I’m an Australian who has been living in Spain for the last 2 months on a tourist visa.

I would like to enrol in a 20-hour/week (ie. full time) Spanish course for 3-months but I’m aware I can’t simply change from a tourist visa to a student visa while here.

Can anyone clarify the procedure for getting a student visa? If I enroll and pay for a course starting say
say October 1st, can I just take the proof of enrollment and submit an application for a student
visa in a non-Schengen country or non-EU country or do I have to fly back to Australia or another country
where I have residency? Prior to coming to Spain I was living and working in Japan and still have legal
residence in that country also.

Does anyone know if it’s possible to apply for a student visa in the UK or a non-EU country, stay there until
the visa comes through, then re-enter Spain?

Any info much appreciated.
Thanks.
MK