International incoming students

Lessons are mainly taught in Spanish or Galician, depending on the choice of the responsible for the subject. We also have courses offered in English and others, called "English Friendly" that are taught in Spanish or Galician, but in which the contents in English are provided.

Students who wish to study at Uvigo must either have a good command of Spanish or English. In general, it is highly recommended to have a minimum level equivalent to B1 in Spanish in order to achieve a good academic performance. Similarly, a level equivalent to B2 in English is required for subjects taught in English. Our bachelor's and master's degree programmes are mainly taught in Spanish/Galician.

For international students in Spain it´s required by law to have a health insurance.

Citizens of the European Union who are covered under the social security system of their home country must acquire a European Health Insurance Card from the public health authorities of their country before departing for Spain.

Citizens of non-EU countries have to take out a private health insurance that is valid in Spain.

We highly recommend that students take out an international medical insurance with any insurance company that includes accident coverage, international medical transfer, travel assistance, repatriation in case of accident or serious illness, death, etc.

The UVigo has negotiated a quite affordable health care insurance coverage with OnCampus for international students with only one-time fee per period. If you are interested, you can contract it directly through company´s website (remember to select the UVigo among the available options): Oncampus-estudia.

Once in Spain, students from the European Union should visit a public health centre (Seguridad Social), bringing their European Health Insurance card, where they will be assigned a general practitioner.

Students from outside the European Union are already required to purchase a private health insurance to obtain the Spanish students visa.

Students should ask the insurance company in their home country for a list of hospitals and health centres in Spain which have an agreement with them. Usually, students bear the sanitary expenses themselves, and afterwards claim the reimbursement in their insurance Company.

The Spanish public health system does not cover the medical expenses of the citizens of countries outside the European Union. In case they address themselves to the public medical system, they should have to pay for the care, and the price will be higher than the one of a private medical centre, because the public system is saturated.

Main health centres and hospitals

In Pontevedra

Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Pontevedra
Rúa Mourente s/n, 36071 Pontevedra
+34 986 800 000

Health centres

In Vigo

Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo
Carretera Clara Campoamor 341, 36310 Vigo

+34 986 816 000
http://chuvi.sergas.es

Health centres

In Ourense

Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense
Rúa Ramón Puga Noguerol, 52, 32005 Ourense
+34 988 385 500

Health centres

At the beginning of each semester, the Language Centre (Centro de Linguas) organizes Spanish language courses as a foreign language for international exchange students. The aim of these courses is to provide the basic knowledge of Spanish language to facilitate the academic and social integration of non-Spanish-speaking international students. There are courses at all language levels.

Note: Language level tests will be held at the beginning of each semester.

Duration

The course, with a duration of 60 hours, starts in September / October (for students coming for one semester or the full academic year) and in February (for students of the second semester).

​Credits

You will obtain 4 credits for this course. All students who participate in at least 90% of classes will receive a certificate of attendance. In order to obtain the certificate it will be necessary to attend at least 85% of the classes. If you also take and pass the final Spanish language exam, you will receive a diploma stating the final mark achieved.

Please notice that the credits for this course will not appear in your Transcript of Records because it is not included in the educational plan of your degree, master's or doctorate program.

If you take a Spanish course in UVigo, you will be able to collect your certificate in the Language Centre (Centro de Linguas) before leaving the University.

Course fees

The course fee is € 75 for exchange students, € 234 for the university community members and € 285 for the public.

For more information, contact:

Centro de Linguas
centrodelinguas@uvigo.gal
+34 986 812 250

Galician and Spanish are two official languages used within the University administration in Galicia.

The Área de Normalización Lingüística organizes a Galician language- and culture course for international exchange students who are currently studying in the UVigo. It is a free, 75-hour course (50 hours of theory + 25 hours of guided tours). This course gives you 2.5 ECTS credits. You will also receive a certificate issued on the condition that you attend at least 85% of classes and take the final exam.

Note: The credits for this course will not appear in your Transcript of Records because it is not included in the educational plan of your Degree-, Master's or Doctorate programme.

For more information, contact:

Área de Normalización Lingüística
anl@uvigo.gal
+34 986 813 574

1. International students registration at the Foreign Office: Erasmus students (citizens from the EU and countries belonging to the EEA Agreement)

Incoming students from an EU country, a country belonging to the EEA Agreement (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) or the Swiss Confederation who will be studying in Spain for more than three months are required to register at the National Police of the province where they will be residing. This office will issue a registration certificate that allows students to live in Spain during their learning period.

The necessary documents for the registration at the Central Register are the following:

• Application form for registering in the Central Register of Foreign Citizens duly filled and signed.
• A valid passport or ID card. In case this document is expired, a copy of the renewal application will also be mandatory.
• Letter of acceptance from the University of Vigo.
• Affidavit stating that the student has enough economic means for his/her stay in Spain.
• A copy of the European Health Insurance Card (or an alternative insurance).

Students are required to hand in the above-mentioned documents at the National Police Station of the province where the student will reside (addresses are indicated at the bottom of this page).

Once handed in all the documents, students receive a temporary NIE number, as well as a form to pay the tax (€10 aprox.). The deposit can be made in any bank office.

After having done the payment, it is necessary to go back to the Police Station in order to receive the NIE. That means that the registration process has successfully been finished.

For more information:
Ministry website 
Informative leaflet
Police website

2. International students registration at the Foreign Office: Erasmus students of non-EU nationality

Students who have a valid authorisation issued by another Member State in accordance with Directive (EU) 2016/801 and who participate in a European or multilateral Union programme, which includes mobility measures or that are covered by an agreement between two or more institutions of higher education, will have the right to enter and remain in Spain, for a period of up to 360 days in order to carry out part of their studies in a Spanish higher education institution, prior notification to the Government Delegation or Sub-Delegation in the province in which the activity will begin.

The communication will be made by the Spanish higher education institution before entering the Spanish territory or, at most, within one month from it. The  dates of mobility and the expected duration shall be stated.
In order to do so, students need to send scanned in PDF the following documents by email upon their arrival (incoming.ori@uvigo.gal). There is a deadline of 1 month after arriving in Spain:

• A copy of the passport, including the residence permit.
• Copy of the authorisation issued by the first Member State, covering the total period of mobility 
• The phone number and the address in Spain (Vigo, Ourense or Pontevedra).

3. International students registration at the Foreign Office: non-EU students from non-EU universities

In order to come into Spain and stay as a student, it is necessary to apply for a study visa from the Spanish Embassy or the Consulate in the country of origin. The minimum documents required to apply for the study visa are the following:

• Signed visa application form. It can be obtained here or at the Spanish Embassy or the Consulate in your home country.
• A valid passport during the stay in Spain.
• Letter of acceptance from the University of Vigo.
• Study plan.
• Health insurance.
• Criminal record certificate issued by the relevant authorities of the home country or country of residence.
• Proof of sufficient economic means to cover the studies and the stay in Spain.

For more information, check the following website. The address and phone numbers of the embassies and consulates in Spain are available here.

If staying more than 6 months, it is necessary to apply for the Foreign Resident Identity Card after arriving at the corresponding police office. There is a deadline of 1 month after arriving in Spain, and the required documents are the following:

• The application form is available.
• A copy of the passport.
• Proof of payment of the card fee.
• A recent picture (ID size).

More information (only available in Spanish)

4. Extending the study period in Spain

If the study period exceeds a year, students ought to apply for and obtain an extension of their residence permit. If studying at the campuses of Vigo or Pontevedra, it is possible to do so at the corresponding police station. On the other hand, if studying in Ourense, this formality is to be done at the Foreign Residents Office (see addresses below).

The application is to be sent at least 60 days before the permit expires, since the application will be rejected if the permit runs out. Consequently, applying for a new visa would be mandatory.

Along with the application for the extension, the following documents need to be included:

• Copy of the previous identity card.
• Proof of sufficient economic means to cover the studies and the stay in Spain.
• Passport.
• Health insurance.
• Document certificating the right to continue studying (academic certificate).

More information

Once the authorization has been issued, there is a deadline of one month to apply for the new Foreigner Identity Card.
To set an appointment, click here.  

5. Foreign Residents Offices

• Campus of Vigo
  Avenida Cánovas del Castillo, 18
  36202 Vigo (Pontevedra)
  Location Map
  trabajo.pontevedra@correo.gob.es
• Campus of Pontevedra
  Calle Michelena, 28
  36002 Pontevedra
  Location Map
  extranjeria.pontevedra@correo.gob.es
• Campus of Ourense
  Calle Parque San Lázaro, 1
  32003 Ourense
  Location Map
  personal_extranjeria.ourense@correo.gob.es

6. National Police Stations

• Vigo
  Álvaro Cunqueiro, 6
  36211 Vigo (Pontevedra)
  Location Map
• Pontevedra
  Joaquín Costa, 17
  36001 Pontevedra
  Location Map
• Ourense
  Maestro Vide, s/n
  32004 Ourense
  Location Map

Note: The University of Vigo cannot be held responsible for any modifications that may be introduced in Spanish legislation to this effect after this information has been published. Therefore, it is recommended that students check their obligations concerning residence in Spain at the Foreign Office after arrival, or on the Ministry website or with the Spanish Consulate before arrival.

Other useful information: Study-in-Spain.com