Spain Student Visa Changes 2026: RD 1155/2024 Explained

What Is Royal Decree 1155/2024?

Royal Decree 1155/2024 (Real Decreto 1155/2024) is a Spanish government regulation that comprehensively reformed the rules governing foreign student visas and residence permits in Spain. Published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) on November 19, 2024 and entering into full force on May 20, 2025, it is the most significant overhaul of Spain’s student immigration framework in many years.

The decree affects:

• International students at language schools (Spanish language courses)
• Students enrolled in university degree programs
• Anyone applying for or renewing a student residence permit (TIE)
• Applicants attempting to change immigration status inside Spain

If any guide, blog post, or immigration advice you’re reading predates mid-2025, it may not reflect current law.

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What Changed: Before vs After

Rule	Before RD 1155/2024	After RD 1155/2024 (from May 20, 2025)
Language school minimum age	No formal minimum	18 years minimum
Language school maximum age	No limit	No limit (the “28” cap is a myth — not in the law)
Application window	Flexible	Must apply within 2 months before course start
Language school visa renewals	Multiple renewals possible	Maximum 1 renewal (2 years total)
Renewal requirement	Time at school sufficient	Must have passed DELE or SIELE examination
Tourist-to-student conversion	Technically unclear	Explicitly prohibited
Work hours per week	Up to 20 hours/week	Up to 30 hours/week
Study program minimum hours	20 hours/week	20 hours/week (unchanged)

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Myth Bust: The “18–28 Age Limit”

One of the most widely repeated claims about RD 1155/2024 is that it introduces an upper age limit of 28 for language school student visas.

This is incorrect. The actual text of RD 1155/2024 sets a minimum age of 18 for the language school student visa — there is no maximum age specified anywhere in the decree.

The “18-28” range appears to originate from a misreading of the decree or confusion with unrelated social programme age criteria. If you are 35, 40, or 50 and want to study Spanish in Spain for more than 90 days, you remain eligible for the language school student visa, provided you meet all other requirements.

If a school, blog, or advisor tells you that you are over-age for a language school visa in Spain, ask them to show you the specific article in RD 1155/2024 that states the upper limit — they will not be able to.

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Change 1: Minimum Age 18 for Language School Visas

Under the new rules, the long-stay student visa for Spanish language courses at accredited language schools requires the applicant to be at least 18 years old at the time of application.

Who is affected:

• Applicants under 18 — not eligible for the standard language school student visa

Who is NOT affected:

• All adults (18+) — fully eligible
• University students, master’s students, doctoral students — no age restriction applies
• EU/EEA citizens — no visa required at any age

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Change 2: Application Window — 2 Months Before Course Start

Under RD 1155/2024, the student visa application must be submitted to the Spanish consulate no more than 2 months before the start date of the enrolled course.

Why this matters: Previously, applicants could apply many months in advance. Now, you must time your application carefully — submitting too early may result in rejection on procedural grounds.

Practical guidance:

• Book your course start date first
• Count back 2 months from the course start date
• Submit your visa application in that window
• Allow enough time before the 2-month mark to gather documents (criminal record, apostille, translations) — start document preparation 3–4 months in advance even though you cannot submit until 2 months out

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Change 3: Maximum 1 Renewal for Language School Visas

Previously, a student at a language school could renew their student residence permit year after year, building multi-year residence through continuous language study. This is no longer possible.

Under RD 1155/2024:

• Initial language school visa: granted for the duration of your enrolled program
• One renewal permitted: you may renew once for an additional year of study at a language school
• Maximum 2 years total at a language school on a student visa
• No further renewals: a second renewal for continued language school study is prohibited
• Transition required: after the renewal year, you must leave Spain, transition to a university student visa, or obtain a different residence permit

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Change 4: DELE or SIELE Examination Required for Renewal

To renew your language school student visa for a second year, you must have passed a DELE or SIELE examination:

• DELE — Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera, issued by Instituto Cervantes
• SIELE — Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española, issued jointly by UNAM, Universidad de Salamanca, and Instituto Cervantes

What the law says: RD 1155/2024 requires that you have passed a DELE or SIELE exam. The decree does not specify a minimum level — confirm the current interpretation with the Spanish consulate processing your renewal, as administrative guidance may specify a level even where the law is silent.

Exam details:

Exam	Issuing body	Approximate cost	Where to take it
DELE	Instituto Cervantes	€80–170 (level dependent)	Barcelona, Madrid + 100+ countries
SIELE	UNAM / U. Salamanca / I. Cervantes	€130–150	Authorised centres worldwide

Registration: Via the Instituto Cervantes website for DELE; via siele.org for SIELE. Barcelona exam sessions typically run in November, March, and May.

If you plan a second year at a language school in Spain, register for a DELE or SIELE exam during your first year — do not leave it to the last moment, as exam sessions are limited and results take weeks to arrive.

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Change 5: Tourist-to-Student Conversion Explicitly Banned

Under the old framework, some applicants entered Spain on a 90-day visa-free stay or short-stay Schengen visa, then attempted to change their immigration status to student from inside Spain.

RD 1155/2024 makes this explicitly prohibited. The student visa must be obtained at a Spanish consulate in your country of legal residence before travelling to Spain. Attempting to change status from within Spain will result in rejection and may trigger a deportation procedure.

This applies to all nationalities and all student visa types.

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Change 6: Work Rights — 30 Hours/Week for Higher Education Students Only

RD 1155/2024 grants 30 hours per week of work authorisation to students in higher education programs (university degrees, master’s, vocational training / FP).

Important: Language school student visa holders do not have automatic work rights under the student visa. The 30-hour work authorisation applies only to higher education students.

Student type	Work rights under RD 1155/2024
Higher education (university, master’s, FP)	✅ Up to 30 hours/week
Language school	❌ No automatic work authorisation

For language school students who need to work: The student visa pathway alone does not grant work rights. Options include the digital nomad visa (for remote workers), transitioning to a university program, or obtaining a separate work permit — speak with an immigration advisor about your specific situation.

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Does This Affect Me?

Applying for the first time (language school)

• ✅ Must be 18 or older at application date
• ✅ Apply within 2 months before your course start date
• ✅ Program must be a minimum of 20 hours/week
• ✅ Obtain the visa from the Spanish consulate before travelling
• ❌ Language school student visa does not grant work authorisation (work rights apply to higher education students only)

Already in Spain on a student visa

• Your current visa conditions remain valid until it expires
• When you apply to renew, the new rules apply — including the DELE/SIELE examination requirement for language school renewals
• The 1-renewal maximum applies at your next renewal point

Planning a second year at a language school

• You must have passed a DELE or SIELE exam to qualify for renewal
• Start preparing for the exam from the beginning of your first year
• After the renewal year, the language school pathway ends — plan your next step (university program, work permit, departure)

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What the Decree Does NOT Change

• €600/month financial proof requirement — unchanged
• Private health insurance requirement — unchanged
• 20 hours/week minimum study — unchanged
• TIE card application within 30 days of arrival — unchanged
• University, master’s, and doctoral student visa rules — largely unchanged (no age limit, multiple renewals for academic programs still possible)
• Iberoamerican Treaty 2-year nationality path — unchanged

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I study Spanish at a language school in Spain if I’m over 30? Yes. There is no upper age limit in RD 1155/2024. The minimum is 18; there is no maximum. Apply normally.

Do I need to pass the DELE or SIELE before I apply for the initial visa? No. The DELE/SIELE examination is required only for the renewal of a language school student visa (the second year). For the initial application, it is not required.

What if I fail the DELE or SIELE exam? If you have not passed a DELE or SIELE exam, your renewal application will not meet the requirements under RD 1155/2024. You would need to leave Spain when your initial visa expires or transition to a different visa type.

I’ve seen “18-28” mentioned everywhere. Where does that come from? The source is unclear — it does not appear in the actual text of RD 1155/2024. It may be a misreading of the decree, confusion with unrelated program criteria, or information that predates the actual published regulation. The law sets a minimum age of 18 and no maximum.

My school told me the new rules don’t apply to me. Who’s right? Trust the official BOE text of RD 1155/2024. Some schools may not be fully up to date. If in doubt, contact the Spanish Embassy directly or consult a licensed Spanish immigration lawyer.

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Need Help Navigating the New Rules?

Interlink Barcelona specialises in Spain student visas under the post-RD 1155/2024 framework. We help students:

• ✅ Understand how the new rules apply to their specific situation
• ✅ Time their application correctly within the 2-month window
• ✅ Plan for the DELE or SIELE exam as part of the 2-year study journey
• ✅ Choose accredited schools with programs that meet the 20hr/week minimum
• ✅ Navigate transitions from language school visa to other residency options

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