When to begin and what you need first

Are you thinking about studying at a Spanish university as an international student? Great! Before you begin, it is important to know that there are several administrative procedures you need to complete in order to enter university and live in Spain. As you probably already know, you will also need to prepare for the PCE (Specific Competency Tests) or obtain UNEDasiss accreditation to gain admission. If you are not yet familiar with the PCE, Spain’s university entrance exams for international students, or need further information, we recommend visiting the PCE frequently asked questions section of our website.

In this article, we provide detailed information about the requirements and documents you will need so that you can prepare properly and avoid any unwelcome surprises during the process. We can also help you manage the paperwork if you would like us to. Let’s get started!

When should you begin the process?

We recommend starting as early as possible, as some procedures can take a considerable amount of time to complete. Ideally, you should begin the administrative process once you have confirmed your enrolment with the centre where you will prepare for the PCE , as you may need a certificate of enrolment from the centre for some applications. In general, we recommend beginning the process around three months before your planned travel date. This should give you enough time to complete everything before you arrive in Spain. The sooner you begin, the better.

Which documents do international students need to enter a Spanish university?

The documents required may vary depending on your country of origin y previous studies. In general, if you come from an EU country or China, or have completed the International Baccalaureate (IB), you will have fewer administrative procedures to complete because you are covered by what is known as an “admission agreement”. This makes the admission process at Spanish universities more straightforward. You will not need to apply for formal recognition of your qualifications, as they are recognised under this agreement. You will, however, need UNEDasiss accreditation.

1a. UNEDasiss accreditation

If you come from a country that has an admission agreement with Spain, you will not need to apply for recognition of your upper secondary studies. You will, however, need to apply for UNEDasiss accreditation. This document confirms that you meet the requirements for admission to a Spanish public university. UNEDasiss provides a regulated, standardised assessment of international students’ academic records. You can obtain accreditation by sitting the Specific Competency Tests (PCE), or apply for it separately if your mark out of 10 is high enough for admission to your chosen degree.

To find out which countries have an admission agreement, visit our PCE frequently asked questions page.

1b. Recognition of your upper secondary qualification

To enter university in Spain, you will need to prove that you have completed studies equivalent to the Spanish Bachillerato. If your country does not have an admission agreement with Spain, you will need to apply for recognition of your pre-university studies. This process can take between 3 and 9 months if there are no complications, so we recommend making it your first priority. In this article we explain how to complete the procedure yourself. We can also help you manage it if you prefer (view prices).

In addition to the differences relating to the recognition of your secondary education, there are other important differences in the documents required for university admission in Spain. These depend on whether you are an EU citizen (from the European Union or the Schengen Area) or a non-EU citizen.

Documents for EU citizens

• NIE: this is your Foreigner Identification Number , which is used to identify you in all administrative procedures. Although you can apply for an NIE, as an EU citizen you do not need to obtain one if you will be in Spain for less than three months. We recommend obtaining one if you will be staying for less than 6 months. For longer stays, it is better to apply directly for the EU Citizen Registration Certificate. In this article article, we explain how to apply for an NIE yourself. We can also help you with the procedure if you prefer (view prices).
• EU Citizen Registration Certificate (also known as the green certificate): if you plan to live in Spain for more than 6 months, you will be required to apply for it. In this article article, we explain how to obtain it. We can also help you with this procedure (view prices).
• Municipal registration (padrón): if you are going to live in Spain for more than 3 months, you are required to register on the municipal register. Here we explain how to register, although we can also manage the procedure for you if you prefer (view prices).

Documents for non-EU citizens

• NIE: this is your Foreigner Identification Number , which is used to identify you in all administrative procedures. Although you can apply for an NIE separately, one will usually be assigned to you automatically when you complete other procedures. In this article we explain how to complete the procedure yourself. We can also help you manage it if you prefer (view prices).
• Student visa: you will need this to enter Spain as a student and apply for the TIE (explained in the next section) if you will be staying in Spain for more than 3 months. If you study with us, La Llibreta will provide you with a certificate of enrolment which you will need for your application. You will also need to submit additional documents for your visa application, depending on your country of origin. In this article article, we explain what a student visa is and how to apply for one. We can also help you manage the process (view prices).
• TIE: this is the Foreigner Identity Card, which is linked to your NIE number. Holding this card proves that you will be living in Spain for more than 180 days and allows you to enter and leave the Schengen Area without a visa or return authorisation. You must apply for it if you will be staying in Spain for more than 6 months, and the application must be made within the first month after entering the country. In this article article, we explain each step. We can also manage the process for you (view prices).
• Municipal registration (padrón): if you are going to live in Spain for more than 3 months, you are required to register on the municipal register. Here we explain how to register, although we can also manage the procedure for you if you prefer (view prices).

Recommended optional procedures

Although they are not compulsory, we also recommend arranging the following:

• Digital certificate to manage administrative procedures independently in Spain.
• Opening a bank account.
• Obtaining a Spanish telephone number.
• Obtaining a student card.
• NUSS: your Spanish Social Security number, which you will need if you want to work in Spain.

Although you can complete these procedures yourself, La Llibreta has qualified staff who can manage the following services for you.

👉The prices shown are EXCLUSIVELY for our students and all support is provided 100% online. If you need us to manage a procedure but do not plan to study at La Llibreta, we can still help for an additional 10%.

Prices for EU citizens

*We only recommend requesting the UNEDasiss accreditation service if you are not planning to sit the PCE. If you intend to take the exams to obtain a maximum score of 14 points, we will request the accreditation when we register you for the tests.

Administrative procedures: video call

Prices for non-EU citizens

Administrative procedures: video call