With few exceptions, you must obtain a student visa to study at Suffolk University Madrid Campus. These exceptions are:

• Short stay (i.e. summer term students) - If you plan to stay in Spain for 90 days or less, and your country does not require a tourist visa for Spain, a valid passport is all that is required. You need a Visa if your country does not appear on this link: http://www.consulate-spain-chicago.com/visa_yes.htm.
• Long stay - If you hold a European Union passport, or come from a country covered by the Schengen agreement, no visa is required. This includes citizens of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Where can I get a visa to study in Spain?

• Visas are issued by Spanish Embassies & Consulates. For information on Spanish Embassies & Consulates around the world please click on http://www.spanish-living.com/info_embassies.php. The requirements to obtain a student visa change from one consulate to another, so please make sure you check with the appropriate consulate before starting your paperwork.
• To obtain a student visa a student must be enrolled full time.
• If granted, the visa will be valid for the time requested by the student, provided it is less than 180 days. The authorized stay allowed is printed in the visa.
• Once in Spain, full-year students will need to process the Spanish Student Residency Card (tarjeta de residencia o estudiante). The new Spanish regulation states that this card must start to be processed in the first month of permanency in Spain, if you plan to stay in Spain for more than 180 days. The authorities will check the stamp that the students get when arriving into Customs in Spain. Therefore, the student has one month from the date on the stamp.
• Long stay (more than 90 days): A visa is required for all nationalities, except citizens of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

How do I apply for a student visa?

• Apply in person or by a legal representative (written, notarized authorization needed). Applications received by mail cannot be accepted.
• Applications will not be accepted more than 90 days in advance or less than 30 days prior to departure.
• Visas for the student’s dependants (spouse and children under 18) may be requested simultaneously.
• If the student is under 18 a letter of authorization from the parents is required.

What are the required documents?

The list of required documents may vary from one consulate to another so students will need to get in touch with the appropriate consulate in each case (http://www.spanish-living.com/info_embassies.php).

However, all consulates will require an Acceptance Letter (original form): Letter of acceptance as a full-time student from Suffolk University Madrid Campus. This means that students will not be able to start this process until they’ve been officially accepted to our university.

Important:

• Finding out if you will be required to obtain a visa and obtaining the relevant visa is the sole responsibility of each individual student
• Suffolk University is not allowed to intervene in any visa request procedures
• Suffolk University Madrid Campus can deny enrollment to any accepted student who arrives in Spain without a required student visa