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Charlie1234 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 6

I teach college in Korea. I want to study music in Spain full time. I found a good school in Barcelona, ESMUC, but they are not really capable of dealing with English speakers on an adninistrative level. There is some sort of language competeny test I need to pass but it is unclear to me what I have to do. Emailing hasn't helped so far.

Are there any other music schools in Spain that anyone knows of? What I am thinking of is trying to find a language school, get a student visa, learn Catalan, pass the stupid test and then transfer my student visa when the time comes.

Anything wrong with that idea?

outofseoul · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Spain

The only thing I can see wrong with it is this: to get a student visa you need to enroll in an "official school." I am not sure that there are any such schools that offer full time studies in Catalan. Perhaps the EOI but getting accepted seems to be somewhat of a lottery. UB offers Catalan as kind of elective in its Hispanic Studies (Spanish Language) diploma program, but I would say it is not a very effective way to learn Catalan.

Charlie1234 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 6

Can you tell me where I can find an inexpensive official school? I actually don't really care what I study Mr. Green

I just want to get the student visa. Once I get there I can figure out learning Catalan. I believe that I can study at this music school without being formally accepted in the program, then once I am all certified, I can move into a degree program.

The question is, what is the quickest and dirtiest way to get a student visa?

outofseoul · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Spain

I don�t know any easier ways... To get a student visa you have to first be accepted into a program and have paid for it (among other things which take time). As far as my experience goes, cheap is not really an option. Perhaps you should just apply to the ESMUC first, or look into an official Spanish language program. Catalan classes are often free of cost. I think that not being from here you would be exempt from Catalan language requirements. However, it would probably be the language of instruction. I am sorry but I don�t know which schools are official or not, and I don�t know where to find that info. (You are in Korea, right? The Spanish embassy in Seoul can give you more precise info than me; plus they can give you a to-do list for obtaining a student visa, and all the forms that you will need. It is near Noksapyeong station and not hard to find.)