• Priceline.com - This is my favorite site to shop for cheap tickets to Spain.  I should mention here, however, that I've never used the "name your own price" feature of the site because I don't like the idea of not knowing my travel itinerary before buying my ticket.  Still, their "fixed prices" are always good and I've never had any problems with them as far as booking and ticket availability are concerned.
• Cheaptickets.com - After Priceline, this site probably has the second-best prices on tickets.
• Hotwire.com - Another option... I haven't used this site much.
• Live Farecast - This is an interesting site owned by Microsoft that allows you to search for tickets all over the internet and then displays the cheapest ones in a list.  It's a new site and I haven't had much time to use it for myself, but the concept looks interesting.
• Aer Lingus - This is an interesting one that has flights from select airports in the USA for a pretty good price... the only drawback is that most of the flights to Spain connect in Ireland.  I've never used the site, but the prices do look inexpensive. 

All of the above-mentioned "discount travel" sites are great, but don't forget to check with the actual airlines as well.  Sometimes you can find a ticket directly from an airline for the same price or a few dollars less than what it is being sold for at the "discount" sites.  Calling companies like American Air and US Air before looking at "bargain" sites can't hurt. 

Other Miscellaneous Thoughts:
You may be wondering how much a flight to Spain should cost in today's market.  I can tell you that I recently booked my flight for when I go to Burgos in September and the ticket from the east coast of the USA to Madrid cost me around $900.00.  Of course, ticket prices are relative - had I booked the ticket earlier before gas prices started to rise like mad the same trip probably would have cost me around $700.00. 

When you're buying your plane tickets try to look at the airline's baggage policies and cancellation fees.  Many airlines have strict rules for canceling tickets and a lot are starting to charge fees for checked bags to help offset the rising costs of fuel.  Before you buy your ticket, make sure you're well informed.  A more expensive ticket from a competing airline may be less expensive in the long run when you factor in baggage restrictions and hidden fees on the "bargain" ticket.

I make so many trips to Spain that I have a frequent flyer credit card that I use for most of my purchases in order to earn points toward a free flight.  There are lots of frequent flyer cards on the market and if you fly internationally often, I recommend that you look into the different options for one that suits you.  I love my frequent flyer card... I recently used it to save $100.00 on the ticket that I bought to go to Spain in September (thus, instead of costing me $900.00 the ticket really only cost me $800.00). 

I hope that this post has been helpful to someone.  Please, if you have any other tips for cheap tickets that I forgot to mention, don't hesitate to add a comment here to share your experience and expertise with others.  Or, if you have any strange airline stories or anything else to say, feel free to comment here as well.  I love hearing from my readers!

Hasta luego,
--Chris
http://www.abroadinspain.com

• Two Schengen Visa Forms: You can get these from the consulate's website.  Remember that both forms must be filled out and signed by hand.  You cannot fill out one form and then simply photocopy it to get the second one.  Also, these forms are two pages long and must be printed back-to-back.  Do not print the two pages of the form on two separate sheets of paper and then staple page one to page two. 
• Passport and Secondary ID: You will need to bring a valid passport (that is valid the entire period of study) to the consulate along with a secondary form of ID (your driver's license or ID card, in most cases).  They will give your secondary ID back to you; however, they will keep your passport so that they can affix the visa to it.  Your passport will be returned to you in the mail with the visa affixed. 
• Two Recent Passport Photos: You can get passport photos at drugstore chains like CVS and Rite Aid.  They are also available at most photography stores and travel agents.  A set of two typically costs between $10.00 and $15.00.  You need to staple one passport photo on each of the two Schengen Visa Forms.  There is a spot on the form where you should staple them. 
• Study Abroad Acceptance Letter: This is a letter from your school or university that tells the good people at the consulate that you're really going to Spain for studies and not for some other purpose.  You should get this letter from the school you're planning on attending in Spain or, in my case, I'll get the letter from the people who are giving me the scholarship.  There are certain things that must be stated in this letter, but it's the school's responsibility to include everything... not yours. 
• Proof of Medical Insurance: Americans are not covered by the Spanish Health System; thus, you need to buy private insurance in order to live in Spain to study.  In most cases, insurance is provided by the university or program through which you're studying and usually proof of health insurance is included in the previously-mentioned "Study Abroad Acceptance Letter" (see above).  If your acceptance letter doesn't mention that you'll have health insurance, you'll need to provide some other form of proof.
• Proof of Financial Means: You need to prove to them that you'll have money to study abroad in Spain.  Normally, there is a statement in the previously-mentioned "Study Abroad Acceptance Letter" that says that everything is pre-paid or that you're receiving a scholarship, etc.  If your acceptance letter doesn't state that, you'll need bank statements to prove that you have enough money to live in Spain or a letter from some other person assuming financial responsibility for you in Spain.  Contact your consulate for more specific details if you have questions.
• Medical Statement: This document is only required if you're staying over six months in Spain.  You need to have your doctor write you a statement on doctor's office stationary (with a letterhead).  The letter should say that the student is physically and mentally able to study abroad and that he or she does not have any contagious diseases, drug addiction, severe mental illness, or any other disease that would prohibit him or her from studying abroad.  Remember that your doctor must hand sign this letter (no rubber stamps allowed). 
• Certificate of Absence of Police Records: This document is only required if you're staying over six months in Spain.  Basically, you need a criminal background check and it must be notarized and sealed with the Apostille of the Hague.  See my post on obtaining a Criminal Record check with the Apostille of the Hague for more details. 
• Prepaid, Self-Addressed "Express Mail" Envelope: As I mentioned above, the consulate will keep your passport and mail it back to you with the visa affixed; thus, you will need to supply the consulate with a pre-paid, SASE in which to return the visa to you.  The only type of envelope accepted is a USPS Express Mail Envelope.  Go to your local post office and ask for one of the flat rate express mail envelopes.  They cost about $16.50 but ensure that you will have enough postage.  Once you buy the envelope you'll have to address it to yourself and bring it with you to the consulate. 
• Money Order for Visa Fee: The visa costs $100.00 and must be paid by a money order made out to the "Consulado de España." 

**If you're under 18, you may need a letter from your parents (notarized) that says you're allowed to study abroad.  Contact the consulate for details.

Submit the documents and wait:
Once you gather all of the above-mentioned documents, you need to go trotting off to the consulate.  Remember to bring the original and two photocopies of any of the papers you are submitting (police records, health statements, acceptance letters, insurance papers, etc.).   They do keep the originals and photocopies of the legal documents.  I always like to bring a couple extra passport photos as well and extras of anything else I think they may need. 

As I mentioned above, they will keep your passport and all your photocopies and mail back your passport and visa once it has been processed (the visa is nothing more than a little slip of paper they put inside your passport).  It typically takes at least two months to process the visa so be sure to apply ahead of time.  In most consulates you can apply for a visa up to four months before the date you are entering Spain and no later than seven weeks early.  Check with the consulate in your jurisdiction for specific times. 

One last note about visa duration:
If you are planning on studying abroad in Spain for three to six months, you will be issued a visa for the amount of time requested (up to six months) and that visa will be mailed to you with your passport as I mentioned above; however, if you are going to be in Spain to study for more than six months, you will apply for a year-long visa but will only be granted a three-month provisionary visa (this is what they'll send to you when they send your passport back in the SASE).  You will use that provisionary visa to enter Spain and once in Spain you will have to apply for an extension at the local police station or an Oficina de Extranjería.  The extension is always granted and you will receive a NIE card which will allow you to be in Spain to study for up to a year.  Your NIE number is almost like an American Social Security number and will let you open a bank account, etc.  Remember, you cannot work in Spain on a Student Visa. 

I hope that this information has been helpful to you.  If you have any comments or questions, be sure to leave them on this post and maybe I (or someone else) will have an answer.  Please remember, I am not a visa expert and I have posted this information as a guide to try to be helpful.  I cannot guarantee that this information is 100% accurate or up-to-date and I recommend that you check with your consulate before applying for a visa.  I wish you luck in your visa process... it really isn't as hard as it looks. 

Hasta luego,
--Chris
http://www.abroadinspain.com

"Ya sabes que vamos a proceder a las adjudicaciones de las plazas en los diferentes centros educativos de nuestra Comunidad Autónoma. Para llevar a cabo este proceso necesitamos urgentemente:a) Una dirección a la que podamos enviarte todos los documentos necesarios para la obtención del visado. Te pido la dirección concreta porque muchos de vosotros habeis marcado dos direcciones dentro de los datos personales del programa PROFEX. b) Número de pasaporte. Sin él no puedo mandarte la carta de nombramiento."