Student
Services

We advise, support, and guide you before, during, and after your experience in Spain. This way, your adaptation process will go much faster. We will be by your side the whole time!

Our Services

Advice on visas
Guide for taking out medical insurance and booking student residences
Coordinating and organizing cultural integration activities
Developing a wellness ecosystem for each student

Visas

Students who travel to Spain for academic courses, research, internships, or mobility programs lasting over 90 days need to apply for a study visa.

As part of our services, we will guide you in this process and review all the information to validate that it is correct before delivering the documentation. We will also give you a letter of invitation to the program for the visa process.

IMPORTANT: The final decision on the visa is the sole responsibility of the Spanish authorities, and GAIAS Europa takes no responsibility for its approval.

Recommendations

Review the visa process on the official webpage of the General Consulate of Spain in Quito.
Request all the necessary documents in time. They must be authenticated and apostilled, which can take up to a month.

If you have any questions, you can go to the USFQ Business Contact office in Quito. We are in No. 301, the tomato-colored house. Johana Segovia will guide you throughout the process.

Mail: jsegoviaf@usfq.edu.ec

Medical Insurance

To obtain the visa, you must have an insurance policy valid for all Schengen States covering the entire planned period of stay and all costs for emergency medical attention, emergency hospital treatment, repatriation for medical reasons, or death during the stay.

The minimum coverage must be €30,000.
This policy must have no deductible.
It must cover 100% of medical expenses, with no grace period or copayment (no deductible).
Repatriation to your country of origin in case of death.
We recommend that you take out the insurance policy with companies established in Spain.

We currently work with DKV insurance, a leading health insurance company in Spain. If you wish to purchase this policy, you can transact it directly with us as part of the application process.

Lodging

We offer the option of reserving your lodgings in either of two student residences: AMRO Valencia and Mi Campus Living. Both are strategically located in Valencia with immediate access to public transport, modern furnished rooms, a safe student environment, and only a 15-minute bus ride from the GAIAS Europa academic hub.

The selection of accommodations is a personal and family decision each student will have to make based on their needs. We provide options so that our students can have the best experience in Valencia and feel at home. We always recommend opting for a student residence since it is safer and friendlier for cultural exchange.

Transfer In

When you confirm your itinerary for arriving in Valencia, our team will help you with the logistics and recommendations for getting to the city, whether from the airport, train, or bus station.

We will take you to your destination in the city from your place of arrival in Valencia, whether to a student residence or an apartment. This service only applies to your arrival in the city. Should you require assistance with transportation when you are going to return to Ecuador, we can provide you with the best options.

Tutoring/Mentoring

We offer specific academic advice and help in a subject to those who need it, especially when taking a classroom course in Valencia and a virtual one in Ecuador.

We have teachers with extensive experience in the academic and research fields who will guide and accompany you to broaden your knowledge, clear up concerns, and plan study programs.

In addition, we continuously monitor your emotional and academic well-being to provide you with an experience of growth and opportunity.

Cultural Activities

We carry out cultural activities as part of the exchange program in Valencia to give you an enriching local experience. You will discover the city’s history, traditions, and celebrations.

Our programs include:

Visits to innovation, art, and history museums
Gastronomic experiences
Marine activities
Guided tour around Valencia

Administrative Processes in Spain

When you arrive in Valencia, you will need to deal with a few procedures to make your stay in Spain legal and enable you to live in the country for more than 90 days. The Student Services team will advise you on handling these processes to help you in obtaining all the legal documents.

Some formalities and procedures to be conducted are:

Residence Registration: registering at City Hall to validate your place of lodging
Opening a bank account in Spain
TIE (Foreigner Identity Card) application, residence card
Getting a Social Security Number

All these processes must be handled personally at the various Spanish bodies and agencies, as the case may be.

Student Services