TL;DR: Yes. Since 20 May 2025, if you hold a long-stay authorisation for higher education (a university degree, master’s, PhD or other higher-education qualification), you can work as an employee or as a self-employed person for up to 30 hours a week, with no separate work permit. The work must be compatible with your studies. Other study stays, such as language courses, mobility programmes or volunteering, do not include this automatic right.
For years, the answer to this question was “only with a separate work authorisation”. That changed with the new Immigration Regulation (Royal Decree 1155/2024), in force since 20 May 2025. Many articles online, including older versions of this one, still describe the old system. This guide explains the current rules.
Who can work with a student authorisation
Article 57.1 of Royal Decree 1155/2024 says that the long-stay authorisation for higher-education studies allows you to work as an employee or self-employed “automatically and without any additional procedure”, as long as the work is compatible with your studies. Your TIE (foreigner’s identity card) is enough: your employer does not need to apply for anything with the immigration office.
| Type of study stay | Can you work? |
|---|---|
| Higher education at a recognised institution (bachelor’s, master’s, PhD and other higher-education qualifications), including compulsory internships that are part of the programme | Yes, automatically. Up to 30 hours a week, employed or self-employed. |
| Language courses, student mobility programmes, volunteering and other training activities | No automatic right to work. A separate authorisation is needed, and it is not always available. Ask us before accepting a job. |
| Family members who came with the student | No. Their authorisation does not allow them to work. |
The conditions you must respect
- Maximum 30 hours a week. This limit is part of the study authorisation itself; the immigration office cannot raise it.
- Studying stays your main activity. Your schedule must be compatible with classes, and you must keep attending and passing your courses. If work replaces study, your authorisation can be ended and the renewal refused.
- Same validity as your studies. The right to work lasts as long as your study authorisation. When it expires or is not renewed, the right to work ends too.
- Keep your health insurance. It remains a requirement of your student authorisation even if you also have Social Security coverage through work.
How to start working legally as a student
- Check your authorisation. Make sure your stay is for higher-education studies (see which courses qualify for a student visa in Spain) and that your TIE is valid, or that you have applied for its renewal in time.
- Agree a schedule compatible with your classes. Keep your timetable and the contract hours below 30 per week.
- Sign the employment contract. The employer does not need to request a work permit; your TIE is enough.
- Get registered with Social Security. Your employer registers you (alta) before your first day. If you do not have a Social Security number yet, you will need one.
- If you want to be self-employed, register with the tax office and as an autónomo with Social Security, and make sure the activity has any licence it needs. The same 30-hour limit and compatibility rule apply.
- Keep proof that you are still studying (enrolment, attendance, grades). You will need it for the renewal of your student authorisation.
After your studies: switching to a work permit
The old rule that you needed three years as a student before switching to a work permit no longer applies. Under Article 190 of Royal Decree 1155/2024, once you have obtained your degree or certificate you can apply, without leaving Spain and without a new visa, for:
- a residence and work permit as an employee, if you have a job contract or offer;
- a residence and work permit as a self-employed person, if you meet the general requirements for self-employment (business plan, investment, licences);
- or, if you completed a degree of at least bachelor’s level (EQF level 6) and have not found a job yet, a residence permit of up to 24 months, not renewable, to look for work or start a business (Law 14/2013). This permit does not allow you to work: once you have a job offer, you switch to a work permit.
You can apply in the two months before or the three months after your student authorisation expires. Do not leave it until the last day: if you miss that window, you lose this route. You can read more in our guide to the job seeker visa in Spain.
How we can help
If you are planning to study in Spain, our student visa service covers the application and renewals, and we can check whether your programme gives you the right to work before you enrol. If you are already a student and have a job offer, or you are finishing your studies, book a free 15-minute consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours can I work with a student visa in Spain?
Up to 30 hours a week if you are in higher education. Before 20 May 2025 the limit was 20 hours and you needed a separate authorisation.
Does my employer need to apply for a work permit for me?
No, not if you are a higher-education student. Your student authorisation already allows you to work. The employer only has to sign the contract and register you with Social Security.
Can I work as a freelancer (autónomo) while studying?
Yes, with the same conditions: compatible with your studies and within 30 hours a week. You must register as self-employed and meet your tax obligations.
Can I work if I came to Spain for a Spanish language course?
Not automatically. Language courses do not include the right to work, and a separate authorisation is not always possible.
Can my spouse or children work if they came with me?
No. Family members of a student do not have permission to work under their authorisation.
What happens if I work more than 30 hours a week?
You would be breaking the conditions of your authorisation. The immigration office can end your stay authorisation and refuse your renewal.
Can I switch from a student visa to a work permit?
Yes. Once you finish your studies, you can apply from Spain for a residence and work permit (as an employee or self-employed) without the old three-year requirement. Apply in the two months before or three months after your student authorisation expires.
Sources
- Royal Decree 1155/2024, Immigration Regulation (BOE, consolidated text): arts. 52, 57 and 190.
- Ministry of Inclusion, Information sheet 4 bis: access to employment for holders of a study stay authorisation.
- Law 14/2013 on support for entrepreneurs (BOE): residence to look for work or start a business after studies.
- Ministry of Inclusion, Information sheet 20: residence to look for work or start a business.
Reviewed by Irene Martí Gispert, lawyer at NIM Extranjería. Last reviewed: October 2026.
