Electronic Engineering Schools and Programs in Spain

Electronic Engineering Studies in Spain

Electronic engineering covers the design of analogue, digital and power electronic circuits and systems, electronic instrumentation and control systems. In Spain there is no single degree with that name. Electronics is studied mainly within two families of degrees: the industrial branch (industrial electronics and automation) and the telecommunications branch (communications or telecommunication electronics). The choice between the two largely decides which regulated profession the degree leads to.

How the degree is organised

Like every Spanish bachelor's degree (grado), electronic engineering degrees have 240 ECTS credits and last four years, under Royal Decree 822/2021. What sets them apart is the regulated profession they qualify for:

• Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering: degrees that follow Orden CIN/351/2009 qualify graduates for the profession of ingeniero técnico industrial (industrial technical engineer). The curriculum includes a 60-credit block of basic training, a 60-credit block common to the industrial branch and a specific technology block that, for industrial electronics, covers analogue, digital and power electronics, microprocessors, electronic instrumentation and automatic control
• Communications or Telecommunication Electronics Engineering: degrees that follow Orden CIN/352/2009 qualify graduates for the profession of ingeniero técnico de telecomunicación, with the electronic systems specialisation, which focuses on circuits and devices for transmission, routing and terminals

After the bachelor's degree, the Máster en Ingeniería Industrial qualifies graduates for the profession of ingeniero industrial; Orden CIN/311/2009 requires the bachelor's and master's together to total at least 300 credits. There are also specialised official master's degrees, for example in electronic systems, mechatronics or industrial automation and computing.

For a shorter, more practical route, vocational training (FP) in the Electricity and Electronics professional family includes higher-level cycles (grado superior) such as Técnico Superior en Mantenimiento Electrónico, Técnico Superior en Automatización y Robótica Industrial and Técnico Superior en Sistemas de Telecomunicaciones e Informáticos.

Where to study electronic engineering in Spain

Barcelona has the most schools in our directory for this subject, followed by Madrid and Valencia. A search for "Electrónica" in the official register of universities, centres and degrees (RUCT) returns 66 bachelor's degree records, including current programmes and some that are being phased out. Some examples:

• Universidad Carlos III de Madrid: bachelor's degree in Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering on the Leganés campus, taught bilingually or in Spanish; students must certify a B2 level of English before they finish
• Universitat Politècnica de València: bachelor's degree in Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering on the València campus, with 140 places in the 2026-27 academic year and specialisations in electronics, electricity, industrial computing, automation or robotics
• Universidad Politécnica de Madrid: degrees in Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering and in Communications Electronics Engineering
• Barcelona: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Universitat de Barcelona and Universitat Ramon Llull, with degrees in Telecommunication Electronics Engineering
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Universidad de Alcalá: degree in Communications Electronics Engineering
• Andalusia: Universidad de Sevilla and Universidad de Cádiz (Industrial Electronics Engineering), and Universidad de Málaga, which also offers a degree in Electronics, Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering jointly with the Universidad de Sevilla
• Elsewhere: Universidad de Zaragoza, Universidad de Valladolid, Universidad de Vigo, Universidad de Oviedo, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche and Universidad de La Laguna

Most teaching is in Spanish. In Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Galicia and the Basque Country some subjects may be taught in the co-official language, and some universities offer groups taught in English.

Admission and costs

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply first to UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses the academic records of international students and runs the subject-specific tests needed to enter Spanish bachelor's degrees. They then apply for a place at each university. Places are limited: at the Universitat Politècnica de València, the cut-off mark for the 2026-27 academic year was 10.92. Public universities charge per credit; for the same UPV degree, one credit costs €17.34 in 2026-27.

Recognition and careers

For foreign qualifications, Royal Decree 889/2022 distinguishes homologación, which gives access to a regulated profession in Spain (such as ingeniero técnico industrial), from a declaration of equivalence, which only certifies the academic level of the qualification (bachelor's or master's).

According to the UPV, graduates can design control and automation systems, embedded and robotic systems and electronic instruments, sign certifications and expert reports, work freelance in consultancies, or work in public administration, R&D or teaching. The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid lists fields such as process automation, electronic energy management, robotics, renewable energy, electric transport and home automation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between industrial electronics and telecommunication electronics?

Industrial electronics degrees qualify graduates for the profession of ingeniero técnico industrial (Orden CIN/351/2009), and communications or telecommunication electronics degrees for that of ingeniero técnico de telecomunicación (Orden CIN/352/2009). The first focus on automation and power electronics; the second on electronic systems for communications.

How long is an electronic engineering degree in Spain?

Four years and 240 ECTS credits. To work as an ingeniero industrial you also need the qualifying master's degree, for a total of at least 300 credits.

Can I study electronic engineering in English in Spain?

Partly. The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid offers its bachelor's degree in Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering in a bilingual mode, and the degree is listed in the RUCT with its English name as well.

How much does an electronic engineering degree cost at a public university?

It depends on the region. As a reference, at the Universitat Politècnica de València one credit costs €17.34 in the 2026-27 academic year, and a full year has 60 credits.