How to study university courses in Spain

For many people, the idea of going to university is something they think about during all of their secondary education.

Ever herd of ETIAS – the new European tourist visa? Here is all you need to know.

Graduating can become a truly exhausting endurance test when you don’t make the right choice or when you receive no encouragement during the process. For this reason, many people investigate the possibility of studying their degree in universities not located in their native country that, not only have excellent reputations, but also offer foreign students the opportunity to live many interesting experiences.

If this is your case, I invite you to read this article to learn all about what you need to do to study in a Spanish university.

First, you need to know that in Spain, there are both public and private universities.

The public universities are financed by the government and the tuition fees are lower than that those of a private university. These fees vary depending on the degree you choose and the city where the university is located. In some cases, in order to be accepted, you need to reach the university’s minimum grade.

In contrast to the public universities, the private universities have much higher tuition fees, although they are not as difficult to get into since, in many cases, entrance only depends on the payment of the tuition fees.

• University admission in Spain:

First you need to decide which Spanish university you would like to attend, because each study centre has its own admissions system.

Check here if you are eligible to travel to Europe with the new European online travel permit ETIAS.

Once you are clear on this, the first thing an international student must do is obtain accreditation to request a place on a degree course. This is just a digital document that can be directly accessed by the universities using the UNEDasiss web platform.

• Visa:

If you are going to travel in order to study in Spain, another basic step is to obtain a visa including your initial authorisation to stay in the country. However, people born in certain countries will not require this visa, as long as their stay does not exceed three months.

If your studies in Spain last for more than three months, you will need to go either to the Foreign Nationals Office or to the corresponding police station to get your foreign student card, within one month of arriving in the country. This gives you the right to obtain a resident’s permit for the duration of your studies and also allows you to work part-time in companies which have agreements with the universities.

• Budget:

When planning your budget for going to university in Spain, you should take several points into account:

• If you choose a private university, remember that the cost of a degree is much higher than in a public university and can reach up to 15,000 euros a year.
• Every year the government regulates the price of official qualifications, so you need to stay informed of all the updates.
• In general, humanities degrees are not as expensive as science degrees.
• The cost of the professional training of a student varies depending on the university, the autonomous community and the course that you choose.
• If you fail an exam and need to reregister for a subject, you must pay the charges set by the university.
• New students also need to take into account other factors, as well as the admission fee, such as, for example, the opening of their new file in the university.

See also: Education in Europe

A popular way of getting an approximate idea of the admission cost is to multiply the total credits in which you want to enrol by the amount of each credit.

• Grants:

The Spanish government is responsible for subsidising grants through official organisations in order to encourage cultural exchanges in the country.

One of the best options to obtain this type of help for your studies are the grants offered by the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) (Spanish Agency for International Cooperation). They are granted annually and are normally given for postgraduate studies.

Other programmes offering grants for foreign students include:

• Grants from Fundación Carolina.
• Santander grants.
• Asociación Universitaria Iberoamericana (AUIP) postgraduate grants.
• Erasmus +.

You need to start the process to obtain one of these grants at least a year in advance, have very good grades, not have grants or student loans from other institutions and be able to show evidence of your financial situation.

Moreover, many universities have their own grants systems and it is a good idea to investigate which option is best for you.

I hope that the information above has been helped you make a final decision or, at least, to evaluate the possibility of studying in this marvellous country.

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Article source here: How to study university courses in Spain

EU Schengen-Complete Information and New Policy Updates

The Schengen zone is a passport-free zone of European countries. The Schengen visa allows people who have this permit to travel freely and excludes them from border checks at internal Schengen borders. It is widely used for travelling in Europe.  However, it allows only 90 days of stay in the period of 6 months that it is allotted for. You cannot work or study with a Schengen visa. If you want to stay for longer or work or study in any of the Schengen countries then you must apply for a national visa of that particular country. To obtain a Schengen visa, you are required to present some documents to the embassy of the country you are visiting in the Schengen region.

People who can travel freely between Schengen areas are:

• Citizen of Schengen countries
• People who hold residence permits issued by Schengen country
• EU/EEA citizens
• Those who are not required to obtain a Schengen visa for travel for less than 90 days from non-EU-countries.
• People from non-EU countries with a valid Schengen visa.

Schengen countries

All European countries are not part of the Schengen. List of the Schengen countries is as follows:

• Austria
• Estonia
• Greece
• Latvia
• Netherlands
• Slovakia
• Belgium
• Finland
• Hungary
• Lithuania
• Norway
• Slovenia

• Czech Republic
• France
• Ice land
• Luxembourg
• Poland
• Spain
• Denmark
• Germany
• Italy
• Malta
• Portugal
• Sweden

Schengen Information System (SIS)

EU is committed to improve and enhance migration management as well as its capacity to detect those who may pose a security risk to EU. They can do this by the process of creating and updating a database that can be shared among the member states, therefore, it established the Schengen Information System (SIS).

Schengen information system commonly known as SIS is a database shared between 30 European countries. It is the most widely used information system for security and border management of Europe. It was established in the year 1994 after the internal borders were abolished in the Schengen area of the EU. It aims to help member states and Schengen associated countries fight cross-border crimes, stop irregular migration and put a stop to terrorism.

1. EP Votes for Schengen Information System Upgrade

To enhance security, streamline the process and expand access to crucial cross-border information, three draft regulations have been approved and devised by the European Parliament. The new regulations included under the Schengen information system are as follows:

• Improved alert system for unidentified and dangerous people who are wanted for serious crimes and terrorism, either in Europe or any other part of the world.
• The new regulations are meant to contribute to the fight against cross-border crimes, irregular migration and most importantly terrorism.
• It will be mandatory for Authorities of Schengen countries to share the details of the terrorist acts with all the members of EU states.
• Alerts will be enforced on the return decisions on deporting a non-EU national who was illegally staying in an area other than his origin country.
• Direct access will be granted to Europol for all the alert systems whereas European border or coast guard agency will have access to the alert system related only to their tasks.
• New preventive alerts for children and vulnerable people at risk will also be introduced.

2. European Council Approves Proposal for a Stronger EU-Lisa Agency

The information system will be made more interoperable to ensure that border guards get the right and reliable information so that they can perform their duties accurately and efficiently.

– Eu-Lisa Agency will upgrade existing systems:

• SIS: SIS to support law enforcement, enable and enhance border control collaboration. It will serve as a tool to avoid identity fraud, explore terrorism and serious crime and will also compare fingerprints against existing visa information. It will provide information that is in complete conformity with the newest asylum legislation.
• Visa information system: Its aim is to share visa information among member countries and to analyse and process data especially for identity and for the purpose of travel. It will enhance security by helping the guards to quickly verify the legal status of the visa holder and to identify the irregular individuals staying at the Schengen countries with false documents. It will fight against unlawful actions, such as people trying to cross the border with a fake identity.
• EURODAC: Its role is to inspect the asylum application process cross borders within the EU zone with the help of fingerprint comparison. It also fastens the process of data communication.

– Future systems will be developed by Eu-Lisa Agency, such as:

• Entry-Exit System: This is a new scheme by the European Union to register the entry and exit data of non-EU nationals crossing the borders of EU member states to strengthen and protect the external borders of the Schengen countries and the citizens of the country. It aims to improve and modernise the quality and efficiency of the external border controls to deal with the increased number of travellers without increasing the number of border guards. It will also help regulate irregular migration and facilitate the management of migration flow. It will inform the third country nationals of the authorised duration of the stay. It will also help fight identity fraud and the misuse of documents. It will register a facial image, personal information, such as first name, last name, date of birth, nationality, sex, type of travel documents, number of travel documents, code of the documents, and date of expiry and validity of the documents.
• European travel information and authorisation: It is designed to keep a check on the visitors who are not from EU countries but they don’t need a visa to enter the Schengen countries. It involves a detailed security check before allowing anyone to enter the country and ensure that they are not a threat to the security of the country. It will keep a track of the necessary information regarding the visitors. Other than making travel secure for Schengen countries, ETIAS will ensure to reduce the duration of the procedure as well as application time. It will improve the management of the borders and assist in reducing crime.
• >Eu-Lisa Agency will provide the member states with greater ad-hoc technical and operational support to enhance border security.

3. New rules on the reintroduction of Schengen internal border checks

The Schengen area is borderless, which allows individuals to travel freely, without going through the various controls when crossing borders between the member states. But member states have always retained the power to temporarily reinstate internal border controls under exceptional conditions that are mentioned in Schengen border code. Reinstatement of internal border control has rather become a rule since the last few years due to continuous threats to the security. But it has been noticed that the current clear border controls are not accurate and justified and thus, it has been decided to remove them and make the amendments in the border rules in the Schengen zone. 42 amendments have been proposed in this regards. Some of the important amendments proposed are:

• Member states will be allowed to reintroduce the controls at its internal border for more than 6 months. Currently, countries can reinstate the controls up to six months.
• Period of border extension will be limited to 1 year instead of 2 years.
• The initial period of border check is extended from 2 months to 6 months.
• Internal border reintroduction should be a last-resort measure because it affects the free movement of people.
• It also proposed that a large number of third-country nationals crossing the border should not be seen as the threat.
• Police checks should be intensified within the territory before considering border reintroduction.
• To prevent the loss of life, robust and effective response in search and rescue operations required at sea.
• Swift and effective return procedures with full fundamental rights under humane and dignified procedure should be followed.
• Adequate infrastructure, accommodation and living conditions to all the asylum seekers should be ensured.

4. Consequences of overstaying in the Schengen Area

Many times people extend their stay in another country because they are unaware of the exact duration or permission of their stay or they have wrong information.  But this unintentional mistake can cause you severe legal problems that may include the following issues:

• An extensive fine can be imposed by the state where you overstayed.
• You may be banned from entering the state for a certain period of time, mostly between 1 to 3 years, or forever. Generally, a lifelong ban will only be imposed if you are found to be involved in illegal activities.
• If found staying illegally, you can be deported immediately along with a penalty for overstaying. Your deportation can happen within a few hours or days. If the two countries you are travelling between go easy on the rules and they are lenient with travellers then you may get lucky and no fine may be imposed.
• You can face trial and taken into custody if found guilty for criminal activities or caught engaged in any paid activity.
• Sometimes you may cross the period you were legally allowed to stay for and come back to your home country without facing any consequences. However, you will face an issue next time when you try to get a visa of EU and Schengen zone and when you try to enter Schengen countries because border guards and immigration officers are suspicious towards the people who have overstayed before.
• You might not bear any consequences if you are dependent on a caretaker, if you are a minor or child or if you face an accident during your stay and hence had to overstay.
• You should know that penalties will differ from state to state and will depend on the number of the days you overstayed and the country you are caught in.
• Whether you overstayed on the Schengen visa or student visa, a penalty will be imposed.

Check here to check if you are aligible for applying for ETIAS visa.

How to avoid the consequences of overstaying:

If you want to avoid the above-mentioned complications during your stay, you must follow the below-mentioned rules:

• The first day will be counted as day one even if it is just before midnight.
• If you are from a visa-exempt country, you cannot extend your stay for more than 90 days.
• You should know that visa validity and duration of stay are two different things. Visa validity means the period in which you can enter the state, whereas the duration of stay is a number of days for which you can stay. Both the dates are mentioned in the visa sticker that is fixed on the passport.

Things to be kept in mind:

• You don’t need a visa to travel between Schengen countries but you need a valid passport.
• If you are a resident of a non-EU country, you will need a stamp on your passport before entering any Schengen country. In case the stamp is missing on your passport at the time of departure, you will have to give proof of how long you stayed in the country.

This information about travelling to the Schengen countries and various related policies will sure help to make your travel hassle free.

See also: Education in Europe

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Article source here: EU Schengen-Complete Information and New Policy Updates

Education in Europe

Studying abroad has many advantages. It encourages to become more independent, to think creatively and develops needed abilities for the future job. The employees with the international experience are always going to be most in demand. Employers value high education and choose the best candidates, as prioritizing right people in the team is the key to success. Noting that, students search for universities and different programs out of their countries. Pursuing higher education, taking the initiative and moving to the new country, demonstrates that a person is eager to complete different tasks coming his way.

Here are some other benefits of studying abroad:

• High level of education
• Gaining independence
• Increased cultural awareness
• Developing self-reliance
• Understanding the diversity of people

• Problem-solving skills
• Flexibility
• Solving complex issues individually
• Solving complex issues as a team

WHY EUROPE?

‘Equal access to quality education is one of the EU’s central goals.’

Europe has the most prestigious universities in the world with the strongest educational system. The number of international students in the European Union increases each year. They are being attracted by quality assurance for higher education and by the numerous scholarships offered by universities and international organizations.

Just like the citizens of the EU, foreign students are eligible to apply to any tuition-free European university. The educational systems in the European countries used to be pretty diverse and quite unexpected in qualifications. Nowadays, the European Higher Education Area intensifies cooperation in recognition of diplomas. The EHEA increased number of educational programs taught in English, which is an advantage for international students.

Europe’s education system is practice-oriented, and it ranks as one of the best in the world. It offers a wide range of programs, numerous universities, internationally known large research centers and lots of opportunities for financial support for the studies. Languages, lifestyle, and living costs are of course different in all European countries.

Even though the level of living in some countries are expensive, most of the universities offer relatively low costs of the tuition, literally at local rates. There are about 24 official languages in the Schengen Zone. Despite that, the majority of the universities offer a wide range of programs delivered in the English language.

In addition to this, it is super easy to travel and explore the countries of the Schengen Zone. A student with a tight schedule of the semester can afford to visit new countries. It can be by plane, as flights are very short or by train/bus, which offer fantastic experience with some fascinating views. Tempting, isn’t it?

The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) is the result of the political will of 48 countries which, step by step during the last eighteen years, built an area using common tools. These 48 countries implement reforms on higher education on the basis of common key values – such as freedom of expression, autonomy for institutions, independent students unions, academic freedom, free movement of students and staff. Through this process, countries, institutions and stakeholders of the European area continuously adapt their higher education systems making them more compatible and strengthening their quality assurance mechanisms. For all these countries, the main goal is to increase staff and students’ mobility and to facilitate employability.

REQUIREMENTS

As the requirements for international students vary from country to country, it is essential for you to check all the information on student visas, the costs of education, accommodation, the laws and customs of the country you are moving to and the university entry requirements you need in order to study there.

Whilst the EU students cross borders of Schengen Zone only with their passport, non-EU students are required to obtain a visa prior to entering Europe.
The process of obtaining a visa can be lengthy, start required procedures well in advance of the intended date of entry.

As for the citizens of the United States of America, at the moment, they are not required to obtain Schengen Visa. They can travel to any European country with a valid passport, for a maximum period of 90 days. Meaning, if you are a student and you want to participate in the workshops or courses that are less than three months, you will not need a Schengen visa.

However, staying in Europe for longer for studying at the university, does require a long-stay study visa at the embassy of the respective country. It is advisable to consult with the embassy and find out all requirements beforehand. In general, student visas are easily obtainable if the student is invited by the university.

Reminder: The United Kingdom, Ireland, Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania are not the part of the Schengen Zone.

ETIAS

Before embarking on the adventure to Europe, American students will have to obtain ETIAS travel authorization prior to their travel. Right after its implementation in 2021, it will be a mandatory requirement for all the visa-exempt nationals, including the citizens of the United States of America.

ETIAS is Europe Travel Information and Authorization system, and it is being created to strengthen the borders member countries of the Schengen Area. Applicants will have to submit an online application form by providing the biometric information and including the answers on security questions. The provided information will cross-check against several databases, such as the Schengen Information System, Interpol, Eurodac, etc.

If the automated system finds false information in the application, it will go through manual review by the ETIAS Central and ETIAS National Units.
An approved ETIAS will be valid for three years. It needs to be said that ETIAS will NOT replace a student visa. It will be a mandatory requirement for every visitor from visa-free country entering the EU.

Check also our FAQs providing answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the ETIAS program.

So if you are willing to study in any European country, then get ready for new adventures and an amazing study abroad experience!

Some of the World’s famous European Universities

Top universities in SWEDEN:
Lund University
Uppsala University
KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Top universities in GERMANY:
Technische Universität München
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Top universities in FRANCE:
Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University (PSL)
Ecolé Polytechnique
Sorbonne University

Top universities in SWITZERLAND:
ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)
Ecolé Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
University of Zurich (UZH)

Top universities in NORWAY:
University of Oslo
University of Bergen
University of Agder

Top universities in THE NETHERLANDS:
Delft University of Technology
University of Amsterdam
Eindhoven University of Technology

Top universities in ITALY:
Politecnico di Milano
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna Pisa
Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa

Top universities in SPAIN:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Universitat Autonóma de Barcelona
University of Barcelona

Check also: Multiple citizenships and Travel Authorization – ETIAS

Article source here: Education in Europe

Etias Visa Schengen

European Travel Information and Authorization System