Universities in Seville, Spain

Seville (Sevilla), the capital of Andalusia, had 689,423 registered residents on 1 January 2025, according to the Spanish statistics institute (INE). It has two public universities and a group of public and private higher schools of music, drama and design, so students can choose between university degrees and official higher arts education in the same city.

Spanish is the language of teaching at most institutions and of daily life, which suits international students who want to study in Spanish. The city also has a long tradition of hosting exchange and study abroad students.

What the universities and higher schools offer

The Universidad de Sevilla (US) traces its university status to 1505, when Pope Julius II allowed its founding college to award degrees in Theology, Philosophy, Law, Medicine and Arts. In the 2024-25 academic year, 4,302 international students took degree programmes at the US and 2,793 came on exchange programmes, according to the university. The Universidad Pablo de Olavide (UPO), founded in 1997, is a smaller public university with about 12,000 students and 38 bachelor's and double-degree programmes. Its campus lies less than 8 km from the centre and is linked to it by metro line 1.

The UPO's International Center (Centro Universitario Internacional), founded in 2002, runs programmes for students from other universities. Its Multidisciplinary Studies Programme for a semester or a year offers Spanish at six levels and classes taught in English in many subjects. The centre has been accredited by the Instituto Cervantes since 1 March 2008.

Higher arts education (enseñanzas artísticas superiores) is taught in separate centres:

• Conservatorio Superior de Música "Manuel Castillo": official higher music centre of the Andalusian Ministry of Education, with Erasmus exchanges every year
• Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático de Sevilla: one of three higher drama schools in Andalusia, training actors, playwrights and set designers
• EASD Sevilla: a public school whose origins go back to 1660, with degrees in interior design and graphic design
• Escuela Superior Sevilla de Moda (ESSDM) and Escuela de Diseño CEADE Leonardo: private design centres with degrees in fashion and graphic design

Higher design studies lead to the Título Superior de Diseño. They take four years of 60 credits each (240 credits) and are at level 2 of Spain's higher-education framework, equivalent to a university bachelor's degree, according to the EASD.

Admission for international students

For a bachelor's degree at a public university, students with foreign school qualifications often start with UNEDasiss, which assesses international students' records and runs the tests needed for admission. Applications to the public universities of Andalusia are made online through the Distrito Único Andaluz portal of the regional government, and the Universidad de Sevilla publishes specific admission information for foreign students. Arts schools hold their own entrance tests: at the music conservatory, registration is in May and the tests take place around the third week of June, with an extraordinary round in September for remaining places.

Costs

Tuition differs between public and private centres, so check each centre's enrolment page for the current fees. For visiting students, the UPO International Center publishes its own prices: in 2026-27 the Multidisciplinary Studies Programme costs €2,655 per semester, or €1,920 if the home university has an agreement with the UPO. A two-week intensive Spanish course in January 2027 (30 hours, 4 ECTS credits) costs €429.

A single TUSSAM city bus ticket costs €1.40, or €0.76 per trip with the rechargeable card of the Consorcio de Transportes de Andalucía (card deposit €1.50).

Practical tips

• Check the admission route and deadlines early: arts schools test candidates in June, universities follow the regional admission calendar
• Look for accommodation in time: the UPO lists host families, student residences and shared flats
• AVE, Avlo and long-distance trains from Madrid arrive at Sevilla Santa Justa, in the city centre
• Plan for the heat: at the AEMET Sevilla Airport station (normals for 1981-2010) the average is 28.2 °C in July, with average highs of 36.0 °C, and 10.9 °C in January

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Seville?

The two public universities are the Universidad de Sevilla, which has awarded degrees since the 16th century, and the Universidad Pablo de Olavide, founded in 1997. The city also has higher schools of music, drama and design.

Can I study in English at a university in Seville?

Most degrees are taught in Spanish. The UPO International Center's Multidisciplinary Studies Programme offers classes in English in many subjects alongside Spanish courses.

Is a higher design or music degree from Seville equivalent to a university degree?

Official higher arts studies are at the same level of the Spanish higher-education framework as a university bachelor's degree. For design, they lead to the Título Superior de Diseño after four years and 240 credits.