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Athletics and exercise science Schools and Programs in Spain

38 schools in Spain teach Athletics and exercise science.

Athletic Training

Programs in health sciences at SLU-Madrid are recognized across the United States and around the world for their quality. SLU-Madrid provides students with opportunities to gain knowledge in the area of global health care. Athletic trainers are health care professionals who work with physicians to improve activity of clients, athletes and patients. The program covers management of athletic injury, injury prevention, injury assessment, rehabilitation, administrative duties and professional development. The Athletic Training program provides the opportunity to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a Master of Athletic Training degree, this is achieved through two years of study at SLU-Madrid and followed by three years of study at the St. Louis campus.
Level: Undergraduate Bachelors  
Language of instruction: English  
Location: Madrid

Athletics and exercise science Studies in Spain

Sport and exercise science is taught in Spain as a four-year university degree, the bachelor's degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (grado en Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte, usually shortened to CAFyD). It prepares graduates to teach physical education, plan training, design exercise programmes for health and manage sports facilities. Below university level, official vocational training (FP) courses train fitness instructors, personal trainers and sports activity leaders.

How the degree is organised

Under Royal Decree 822/2021, Spanish bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees 60, 90 or 120 credits. The CAFyD degree follows that pattern: four years and 240 credits. The Universidad de Granada, which starts a new version of its degree in the 2026-27 academic year, groups the professional skills into four areas: sports training, teaching physical activity and sport, promoting physical activity and quality of life, and sports management and recreation. Its degree is taught on campus in Spanish and English, with 200 first-year places.

The skills that universities build into these degrees come from a 2018 resolution of the Council of Universities (Resolución de 18 de septiembre de 2018). According to the Universidad de Granada, they include educational work in secondary schools, exercise programmes for prevention and health, planning and directing sports training, and the management of sports facilities and services.

Vocational training (FP) in physical activity and sport

The Ministry's TodoFP portal lists the vocational family of Physical and Sports Activities (Actividades Físicas y Deportivas). Its main official qualifications are:

  • Técnico Superior en Acondicionamiento Físico (higher-level FP, 2,000 hours): fitness training in gyms and aquatic facilities, group classes and personal training
  • Técnico Superior en Enseñanza y Animación Sociodeportiva (higher-level FP, 2,000 hours): teaching sports, sports leisure and coordination of activities in tourism, schools and public or private facilities
  • Técnico en Guía en el Medio Natural y de Tiempo Libre (intermediate FP): guiding outdoor activities and leisure time
  • Técnico en Actividades Ecuestres (intermediate FP): equestrian activities

These shorter, practical courses lead to jobs such as personal trainer or sports activities coordinator.

Where to study sport science in Spain

A search of the Ministry's Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT) for the CAFyD bachelor's degree returns 68 records, including older curricula being phased out. Madrid and Barcelona have the most schools in our directory, followed by León, Murcia and Valencia. Some examples with an official degree in RUCT:

  • Madrid region: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad de Alcalá, Universidad Camilo José Cela and Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio
  • Catalonia: Universitat Ramon Llull, Universitat de Lleida, Universitat de Girona and Universidad de Vic-Universidad Central de Catalunya
  • Valencia and Murcia: Universidad Católica de Valencia (on campus, in Spanish, in Torrent and Xàtiva), Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Universidad de Alicante, Universidad de Murcia and UCAM, which lists its degree in RUCT under the English name Bachelor in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences
  • Andalusia: Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Sevilla and Universidad de Cádiz
  • Other regions: Universidad de León, Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes (Valladolid), Universidad Católica de Ávila, Universidad de Extremadura, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Universidad de Zaragoza, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Universidade da Coruña and Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  • Distance learning: Universidad Internacional Isabel I de Castilla

Most degrees are taught in Spanish. In Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Galicia and the Basque Country some courses may be taught in the co-official language, so check the course guide before you enrol.

Admission and recognition

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply for an accreditation from UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' records and runs the tests needed to enter Spanish bachelor's degrees. They then apply to each university within its own deadlines.

For holders of a foreign degree, Royal Decree 889/2022 provides homologación (access to a regulated profession in Spain), declaración de equivalencia (which certifies the academic level, bachelor's or master's) and convalidación (recognition of courses to continue studying in Spain).

Costs and visa

Public universities charge the fees set by each autonomous community; private universities set their own. Students from outside the EU who will study for more than 90 days need a student visa from the Spanish consulate. Among other requirements, they must show means equal to 100% of the IPREM, which the Universidad Complutense de Madrid gives as €600 per month of study in 2026, and health insurance with no co-payments or waiting periods.

Careers

Graduates work as physical education teachers, coaches and fitness trainers, in exercise programmes for health and for older people or people with disabilities, in sports management, and in sports tourism and recreation. To teach physical education in Spanish secondary schools you also need the official teacher-training master's degree of 60 credits.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a sport science degree take in Spain?

The bachelor's degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences takes four years and 240 ECTS credits.

Can I study sport science in English in Spain?

A few universities teach part of the degree in English: the Universidad de Granada lists Spanish and English as teaching languages, and UCAM registers an English-named Bachelor in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. Most degrees are taught in Spanish.

What is the difference between the CAFyD degree and FP in fitness?

The CAFyD degree is a four-year university qualification that also gives access to master's degrees and teaching. The higher-level FP in Acondicionamiento Físico is a 2,000-hour vocational course focused on fitness training and personal training.

Can I become a PE teacher with this degree?

Yes, for secondary schools, after the official 60-credit teacher-training master's degree.