Requirements

To be successful in the admissions process to one of our Bachelor of Arts with Honours validated programmes , a candidate must satisfy the academy’s entry requirements:

  • Applicants must have successfully completed higher secondary education (eg. A Levels, IB Diploma) or similar level of education.
  • Applicants must provide certification of English Language proficiency equivalent to B2 as per the European Language Framework (we accept certification from IELTS Academic, Cambridge and TOEFL iBT).
  • Applicants should be a minimum of 17 years of age (there is no upper age limit).   

Eligibility and entry requirements are aligned with standards set by our UK partner university.  

Applicants who do not meet the academic entry requirements will be directed to our 12-week Design Foundation Course or our BA Starter programmes.

To be successful in the admissions process of our Master´s validated programme, a candidate must satisfy the academy’s entry requirements:

  • Applicants must have completed an undergraduate education (e.g. a bachelor’s degree or a similar level of education).
  • A portfolio showcasing your design work or equivalent.
  • Applicants must provide certification of English language proficiency equivalent to B2 as per the European Language Framework (we accept certification from IELTS Academic, Cambridge and TOEFL iBT).

Eligibility and entry requirements are aligned with standards set by our UK partner university.

In the event an applicant possesses a proven outstanding artistic talent, has documented work experience for an extended period of time or has completed another education of minimum 2 years of duration, a discretionary exception from the above rules can be made.

Detailed information about our BA (Hons) validated programmes and their intake dates is available in the programmes section.

Should an applicant not meet the entry requirements to enter directly onto the main programmes they will be referred to the 12 week Design Foundation Course. This course starts three times a year in February, May and September.

A successfully completed Design Foundation Course gives direct access to one of our main programmes. 

To be fully eligible for progression onto the validated programmes, Design Foundation students will further have to provide certification of their English Language proficiency level, equivalent to B2 at the European level, and be a minimum of 17 years of age.

More information about our Design Foundation Course is available in our programmes section.

In order to comply with the entry requirements, applicants must show proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to B2 as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR). We accept certification from IELTS Academic (including online test), Cambridge, and TOEFL iBT (including home edition).

Required gradings:

IELTS – 5.5 (with minimum 5.5 in each component)

TOEFL iBT – 72 points (with at least 17 in listening and writing, 20 in speaking, and 18 in reading)

Cambridge – 169 overall (no less than 162 in each component)

We also accept other certification based on the education curricula that an applicant may have completed, eg. ‘A’ Levels, IB Diploma, etc. We do not accept Duolingo.

The admissions department can further advise on accepted English language certifications and grading and scores required.

Marbella Design Academy accepts students transferring from other universities.

Eligibility to transfer prior learning will be considered on an individual basis and assessed based on accredited transcripts of completed credits as well as a portfolio.

Visa Requirements

1. Do You Need a Visa or a Study Stay Authorisation?

  • If you are a citizen of a EU/EEA country you do not need a visa to enter Spain. Upon arrival, if staying more than 90 days, you must complete the EU Citizen Registration Certificate procedure in Spain.
  • Non-EU/EEA nationals must obtain either a Study Visa or a Long-Term Study Stay
    Authorisation if their programme in Spain exceeds 90 days.

2. Types of Study Entry and Authorisations

a) Entry Without Visa (up to 90 days)
Citizens of visa-exempt countries may enter Spain for up to 90 days. This does not replace the requirement for a study authorisation if the course is longer than 90 days.

b) Short-Term Stay for Studies (up to 180 days)
Short-term stays under 180 days may apply to short courses. Not extendable. Does not grant TIE. Suitable for programmes like a 12-week foundation course.

c) Long-Term Study Stay Authorisation (more than 90 days)
– Required for full-time programmes exceeding 90 days, such as 1-year or multi-year higher
education programmes.
– Allows residence for the duration of studies and obtaining a TIE (Foreigner Identity Card).
About the TIE:

  • In most cases, issued for a maximum of one academic year.
  • Must be renewed annually until completion of studies.

3. General Information.

  • Study Visas and Long-Term Study Stay Authorisations must be applied for at the Spanish
    Embassy or Consulate in the applicant’s country of legal residence.
  • Each Embassy/Consulate may require specific documentation, fees, or procedures; students
    must verify requirements with their local consular office.
  • Applications must be submitted in person.
  • Applications should be submitted not later than 2 months before the start of the programme.
    Applications submitted later may be rejected.
  • Processing time varies by consulate, but applicants should allow up to 8 weeks.

The information here provides an overview only of the requirements and procedures.
Further official information can be found at:
Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration – Stay for Study Purposes
https://www.inclusion.gob.es/web/migraciones/w/estancia-por-estudios.

Steps to Follow to obtain your Visa:

Students from some countries can stay in Spain for less than 90 days without a visa, even if they are not EU/EEA citizens. To find out if this applies to you, or if you need a study visa, contact the closest Spanish embassy.

The types of visas to Spain depend on the duration of your studies:

Short-term tourist visa-
This type of visa is applicable if you are going to study in Spain for less than six months. This type of visa cannot be extended. Students who take the 12-weeks Design Foundation Course usually apply for this short-term tourist visa.

Long-term study visa-
This type of visa is applicable if you are going to study on one of the full-time, 3-year main programmes.

The long-term study visa allows you to obtain temporary residency in Spain alongside being issued with the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE), or Foreigners Identity Card, which is required for most non-EU/EEA students. The TIE is a temporary permit that lets you stay in the country for the duration of your studies.

The TIE is generally valid for a maximum of one academic year, and, along with your authorization to stay for studies in Spain, must be renewed annually until you finish your studies.

Once you have arrived in Spain on the study visa, you will need to apply for residency and the TIE at the local police commission. Our Student Support will help you with this process.

…and receive your registration documentation in support of your study visa application:

Once you have been confirmed as being eligible to enter onto one of the main programmes at Marbella Design Academy, you must become a fully registered student, by paying the initial minimum payment of the tuition fee for the first year.

For all payment queries please email our Finance Department: finance@marbella-design-academy.com

Once payment has been made, and you are confirmed as registered, the Academy will send you an original hard copy of your registration document in Spanish. This
must be submitted to the Spanish embassy as part of your study visa application.

You should apply for a study visa in your home country before you travel to Spain. Once you have registered as a student at Marbella Design Academy you should contact the Spanish embassy/consulate nearest to you and initiate the study visa application process

Most consulates require you to schedule an appointment and attend in person. It is recommended you initiate the visa application process as soon as you possibly can in advance of starting on the programme at the academy, and no later than 2 months before the start of the programme. The application process can take anywhere between a few weeks and up to 3 months. Always check the consulate’s website for the most up-to-date processing time.

The programmes at Marbella Design Academy are taught in English. A proof of Spanish language proficiency is not a prerequisite for students of Marbella Design Academy applying for a study visa.

  • Completed visa application form;
  • Passport valid for the intended period of your stay in Spain;
  • 2 recent passport-size photos;
  • Letter of registration at Marbella Design Academy in Spanish (includes information about the study programme e.g. details regarding your chosen undergraduate programme, such as the hours of study per week);
  • Health insurance – with an insurance company authorized in Spain and with a minimum coverage equal to 30,000€ during the whole period of your studies. Suggested insurance companies include Caser Seguros, Sanitas and Adeslas.
  • Proof of financial means during your stay (showing an average of at least 600€/month);
  • Medical certificate of health;
  • Visa application fee;
  • Criminal record certificate (confirming that the applicant has not committed any criminal offences in the country of residence for the past 5 years).

N.B. All documentation must be officially translated into Spanish and all foreign public documents must be legalized or apostilled.

This is not a requirement of the study visa application but should be done for arrival in Spain and will be needed for the residency renewal process each year.

The Academy suggests two options for opening a bank account:

UNICAJA Bank, with branches in Marbella and Monda.
Phone: +34 952 457 078
Email: buzon0157@unicaja.es

CAJAMAR Bank, with branches in Marbella and Monda.
Phone: +34 952 45 70 08
Email: cajamar0759@cajamar.com

The Academy suggests three health insurance options for students:

1) Caser Seguros, linked to the Unicaja Bank Account.For more information, please email: buzon0157@unicaja.es

2) Generali, available through Cajamar Seguros Generales. For inquiries, please contact: cajamar0759@cajamar.com

3) ADESLAS, available at Aldur 2010 S.L
Phone: +34 622 156 554
Email: fuengirola@oac.segurcaixaadeslas.es

When opening your bank account, you can request the health insurance at the same time.

You are likely to have to show a signed rental contract for a furnished apartment/ house or a room in Spain. You will usually have to pay for the first month, plus 1 or 2 months refundable deposit. The Academy recommends that initially students live in Monda, close to the Academy.

We advise our registered students on how to find accommodation in Monda.
For more details, please contact Eva Ortega:

study@designschool.com

Once your study visa application has been successfully processed, the embassy will return your passport with the visa attached. You should check that you have been issued with the correct visa. It should be stamped with ‘D’ to designate that it is a study visa.

Should your application for a study visa be rejected, Marbella Design Academy will retain 25% of the total annual fee and refund any fees paid above this amount. In order to be eligible for a refund we require a copy of the visa rejection letter from the relevant embassy.

The visa in your passport will have a provisional validity of three months. Within the first month or so of arriving in Spain you will need to register your arrival, confirm your residency status and apply for the TIE, in order to extend your authority to be in Spain to the end of the academic year. This procedure is completed at the local police commission.

You will be guided on how to do this by our Student Support once you arrive at the Academy.

Please also note that you may be required to annually renew your residency and your authorization to stay in Spain to study. This procedure is undertaken at the Foreigners Office in Málaga and again our Student Support will guide you the procedures for this once you are here.

FEES AND financial aid

Interior Architecture & Design, Graphic Design & Media, Fashion Design & Development: 

15.000€ total fee per academic year* – Bank details for tuition payment.

Please contact the finance department for details of the payment deadlines for the 1st academic year.
In the 2nd and the 3rd years we accept payment in three instalments during the academic year – please contact the finance department for more details.

*The fee is made up of a yearly tuition fee of 12.000€ and administration fee of 3.000€ (Quality Assurance Fee to our validating partner).

  • Design Foundation Course:
    4.000€ for the 12 weeks.

Bank details for tuition payment.

18.000€ total fee per academic year* – Bank details for tuition payment.

Please note Marbella Design Academy offers special rates to our alumni.
If you are a current student or graduate from Marbella Design Academy, please contact us at study@designschool.com for more information.

*The fee is made up of a yearly tuition fee of 14.000€ and administration fee of 4.000€ (including the Quality Assurance Fee to our validating partner).

Should you wish to pay in instalments (this is only available for our Bachelor of Arts with Honours programmes), please contact our Finance Department for more details:

+34 952 45 70 90, ext. 3. (09.00 to 14.00).

finance@marbella-design-academy.com

Payment terms.

In order for the academy to plan and budget effectively for each academic year, the fees are non-refundable. A reserved place, however, can be transferred to a different academic year and/or a different programme.

Each academic year, Marbella Design Academy awards financial aid to a limited number of students enrolled in the BA (Hons) validated programmes.

Every year, six students are awarded a deduction in their fees as follows:

  • three for the first academic year (two for the September intake and one for the January intake)
  • two for the second academic year
  • one for the third academic year

In order to apply for your first academic year, you need to have your eligibility confirmed by the Admissions and Enrolment department.

The deadline for all September students is the 1st of August, and the 1st of November for the January students.
After applying you will receive a confirmation email of your documents being correctly received. All applications will be considered within a week of the deadline and the outcome of your application will be communicated shortly after.

Note: It cannot be guaranteed that a student will be granted financial aid from one academic year to the next. Students applying for the Design Foundation Course, the BA Starter & Progression Courses, and the MA validated programmes cannot apply for financial aid.

To obtain an Application Form, please send an email to:

scholarships@marbella-design-academy.com

IMPORTANT! Scandinavian Students 

This information is for all Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Icelandic and Faroese students.

  • Icelandic students can obtain grants from LIN.
  • Faroese students can obtain grants from STUDNI.
  • Swedish students can obtain grants from CSN.
  • Norwegian students can obtain grants from LÅNEKASSEN.
  • Finnish students can obtain grants from KELA.

Other students please consult with the student grant governing body in your home country.

Bank Account of the Marbella Design Academy

Bank name: UNICAJA – Avd. Ricardo Soriano, 6. 29600 Marbella- Málaga-Spain.

Account: 2103 0154 79 0030026289

Owner: Marbella Design Academy

Swift code: UCJAES2M

IBAN Code: ES02 2103 0154 79 0030026289

Any transfer costs/commissions are to be paid by the student.

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