tuition and accommodation fees payment.
7- Health Insurance proof which coverage should not be less than 30,000 EUR. It should meet the Schengen embassy standards and emergency admission, treatment and repatriation. You can order your insurance online, click here.
8- Financial status proof and bank account statement for the past six months. This could be yours or a sponsor’s.
9- Police Character Certificates from every country you have lived in the past five years. This is applicable to applicants who are 18 years and above. The PCC should be translated by a certified translator and duly legalized.
10- A Medical certificate of attesting that the applicant is free from disease. The document should be duly legalized and translated.
11- Duly translated and legalized birth certificate.
12- Duly legalized consent letter from the parent or legal guardian of an applicant if below 18 years.
How to Apply for Spain Student Visa in Nigeria: Step by Step
Before applying for Spain student visa, it is important to know all the required documents you need for the application. Once you have this knowledge, then follow these guidelines to process your Spain student visa in Nigeria:
1- Gain Admission
The essence of your application is to study in Spain. Therefore, you need to have a valid admission from an educational institution in Spain before you commence the application process. The basic principle when applying for admission is to target more than one institution. Targeting multiple institutions at a time, gives you the privilege of securing admission within target time.
Once you have an admission, ensure to start processing your visa immediately after. The best period is at least five months before the resumption date. Spain student visa application in Nigeria is torturous; the earlier you, start the sooner you muddle through.
2- Stamp your previous educational certificates
At this level, you stamp the photocopy of your undergraduate certificate. This gives the certificate the Certified True Copy status.
3- Visit WAEC office to send your result to the Spanish Embassy.
4- Translate your documents by a Spanish embassy certified translator.
Contact a Spain Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved Spanish Sworn Translator.
5- Take a medical test
You could do a test at any general hospital in Nigeria. This is how you get a medical certificate showing that you are free from contagious diseases.
6- Authenticate your documents
Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education Abuja for legalization/authentication of your certificates.
7- Email the consulate at cog.lagos.leg@maec.es for an appointment to legalise your documents. The consulate typically responds with three weeks.
Spain Visa Appointment Booking
Once you know the location of your Consulate office, you will generally need to call or send an email to make an appointment. You should get ready and show up on the day assigned to you.
Spain Student Visa Processing Time
The time needed to process your application is two to three weeks. Sometimes it may take more than that stipulated time to get your visa if there are issues involved with the processing.
FAQs on how to apply for Spain student visa in Nigeria
How much is Spain Student visa fee in Nigeria?
Use our visa fee calculator to know the exact amount you will pay for Spain student visa.
How can I get Spain visa application form in Nigeria?
When applying for Spain student visa in Nigeria, you need the application forms. Click the following links to download the English and Spanish forms for your application:
https://goo.gl/VVTk8X
https://goo.gl/hsMgnR
You can also visit the Spanish Consulate for the application forms.
Will I attend an interview for Spain student visa?
No, you won’t have to attend any interview when applying for Spain student visa in Nigeria. But bear in mind that the embassy may demand your attention duration visa processing. They may also request for additional documents.
Where is Spain embassy in Nigeria?
The Spanish Consulate in Lagos is at 21C, Kofo Abayomi Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos. However, you may click here to get more contact information of the Spanish Embassy office in Nigeria.
Where is Spain application center in Nigeria?
Visit any VFS global center or check their website at www.vfsglobal.com.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to apply for Spain Student visa in Nigeria, you should take our free visa eligibility test.
