Physics Schools and Programs in Spain

Physics Studies in Spain

Physics studies matter, energy and the laws behind natural phenomena, from subatomic particles to the universe as a whole. In Spain it is taught as a four-year bachelor's degree at public universities in almost every region, with specialised master's degrees and a doctorate for those who want to do research. Teaching is mainly in Spanish, although there are groups and degrees taught in English.

How the degree is organised

The bachelor's degree in Physics (grado en Física) is an official qualification of 240 ECTS credits spread over four years. At the UNED, for example, the first year is basic training (60 ECTS), the second and third years consist of compulsory subjects, and the fourth combines compulsory subjects, 20 ECTS of electives and a 10-ECTS final project (Trabajo Fin de Grado). The core subjects are mathematical methods, mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, optics, quantum physics, statistical mechanics, nuclear and particle physics and solid-state physics, with experimental techniques and computational physics throughout the programme.

The Universidad de Salamanca describes its first year as a way for students to consolidate and level out what they learned at upper-secondary school (bachillerato). There are also more technology-oriented variants: the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid teaches a bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics (240 credits, 35 places, Leganés campus) entirely in English, focusing on fields such as nanotechnology, quantum technologies and biomaterials.

After the bachelor's degree, an official master's degree usually takes one year of 60 ECTS. The Master in Theoretical Physics at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid is taught in English, has 35 places and costs about €2,736 for first enrolment (€5,079 for non-EU students who are not resident). The Universidad de Sevilla points its graduates to master's degrees in Nuclear Physics, Microelectronics or Science and Technology of New Materials, and the secondary teacher-training master's opens the way to teaching.

Admission, language and costs

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply through UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' academic records and runs the tests needed to enter a bachelor's degree. The application for admission is then made to each university within its own deadlines. Places are limited and cut-off marks are high: the Universidad de Salamanca offers 55 places in 2026-27 and its last cut-off mark, in July 2025, was 11.990; the Universidad de Murcia has 60 places and a cut-off mark of 11.569 for 2025-26. The Universidad de Sevilla offers 90 places and received 204 first-choice applications in 2025-26.

Most degrees are taught in Spanish. The Universidad Complutense de Madrid offers a group taught in English, the Universidad de Sevilla lists Spanish and English as the languages of the degree, and UC3M asks for B2-level English for its Engineering Physics degree. The UNED allows distance study, although each experimental-techniques subject requires at least 40 hours of attendance at an associated centre or at the main campus. To graduate, the UNED also requires students to pass an official English level test.

At public universities fees are set per credit and vary by region. The Universidad de Sevilla charges €12.62 per credit and, from the second year onwards, applies a 99% reduction on the credits passed in the previous year.

Where to study Physics in Spain

Among the schools listed for this subject, Barcelona has the most: the Universitat de Barcelona, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, plus the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in nearby Bellaterra. In the Community of Madrid there are the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Cantoblanco), the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, the Universidad de Alcalá and the UNED. Public universities in Murcia, Granada, Seville, Salamanca, Valladolid, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, Oviedo, Santander (Universidad de Cantabria), Zaragoza, Valencia, Alicante, Badajoz (Universidad de Extremadura), Palma (Universitat de les Illes Balears) and La Laguna complete the list, along with the three campuses of the Universidad del País Vasco.

Recognition of the qualification

An official Spanish bachelor's degree is valid throughout the country. Physics is not a regulated profession in Spain, so a foreign Physics degree is not formally recognised through homologación. According to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, homologación only grants access to a regulated profession; for other qualifications applicants can request a declaration of equivalence, which is processed only online. To enter a master's, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid asks applicants who studied outside Spain for the average-grade equivalence issued by the ministry.

Careers

According to the Universidad de Sevilla, most Physics graduates find jobs in industry, laboratories, research centres and educational institutions. The fields it names include energy production, meteorology and the environment, new materials, optics, biophysics, computing and consultancy. The Universidad de Salamanca adds teaching, public administration (radiophysics, meteorology, statistics), physics applied to medical instrumentation, and banking, finance and insurance.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Physics degree take in Spain?

The bachelor's degree takes four years and 240 ECTS credits. Students who want to specialise or do research usually add a 60-ECTS master's and then a doctorate.

Can I study Physics in English in Spain?

Partly. The Universidad Complutense de Madrid offers a group taught in English, the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid teaches its Engineering Physics degree entirely in English with B2-level English recommended, and the Master in Theoretical Physics at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid is taught in English.

Can I study Physics in Spain by distance learning?

The UNED teaches the degree at a distance, but each experimental-techniques subject requires at least 40 hours of attendance at an associated centre or at the university's main campus.

What is the cut-off mark for Physics?

It varies by university and year. For reference, it was 11.990 at the Universidad de Salamanca (July 2025) and 11.569 at the Universidad de Murcia (2025-26).