The changes — ranked by impact
Nine confirmed changes came into effect on 20 May 2025. The most significant affect how and where you apply, how long you can stay, and what your school needs to be. Here they are in order of impact.
1. No more switching from tourist visa to student visa in Spain
High impact
Previously, students who arrived in Spain on a tourist visa could convert their status to a student visa from within the country. This option is now closed for language course students. All initial applications must be submitted at the Spanish consulate in your home country before you travel.
Before May 2025
Could arrive on tourist visa, then convert to student visa from within Spain
From May 2025
Must apply at your home country consulate before travelling to Spain
2. Instituto Cervantes accreditation is now mandatory
High impact
For a language school student visa, the law now explicitly requires the school to be accredited by the Instituto Cervantes (or an equivalent body for co-official languages). Previously, accreditation was strongly preferred but not always strictly enforced. Now it is a legal requirement — your school's accreditation number must appear on your acceptance letter.
Before May 2025
Accreditation preferred but not always enforced at all consulates
From May 2025
Legally required — non-accredited school = visa rejection
3. Maximum stay capped at 2 years — one renewal only
High impact
Language course student visas can now only be renewed once, giving a maximum total stay of two years. Previously there was no fixed renewal limit and some students had extended their stay multiple times. The first year is issued as the initial visa; the second year requires a renewal application from within Spain.
Before May 2025
Multiple renewals possible — some students stayed 3+ years
From May 2025
One renewal maximum — 2 years total. No further extensions.
4. DELE or SIELE exam required for renewal
High impact
To renew your student visa for a second year, you must now demonstrate Spanish language progress by providing a DELE or SIELE exam certificate. This is a significant new requirement — you'll need to sit an official exam before applying for renewal. The specific level required is not fixed by the law, but you need to show meaningful progression.
Before May 2025
Renewal required continued enrolment — no exam needed
From May 2025
DELE or SIELE exam certificate required to renew
5. Cannot convert language student visa to work permit
High impact
Previously, some students used the language school route as a pathway to longer-term residence and eventually a work permit. This route is now explicitly closed. Language course student visas cannot be modified into a work or residence permit. If long-term residence with work rights is the goal, a university programme is required instead.
Before May 2025
Could modify student visa to work permit in some circumstances
From May 2025
Language student visa cannot become a work permit — route is closed
6. Medical certificate now required for all applicants
Medium impact
The medical certificate — a signed doctor's statement confirming you have no serious communicable disease under the 2005 International Health Regulations — is now required for all student visa applicants regardless of the course length. Previously it was only required for stays over 6 months at many consulates.
Before May 2025
Required only for stays over 6 months at most consulates
From May 2025
Required for all applicants regardless of course length
7. Proof of fee payment now required in acceptance letter
Medium impact
The school acceptance letter must now include explicit confirmation that tuition fees have been paid, not just that the student is enrolled. A letter confirming enrolment without proof of payment is no longer sufficient. Schools familiar with the visa process should know this — but check your letter carefully before submitting.
Before May 2025
Acceptance letter confirming enrolment was sufficient
From May 2025
Letter must also confirm fees have been paid (or confirm payment arrangement)
8. Passport must be valid for 1 year from application date
Medium impact
The passport validity requirement is now explicitly tied to the application date, not the course duration. Your passport must be valid for at least one year from the date you submit your visa application. A passport expiring in 8 months will be rejected even if your course is only 6 months long.
Before May 2025
Passport needed to cover the course duration
From May 2025
Must be valid for at least 1 year from the application date
9. Apply at least 2 months before course start
Lower impact
The regulation now formally specifies that applications must be submitted at least two months before the course start date. This was already recommended practice — most consulates take 4–8 weeks to process — but it is now a stated requirement. Applying closer to your start date risks rejection on procedural grounds regardless of how good your documents are.
Before May 2025
Recommended to apply early — but no formal minimum
From May 2025
Must apply at least 2 months before course start — formally required
What didn't change
Despite the noise around this reform, a lot stayed the same. Language school student visas are still very much available — and the core process is unchanged.
✓
Language school students can still get a student visa
✓
€600/month financial requirement (2025 IPREM rate)
✓
No upper age limit — any adult can apply
✓
Health insurance requirements unchanged
✓
Same criminal record check requirement (over 18s)
✓
TIE residency card process unchanged
✓
Minimum 20 hours/week course intensity for visa eligibility
✓
Visa issued within approx. 1 month of submission
One thing that actually improved
The reform isn't entirely negative for students. Work rights for higher education students expanded from 20 to 30 hours per week. For language school students, however, there is an important clarification: language course students do not have automatic work rights. Work authorisation requires a separate application and is not guaranteed. This was always technically the case, but the new regulation makes it explicit.
Work rights summary post-reform
University / higher education students: can work up to 30 hours/week (increased from 20).
Language course students: no automatic work rights — separate authorisation required and not guaranteed.
Language course students: no automatic work rights — separate authorisation required and not guaranteed.
Timeline of the reform
19 Nov 2024
RD 1155/2024 published in Spain's Official State Gazette (BOE)
The full text of the new immigration regulation is published. It runs to several hundred articles covering all aspects of immigration law, with a specific section (Article 52) covering student visas.
Nov 2024 – May 2025
6-month implementation period
Consulates and BLS International updated their requirements pages. Some confusion during this period as consulates updated their guidance at different speeds.
20 May 2025
Reform comes into force
All nine changes take effect simultaneously. Applications submitted from this date must comply with the new rules. Applications already in progress were not affected.
Now (2026)
New rules fully embedded
All consulates worldwide are now operating under the new rules. The DELE/SIELE renewal requirement is relevant for students who started in 2025 and are approaching their first renewal.
Frequently asked questions
I'm already in Spain on a student visa — does this affect me? +
If you already hold a valid student visa or residence authorisation, it remains valid until it expires. The new rules apply to new applications submitted from 20 May 2025 onwards. If you need to renew, however, the new one-renewal limit and DELE/SIELE requirement will apply to your renewal.
I'm already in Spain on a tourist visa — can I still convert? +
No — not for language courses. The tourist-to-student switch is closed for language school students. You would need to return to your home country and apply through your local consulate. This was one of the most significant changes of the reform.
Does my school need to be Instituto Cervantes accredited? +
Yes, for a language school student visa. The law explicitly requires the school to be accredited by the Instituto Cervantes (or equivalent body for co-official languages). A school that is not accredited cannot issue a valid acceptance letter for visa purposes, and the visa will be rejected. All schools listed on this site are Cervantes-accredited.
What DELE level do I need for renewal? +
The law does not specify a minimum level — it requires participation in and results from a DELE or SIELE exam to demonstrate progress. In practice, you need to have sat the exam and have results to show. The exam must be from an official DELE or SIELE examination centre, which many Instituto Cervantes accredited schools are themselves.
Can I work on a language school student visa? +
Not automatically. Language course students do not have automatic work rights under the new regulation. A separate work authorisation is required, which is not guaranteed and involves a separate application process. University students (higher education) can work up to 30 hours per week automatically — but this does not apply to language school students.
I want to stay in Spain long-term — is the language visa still the right route? +
It depends on your goals. If your plan is to learn Spanish for 1–2 years and then return home, the language student visa is still perfectly appropriate. If your plan is to eventually live and work in Spain, the language visa route is now significantly restricted — you cannot convert it to a work permit, and the maximum stay is 2 years. A university programme or a different visa category (digital nomad, non-lucrative residence) may be more appropriate for long-term ambitions.
What is the minimum age to apply? +
18 years old. The law specifies a minimum age of 17 for some study categories, but for language school courses it requires the applicant to be at least 18. There is no upper age limit stated in the law.