Student & Internship Visa

Yes — you are legally permitted to work **up to 30 hours per week** alongside your studies on a valid student visa (*visado de estudios*). For formal employment, your employer must register you with Spain's Social Security system (Seguridad Social). Curriculum-integrated internships (*prácticas curriculares*) are automatically covered and do not count toward the 30-hour weekly limit.

Yes, if your authorized stay exceeds 180 days. You must apply for the TIE at a local police station or Foreigners' Office (*Oficina de Extranjería*) within one month of your arrival. You must first register your address at the local town hall (*Ayuntamiento*) to obtain an *empadronamiento* certificate — this is a prerequisite for the TIE application.

A *curricular* internship (*prácticas curriculares*) is officially integrated into your academic program and is registered with your institution. These are covered under your student visa automatically. An *extracurricular* internship is additional work experience not part of your official curriculum and requires a separate training agreement (*convenio de prácticas extracurriculares*) and may require additional authorization.

Yes. Student visas can be renewed annually, up to 5 times, provided you remain enrolled and demonstrably progressing in your program. Renewals must be initiated before your current authorization expires. Non-completion or academic suspension can result in denial of renewal.

Yes — this is a common pathway. After graduating from a Spanish institution, you can apply for a *residencia por circunstancias excepcionales* or, more commonly, a job search permit. Many graduates also qualify for the HQP (Highly Qualified Professional) route immediately after graduation if they receive a qualifying job offer.

No. Spain does not use the SEVIS student tracking system. Spanish authorities manage international student authorizations through local immigration offices (*Oficinas de Extranjería*) and Spanish consulates. Your institution is responsible for registering your enrollment with the relevant immigration authorities, but there is no equivalent student ID number system to SEVIS.