STUDY IN SPAIN · THE STUDENT VISA PATH
So You Want to Study in Valencia?
Here's everything you've been asking us, answered in one place, by the people who actually went through it.
We're Paul and Bea. A few years ago we packed six suitcases, brought our dog, and moved to Valencia without ever having set foot in Europe. We're Spanish citizens now.
A lot of you have written to us asking about studying in Spain, the student visa, and whether it's worth it. So we sat down with Courtney April, the International Manager at Study in Valencia, our partner school here in the city, and we put together everything you need in one place.
Two videos. One full FAQ. No agency, no middleman, no extra fees for information that should be free.
START HERE
The Full Process,
Explained by the School Itself
We sat down in person with Courtney to walk through the entire student visa process, document by document.
This is the conversation we wished we'd had before we moved.
THEN WATCH THIS
The Live Webinar Replay
We sat down in person with Courtney to walk through the entire student visa process, document by document.
This is the conversation we wished we'd had before we moved.
WE'VE DONE THIS IN PERSON TOO
Spain Sessions Manila
Before this page existed, we did this in person. We ran Spain Sessions together with Courtney and her team in Manila, and 33 people showed up.
Courtney walked the room through what it actually takes to study in Valencia. We talked about our own life in Spain, the parts that don't always make it into a video. Then we did a Q&A where people could ask anything, no cameras rolling, nothing held back.
That session was never recorded for selling afterwards, and it never will be. It happened once, for the people who were in that room that day.
We felt so honored doing this. Not just to hand people information, but to sit across from our own community in person and answer the questions they'd been carrying for a long time. That's the part this page can't fully replace, but it's also why we trust this collaboration enough to put it in front of you here.
Why We Stopped Recommending Agencies
People ask us all the time if we know "a good agency" for the student visa.
Our honest answer is no, and here's why we stopped looking.
Most agencies charge you a separate fee to do exactly what the school's own visa team already does for free, included in your tuition. They gather your documents, check your bank certificate, point you to the right sworn translator, and prepare your appeal if anything comes back. That's the job.
Paying twice for it doesn't get you a better outcome, it just adds a cost on top of a cost for information that's already available to you.
When we visited Study in Valencia's campuses ourselves, we met the visa team in person. They know the Spanish embassy staff in Manila by name. They know the small, unwritten things each consulate quietly expects, the kind of detail that only comes from working with hundreds of students every year. None of that comes from a third party standing between you and the school. It comes from the school, directly.
This isn't a one-off interview for us either. We've run Spain Sessions, our own in-person event series, together with their team in Manila, on top of the video and the webinar. We talk to them regularly, not just when there's content to film.
So instead of pointing you toward a paid middleman, we're pointing you to the source.
Watch the videos, read the FAQ below, and if it makes sense for you, apply directly.
WHY SPAIN, WHY VALENCIA?
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain, and noticeably more affordable than Madrid or Barcelona for rent, food, and day-to-day costs
Spain allows student visa holders to work up to 30 hours a week, with no separate work permit, more than most other popular study destinations allow
Classes are bilingual, so you don't need Spanish on arrival. Courses build in around two months of Spanish language training right at the start
Three intakes a year: January, April, and September
A Schengen visa means free travel across Europe while you study
Filipinos qualify for a faster path to Spanish citizenship than most other nationalities (more on that below)
FAQS
Q: How much does this actually cost in total? Plan for around €20,000 to €21,000 total. That covers roughly €7,000 in tuition for the year, around €12,000 you need to show the consulate as proof you can support yourself (this is called your economic solvency), and the remainder for health insurance, document translation, apostille fees, and the visa appointment itself. That €12,000 also has to cover your flight there and back. The consulate checks for that too, separately from your monthly living costs.
Q: Can I work while I study? Yes. Student visa holders in Spain can work up to 30 hours a week. The work permission is built into the student visa itself, you don't apply separately, and the job doesn't need to relate to what you're studying.
Q: Do I need to already speak Spanish? No. Classes are bilingual, and most courses open with around two months of Spanish language instruction before specialization classes start. Plenty of students arrive knowing nothing past "hola."
Q: What if my visa application gets denied? You can appeal. Study in Valencia's visa team will help prepare the appeal letter, and historically around half of appeals succeed. If you decide not to pursue it further after that, the school refunds your tuition.
Q: How long does the whole process take? Plan for 2 to 6 months before your intake date. In Manila, once your appointment happens, decisions typically come back within 14 to 18 days. But getting documents translated, apostilled, and an appointment booked takes longer than that on its own, so don't wait until the last minute.
Q: Can I bring my spouse or kids with me? You can, but the school recommends coming on your own first and bringing dependents once you're settled. Adding dependents to your application adds a lot more documentation to an already detailed process.
Q: What happens after I graduate? You get a 90-day grace period to change your status. Most people either apply for another student visa to keep studying, find work and move to a work visa, or start a business and apply for an entrepreneur visa. Having a part-time job while studying tends to make this transition easier.
Q: Does studying in Spain put me on a path to Spanish citizenship? For Filipinos, yes, and it's a meaningfully shorter path than most nationalities get. Under Spanish law, Filipino citizens can apply for citizenship after just 2 years of legal residency, compared to 10 years for most other countries. One thing worth double-checking with an immigration lawyer or the consulate directly: in our conversation with Courtney, she noted that the study year itself may not count toward that 2-year clock the same way a work-based residency does, depending on your specific visa category. Immigration rules shift often, so treat this as a starting point, not a final answer, and confirm your own situation before you build a plan around it.
Q: Why apply through your link instead of going straight to the school's main website? You're welcome to go straight to studyinvalencia.es any time. We just ask that you apply through our link, since it lets the school know you came through someone they already work with directly, which has helped past students move a little faster through that first conversation with admissions.
You've watched the process. You've read the answers to the questions we get the most. If Valencia feels like the right place for you, the next move is simple: apply directly with the school.
There are three intakes a year, and the rule of thumb is to apply 2 to 6 months ahead of the start date, not after. If September is your target for this year, the smart move is to start the process now, while there's still enough runway to do it properly.
No agency. No extra fees. Just a direct line to the team we met in person and trust with our own community.
We're Paul and Bea of Everything is Boffo. We share our life in Valencia, our path to Spanish citizenship, and what it's actually like living here, on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
If you still have questions after watching both videos and reading through this page, message us directly. We read everything.
Disclaimer: This content is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, tax, medical, or immigration advice. Rules, visa requirements, housing regulations, tax obligations, and public services in Spain can change frequently and may vary depending on your nationality and personal circumstances. Always verify information with official government sources or qualified professionals before making decisions. Some links, resources, courses, consultations, and recommended services mentioned throughout our content may be affiliate partnerships, meaning we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you if you choose to use them. We only share resources, professionals, and services we genuinely trust or believe may be useful to our community. Any opinions expressed are our own and based on personal experience, research, interviews, and publicly available information at the time of publication.
Support from readers who use our links, courses, or resources helps us keep this information free, maintain the platform, and quite literally keep the lights on at home so we can continue producing guides like this for the community.
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