Study and find schools in Mexico

Studying in Mexico

Mexico is a Spanish-speaking country and a major destination for learning Spanish, from intensive courses at universities to small private schools in colonial cities. It also has a large and varied university system, with public universities whose roots go back to the colonial era, state universities in every region and well-known private institutions.

Higher education is coordinated by the Undersecretariat of Higher Education (SES) of the Ministry of Public Education (SEP). Its public sector alone includes federal and state public universities, intercultural universities, polytechnic and technological universities, the network of technological institutes, the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional, the open and distance university (UnADM), public teacher-training colleges (escuelas normales) and public research centres. Private universities make up a large part of the rest of the system.

The education system

After secondary school, students complete the bachillerato (upper secondary, often called preparatoria or prepa), which gives access to higher education. Many universities run their own preparatorias, and the Universidad de Guadalajara, for example, is organised as a state-wide network (Red Universitaria de Jalisco). University studies are divided into:

• Licenciatura: the first university degree, the equivalent of a bachelor's degree
• Especialidad and maestría: postgraduate specialisations and master's degrees
• Doctorado: research doctorate

The academic year is usually organised in semesters, but calendars differ between institutions, so check the dates of the university you are interested in. Spanish courses for foreigners are offered both by universities, such as the Centro de Enseñanza para Extranjeros (CEPE) of the UNAM, and by private language schools.

Admission and recognition

Each university sets its own admission process, and public universities often hold entrance exams. Foreign applicants usually need to have their previous studies validated. At the Universidad de Guadalajara, for example, foreign secondary-school certificates must be legalised by the Mexican consulate in the country of origin or carry an apostille, and must be revalidated by the education authorities; studies at bachelor's and postgraduate level are revalidated by the SEP's Department of Revalidations and Equivalences. Documents from non-Spanish-speaking countries need an official translation, a table of grade equivalences is required, and applicants must prove their command of the language.

Most degree programmes are taught in Spanish. Students who need to certify their level can take the SIELE exam; at CEPE-UNAM, students who complete a Spanish course receive a coupon to take the SIELE S1 module free of charge. Results are expressed on the CEFR scale.

Student visa and residence

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality and on the length and purpose of your stay. Mexican consulates issue a temporary resident student visa (Visa de Residencia Temporal de Estudiante), and the consulate in Chicago states that students and other visitors staying longer than 180 days must apply for a visa. Applications require an appointment; the consulate in New York lists a fee of 56 US dollars.

Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that Spanish citizens need a visa to study in Mexico whatever the length of their stay, and that some Spanish students have been refused enrolment without one. Once in Mexico, the visa must be exchanged for the corresponding migration document at the National Migration Institute (INM). Universities such as the Universidad de Guadalajara also ask admitted foreign students to obtain authorisation to study from the INM. Check the current requirements with the Mexican consulate in your country before travelling (information checked on 7 October 2026).

Costs

No official national fee scale for international students was found. Tuition at public universities and private universities is set by each institution, and private universities such as the Tecnológico de Monterrey publish their own fees and scholarship schemes. Spanish schools set their own prices, usually per week of classes. Health care also has to be budgeted: Spain's foreign ministry notes that private medical care is expensive and considers comprehensive travel and health insurance essential.

Where to study

• Mexico City: home to the UNAM, whose CEPE runs intensive Spanish courses at Ciudad Universitaria, and to the Mexico City campus of the Tecnológico de Monterrey in Tlalpan, where the Tec has operated since 1973.
• Guadalajara: the Universidad de Guadalajara and the private Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, as well as Spanish schools such as IMAC and the Guadalajara Language Center in nearby Tlaquepaque.
• Puebla: the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), which traces its history to 1578 and to the Colegio del Espíritu Santo founded in 1587, plus the Spanish Institute of Puebla and film schools such as CINEMA.
• Cuernavaca: a long-standing centre for Spanish immersion, with schools such as IDEAL and CICU, and the private Universidad Internacional (UNINTER).
• San Cristóbal de las Casas, San Miguel de Allende, Oaxaca and Mérida: smaller cities with Spanish schools such as Tierras Mayas, Instituto Jovel, the Academia Hispano Americana, Habla Hispana, the Instituto Cultural Oaxaca and the Spanish Institute of Merida.
• Hermosillo: the Universidad de Sonora, founded in 1942, with six campuses across the state.

Culture and practical life

Spain's foreign ministry currently advises travelling to Mexico with extreme caution and avoiding certain areas, so check the latest travel advice for the region where you will study. The hurricane season on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts runs from early June to late November, and dengue, chikungunya and Zika are most common in the rainy season from May to November, especially in southern states such as Chiapas and Oaxaca. Visitors without a visa are granted a stay of between 1 and 180 days, set by the migration officer on arrival, so students should never rely on a tourist entry for a course of study.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mexico a good place to learn Spanish?

Mexico has a wide choice of Spanish courses, from university programmes such as CEPE-UNAM in Mexico City to private schools in cities like Cuernavaca, Puebla, Guadalajara, Oaxaca and San Cristóbal de las Casas.

Do I need a visa to study in Mexico?

It depends on your nationality. Stays of more than 180 days require a visa, Mexican consulates issue a temporary resident student visa, and Spain's foreign ministry states that Spanish citizens need a visa to study in Mexico for any length of stay.

How do I get my foreign school certificate accepted?

Universities usually require it to be apostilled or legalised and revalidated by the Mexican education authorities, with an official translation if it is not in Spanish.

Are degree courses taught in Spanish?

Yes, most degree programmes are taught in Spanish, and universities ask foreign applicants to prove their command of the language.