If you are a citizen of the European Union there are no special requirements prior to departure.
If you are a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Countries Members of the Schengen Area, you must obtain a student's visa from the nearest Spanish embassy or consulate to where you live, before you leave your country. To apply for your visa, you will need an acceptance letter from UPF which you can get from the OMA (oma@upf.edu). To do this, you must first fill in and send us the exchange student's registration form via our website www.upf.edu/international.
Important: A tourist visa is not sufficient to allow you to study in Spain.
Once in Barcelona, come to the Mobility and Admissions Office (OMA) where we'll inform you about the Autorización de Estancia por Estudios (student's residence permit). This document will enable you to prove that you are in Spain legally. You must ask for it within a month after your arrival in Barcelona.
What I need to ask for my student's residence permit?
If you have a fellowship, the Spanish Tax Office will withhold a part of your monthly dotation (aproximmately a 25%). To avoid this, you must ask before leaving for a double taxation certificate if your country has an agreement with Spain ( you can consult this here) which exempts you from tax withholding while you're considered taxpayer in your home country. Once you have regularized your situation you will be considered resident in Spain and you will be withhold with the usual taxes ( 12-14% approximately)
It is important to ask for this certificate in your local tax office before leaving because although some country consulates provide it once you're in Barcelona, most of them are not autorized to issue this document.
All exchange students must have health cover:
If you are a Spanish citizen, you must have health cover which is valid for Barcelona (Social Security, private health insurance, etc.).
If you are a citizen of a member country of the European Economic Area or Switzerland, and entitled to coverage under the social security system of your country, then you must have the European Health Insurance Card, which can be obtained from the public health authorities of your home country. This form entitles you to the necessary health coverage in Spain. Should you need free health coverage in Barcelona, you must go to your nearest health clinic (Centre d'Assistència Primària-CAP) and present your European Health Insurance Card and personal identification.
If you are a citizen of a country outside the European Economic Area or Switzerland, then you must find out whether there exists a mutual health provision agreement between the Social Security system of your country and Spain (this is the case of a number of Latin American countries). You can consult this here. If such an agreement exists, you can obtain a document from the relevant authorities in your country entitling you to free medical coverage in Spain.
If you do not fall into any of the above categories, then prior to departure, you must take out private medical insurance to cover the duration of your stay at UPF. The following companies offer discounts to UPF students:
• MARCH UNIPSA
www.unipsa.com/new/_home.asp e-mail: cgimenez@unipsa.com
• GDS-CORREDURIA DE SEGUROS, S.L.
http://www.gdsseguros.com/frames.htm e-mail: gdsinfo@gdsseguros.com
You can also pay for public healthcare assistance as if it was a private medical insurance, since you're not a taxpayer and your country has no agreement.
You can find details of CAPs (First Aid Centers), hospitals, private medical centres, etc. in the city on the Barcelona City Council web (clicking at "Health and Care").
You can find answers to other practical questions about studying at UPF or living in Barcelona in the following link: www.upf.edu/international. This website is devoted to international students at our university. There you can learn very useful things in order to prepare your stay such as the cost of living or the timetables of your studies.
If you still have any doubt or need more specific information don't hesitate to contact us.