“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

Are you fond of pursuing higher education abroad? Do you wish to head start your career at a distant place? If yes, then what do you think about giving your dream a Spanish touch? Undoubtedly, being a promising tourist destination with a rich culture and history, Spain is also one of the much-preferred destinations of choice for international students. With over 74 universities offering admission to international students, the country offers outstanding learning opportunities for students of India too.

Five reasons to study in Spain

Why study in Spain? Of course, with numerous international educational opportunities available worldwide, why a student should prefer going to Spain is a common question to rise in mind. Here, you can find five key reasons that can probably answer all your concerns –

1. The country follows a well-structured and efficiently executed educational system
2. Unlike the other renowned European countries, Spain offers a comparatively affordable cost of living and tuition fees for students.
3. Students get to learn a new but beautiful language.
4. The student-friendly atmosphere at Universities of Spain is also an appealing factor.
5. Having a worldwide recognition, the diplomas or degrees obtained in the fields of Law and Humanities are quite popular in the country.

Top colleges in Spain

While Barcelona and Madrid are the two most famous educational hubs in Spain, here is a list of top colleges in Spain that you can look-up for –

1. Pompeu Fabra University
2. University of Barcelona
3. Autonomous University of Barcelona
4. University of Navarra
5. Autonomous University of Madrid
6. University of Granada
7. University of Valencia and more

Not to miss scholarship opportunities

While the cost of attending a degree course at top universities in Spain is comparatively cheaper than other universities across the world, the students still need to consider financial aspect. Just like the UK and the US, Spain also offers financial aid to students at various levels including – loans, scholarships and fellowships. While different universities have their different set of scholarship opportunities available for International and Indian students, IFISC (CSIC-UIB) Scholarships Mobility Grants, Spain and ICIQ International PhD Fellowship Programme la Caixa Severo Ochoa, Spain are to name a few.

Checklist for applications

Irrespective of the level of course to which you are applying, the universities in Spain have a pre-defined process for international applicants. Here is a checklist of things that you need to fulfil as a student to get admission to a degree course at the renowned universities in Spain –

1. Fulfil the course requirement.
2. Prepare the application fee (if applicable).
3. Obtain a valid score on the English Language proficiency test like TOEFL or IELTS.
4. Certificates, mark-sheets/transcripts of previous educational qualification.
5. Write an efficient essay or statement of purpose (as per the respective university requirement).

Important documents to be prepared

Before heading on to Spain, you need to keep the following documents ready –

1. Passport
2. A student visa
3. Letter of acceptance of a Spanish University
4. All educational transcripts, certificates and mark-sheets
5. Health insurance certificate
6. Some Spanish currency for initial arrangements

Getting the student visa ready

While the students belonging to an EU/EEA country do not require any study visa for studying in Spain, the citizens of India do need to hold a Spanish student visa. Here are few simple steps following which the students can get their student visa for Spain:

1. Get a letter of acceptance from the university you want to study in.
2. Visit the Spanish consulate/embassy in your nearby area to know about the visa application process and the list of documents required.
3. Generally, a student visa may take processing time from 1 week to several months. So, it is advisable to apply for the visa before 10 months from the start of your degree program.
4. The documents required may include – the university’s confirmation letter, passport size photographs of the student, accommodation confirmation letter, a valid passport, international medical insurance, bank statement proof, visa application fee (as applicable) etc.

With such handy information, you must have received an insight of how to proceed towards your ambition of studying abroad in Spain.