We have great experience in helping our students with all kinds of questions and enquiries

Whatever you need to know, you just need to ask. We want to make sure that your study and stay with Speakeasy in Barcelona is as straightforward and stress-free as possible. Below are some common questions that might help you, but remember to contact us if you need any further explanation.

  • Accommodation

    • Yes, you can. Booking a double room allows you to share your room with someone else. If you want to stay in a double room you'll need to book together with the friend/family member you will be sharing with. Each of you will have you’re your own single bed. You are responsible to find your roommate, we do not provide the service to match students together.

    • We can help you access a room in our student residence, in a shared apartment, in a homestay or in a private apartment. Visit our student accommodation in Barcelona page to find out more.

    • You have the option to choose a stay with no meals, with breakfast only or with half board (breakfast and dinner).

    • Yes, we offer different types of accommodation depending on your preferences and needs. We work together with lovely and experienced host families, collaborate with partners (Livefurther, Spotahome and SHBarcelona) for shared or private apartments, and work with student residences. For more detailed information check out our accommodation page or contact us.

    • The minimum stay for being with a host family is one week and the maximum is up to one year.

    • A host family can be a married or unmarried couple, or a single person, with or without children. All host families speak Spanish, it is possible that they do not speak any other language. It's a great way for you to practice your skills outside of the classroom!

  • Courses

    • Yes. All our teachers are native Spanish speakers from Spain. They all have a university degree, special training in ELE (Español como Lengua Extranjera) and experience teaching Spanish to foreigners.

    • Yes! We have a range of ages at Speakeasy BCN so you will never feel out of place, whether you’ve just finished school or have decades of work experience. The average age of a student at Speakeasy BCN is 28.

    • Yes! We have a very international student body at Speakeasy BCN. You can choose to take a part-time Spanish course in Barcelona while studying or working, or if you take a long-term Spanish course, we can help you get a student visa in Barcelona.

    • Yes, all our teachers are native Spanish speakers. They all have a university degree, special training in ELE (Español como Lengua Extranjera) and experience teaching Spanish to foreigners.

    • Yes. If you give us at least one weeks’ notice and there is availability in the group and level you'd like to switch to, it is absolutely possible.

    • Yes! If you give us one weeks’ notice, you can switch to a different schedule or re-evaluate your situation and move to a different class. See an overview of our Spanish courses here.

    • We don’t offer trial classes because it can be disruptive to the class dynamics, and it's important for us to maintain high-quality learning experiences for our students. However, you can enroll in a Spanish course for one week and then extend your study for as long as you like.

    • Yes. We offer free student WIFI connection in all classrooms and resting areas at Speakeasy. The password and login information can be obtained in our reception. Besides our student WIFI you can also use our computers in the multimedia area.

    • Yes, you can prolong your course with Speakeasy after your first course has finished.

    • Yes, as Speakeasy is an official DELE exam centre. Enquire at reception or contact us to get further information regarding official exam dates, levels and how to sign up.

    • No. Unfortunately our courses do not count for university credits.

    • Yes, the payment for the weeks of the course you want your spot reserved in must be in full and in paid in advance. This way, your spot for the duration of the whole course will be reserved. It is also a requirement by the embassy if you are applying for a student visa to have your long-term course paid in full before applying for the visa.

    • Yes! We have over 15 different Spanish courses to choose from, including intensive and super-intensive study programs.

    • The first step is reserving yourself a spot on your desired Spanish course. Start the process by filling out our Pre-Booking form. (If you’re an international student, it’s a requirement that you have paid your long-term course in full before applying for a student visa.)


    • You can join each of our Spanish courses at the right level for you. Each course is divided into small classes of maximum 8-13 students of the same ability, meaning you won’t feel left behind in a class of advanced speakers. You can take our Level Test to determine your current ability and get a personalized recommendation. 


    • To finish one mini-level in our intensive course it takes two weeks and to finish an entire level it takes four weeks. Check out our course progression chart where you can compare how long it takes to complete each level for each type of Spanish course.

    • You can choose to study 2, 3 or 4 weeks, 20 hours per week.

    • Maximum of 12 students in each class.

    • Depending on the level of your exam the fee varies between 180 and 210 euros. You will have to apply from the official Cervantes website, if you need help with this please contact us.

    • The average age of our students is 28 years old. We have adult students from all ranges of age and in all walks of life!

    • Yes! Barcelona is one of top 5 most-visited cities in Europe and has the #1 tourist attraction in Spain: the Sagrada Familia. Barcelona is a major international transport hub with direct links to world capitals and everywhere you could wish to visit in Europe. As well as being a modern city with affordable public transport, Barcelona offers an unbeatable lifestyle with clean beaches, hills and forests within minutes of the city center. 


    • Yes, we offer DELE exam preparation courses. Check out our DELE Course page for more information.

    • We have a rolling admissions policy. This means you can start any week of the year (depending on your level or availability, you may need to wait a maximum of two weeks). See an overview of our Spanish courses in Barcelona.

    • Staggering arrival and break times for students, reducing the number of students in each classroom, frequent disinfection of classrooms, bathrooms and common areas, use of protective screens, disinfecting hand gels and soaps, use of personal protective equipment, such as masks or visors.

    • We offer packages from 24 weeks up to 48 weeks. Have a look at our courses to see what is included in each package.

    • Please see the exam dates on the Cervantes website.

    • You can take them whenever you like! You just need to let us know with at least ten days advanced notice so we can plan classes and place you in the correct course for your return.

    • Puedes inscribirte en la página web del Cervantes.

    • We have a very international environment at Speakeasy with students from all over the world. In each class you will typically not find more than two students from the same country. To name a few: Russia, China, Sweden, Britain, Brazil, Germany, Italy, France, USA, Canada, and many more!

    • At Speakeasy we normally offer B1, B2 and C1. Enquire at reception or contact us to get further information regarding official exam dates, levels and how to sign up.

    • Yes, if you feel that the level of your class isn´t right for you we are always happy to re-evaluate with the help of your Spanish teacher and place you in a different class if appropriate.

    • We follow the prestigious Cervantes Institute curriculum. At the end of your course, you can request a certificate from Speakeasy. You can achieve the 6 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – from A1 to C2. We’re also an official examination center of SIELE and DELE, if you require official certifications.

    • Yes, a student card is included in any course at Speakeasy. Bring a passport sized photo to reception and within 48 hours we will have your card ready for pickup.

  • CSN financial aid

    • Our longest course is 48 weeks, although you can always choose to prolong if you would like to improve your Spanish further after that. CSN offers financial aid for a maximum 80 weeks in total for education on a high school level.

    • You are eligible for financial aid from CSN for our courses from July the year you turn 20. If you would like to study with us but are younger, there is another aid from CSN you can apply for. It is a grant of 3600kr/ month. You can however not take any loans until July the year you turn 20.

    • No. Since our courses counts as being on a high school level and not university, you will have all of your CSN-weeks left after studying with us in Speakeasy.

    • Once you have decided which course you want to take, how many weeks you want to study with us and when you would like to start, you should contact our Swedish regional manager Jas at jas@speakeasybcn.com. She will help you with the whole application process and guide you from the beginning to the end.

      • You have to have lived in Sweden for at least two consecutive years during the last five years before the studies.

      • Have successfully completed previous studies with student aid from CSN.

      • Be under 57 years old.

      • Be a Swedish citizen, but there are a few exceptions.

  • Enrolment

    • Yes. You can book your course week by week if you choose. Just keep in mind that you risk losing your spot in the same class if the class has previously been reserved by other students. Keep in mind that discounts are applied up from four weeks booked at a once.

    • You can register online with our enrolment form, in person at the reception, by email or by calling +34 933 427 197.

    • You can register for a course any time before the start date. Just keep in mind that your spot in the course will only be reserved once you have made the payment in full, therefore the closer it gets to the start date of your course the more likely that the class will be full. We recommend that you book at least 3-4 weeks in advance to make sure you get a spot in your preferred course and schedule.

  • Payment

    • Yes. We have two courses that are eligible for the CSN financial aid: the Intensive Course that is fully eligible and the Semi-Intensive Course which is 50% eligible.

    • The student book and workbook for your level are necessary to participate in class and available for purchase in reception. However, it is not required that you purchase them from Speakeasy if you already have them by other means.

    • You must pay in advance for the weeks you would like to reserve your spot in. The number of weeks you book is entirely up to you.

    • No, the registration fee lasts forever. You will only have to pay the registration fee once no matter when you come back!

    • You have to study minimum 3 weeks in a row in order to receive the financial aid from CSN.

  • SIELE

    • It is a single multilevel exam that allows you to obtain the SIELE certificate, a document that includes a score from 0 to 1000, the result of the sum of your scores from each of the 4 tests, and associated with the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

  • Visa

    • Yes, you can apply for a Spain student visa after arriving in Spain. However you must submit your application when you have at least 30 days of legal residence remaining (e.g. on your tourist visa or short-stay Schengen visa). You can see a list of countries which need the Schengen visa before visiting Spain below.


    • Yes, you can bring your family with you on a Spain student visa.

      The family members who may accompany you include:

      • Your spouse or unmarried partner

      • Children who are minors or who have a disability

      In most cases, the student needs to get the student visa first and then the spouse can apply to accompany the student. But please note – each consulate has its own application requirements. We recommend you contact your nearest Spanish embassy or consulate for more information.


    • You are permitted to come to Spain up to 14 days before your student visa starts.

    • If you are already one of our students or you have studied at another language school, you can prolong your student visa with Speakeasy.

    • If you are already one of our students or you have studied at another language school, you can prolong your student visa with Speakeasy for a minimum of 3 months.

    • Yes and no. You’re not permitted to work right away with a long-stay student visa for Spain. You must find a sponsor first, and then you can get a part-time job while you complete your studies in Spain. After your study course finishes, you can apply separately for a full-time work visa if you wish to continue living and working in Spain – but you must have a sponsor. We recommend you contact the nearest consulate in your home country for more information.


    • Yes, the payment for the course must be in full and in paid in advance.This way your spot for the duration of the whole course will be reserved. It is also a requirement by the embassy if you are applying for a student visa.

    • Yes, we provide the necessary documents you will need from Speakeasy to apply for your student visa in Spain. Since additional documents required for application depend on the country you´re coming from we suggest getting in touch with the embassy in the city you will be applying in. For more information please see our student visa page.

    • Our student advisors recommend you apply for your Spain student visa at least 90 days before the start date of your course or study program.

    • The length of the process depends on the Spanish embassy in your home country. Embassies require making an appointment in advance, so give yourself time for this. Once you have had your appointment and turned in your application at the embassy it should take between 2-4 weeks to receive a response about your student visa application.

    • The Spain student visa cost depends on the Spanish embassy or consular office where you apply. For example, in the Consulate of Spain in Los Angeles the cost is €160. You should check prices at the embassy or consulate nearest to you. You can find a global list of Spanish embassies and consulates here.


    • You need to prove your financial means as part of the Spain student visa application. The required amount is equivalent to 100% of Spain’s Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator (IPREM) for the duration of your stay. At the time of writing, the IPREM in Spain is €600 per month. So if your course of study is 12 months then you need to prove financial means equivalent or greater than €600 x 12 = €7,200. If you have already paid for accommodation covering the duration of your stay, this will be dedicated from the minimum amount required.


    • Yes, you can apply for a student residence permit (estancia por estudios) within Spain. Make sure you have more than 30 days of your legal stay in Spain when applying for student residence permit from within Spain. For more detailed information check our our student visa page.

    • Yes, there is a Spain student visa application form online. You can find the Modelo EX00 application form here in Spanish. But please note – our student advisors have not seen one student successfully manage to apply for a Spanish student visa online. Bureaucracy in Spain is complex, and the laws are not always clear.

      To save yourself time, we recommend you do one of two things:

      • Apply for the Spain student visa at the nearest Spanish consulate in your home country

      • Apply for the Spain student visa with the help of a lawyer or a Speakeasy BCN student advisor from within Spain

    • From Speakeasy you will need an invitation letter, the receipt stating that the course has been paid in full, the school accreditation from Instituto Cervantes and our CASA program.

    • If your visa gets denied, we are happy to postpone your start date if you would like to apply again. Otherwise, you can send us the official denial letter, and with this, we will refund you the full price of your long-term course minus a €250 administration fee.

    • Type D student visas allow stays in Spain for between 6 months-24 months.


      There exist two types:

      • Type D (4-6 months)

      • Open Type D (6-24 months)

      The type D student visa for Spain does not allow you to get a Foreigner’s Identity Card (TIE). But the open type D student visa for Spain lets you stay for between 6-12 months and receive a TIE card which acts as a legal residence permit and ID card. Both types of Spain student visa can be renewed.


    • The NIE number is your identification number here in Spain and you can get it from the local police station. The reception issues an assistance document for further steps.

    • There exist two types of student visas in Spain:

      • Type D (4–6 months)

      • Open Type D (6-12 months)

      You can extend either Spain student visa, so long as you meet requirements and continue with the same or related studies.


    • What’s the processing time for a student visa in Spain? The Spain student visa processing time is usually one month. If you’re applying from within Spain, the processing time can be as long as 3–6 months due to high demand among international students. IN the meantime, you will not be illegal in the country. Your visa status will be ‘in process’ – but we recommend you do not leave Spain until you have received your visa.


    • The European Regulation 2018/1806, of November 14, 2018 includes in its Annex II the countries whose nationals don’t need to apply for a visa for stays of up to three months. 

      These countries include:

      Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Barbados, Brunei, Brazil, Bahamas, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Micronesia, Grenada, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Saint Kitts and Nevis, South Korea, Saint Lucia, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Nauru, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Palau, Paraguay, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia [excluding holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (Serbian: Koordinaciona uprava)], Solomon Islands, Seychelles, Singapore, San Marino, El Salvador, East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Holy See, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Venezuela, Vanuatu, Samoa.

      The countries who need a Schengen visa before entering Spain include:

      Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Bahrain, Burundi, Benin, Bolivia, Bhutan, Botswana, Belarus, Belize, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Congo, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, India, Iraq, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Comoros, North Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Myanmar/Burma, Mongolia, Mauritania, Maldives, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Nepal, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, Suriname, South Sudan, São Tomé and Príncipe, Syria, Chad, Togo, Thailand, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Tanzania, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.


Our international admin team is always on hand to help with any questions before and throughout your course at Speakeasy

Anirudh Baliga Speakeasy, July 2022

Exceeded my expectations! The teachers have been very patient and engaging, the lessons are well-structured, the material is very practical to help us with day to day living (ordering food, buying groceries, asking for directions, getting to know people etc.) I find myself looking forward to classes every day. Overall, it's been a great experience!

Smiling Speakeasy teacher with digital board
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