Biotechnology Schools and Programs in Spain

Biotechnology Studies in Spain

Biotechnology uses living organisms, cells and biological molecules to create useful products and processes for medicine, agriculture, food, industry and the environment. In Spain it is mainly studied as a four-year university bachelor's degree (grado), followed by a master's degree or a doctorate for specialisation. Public and private universities in many regions offer it, and teaching is mostly in Spanish.

What you study

The Universidad de Murcia describes biotechnology as the study of living organisms to create or modify products or processes of value to humans. The degree is multidisciplinary: it combines cell biology, biochemistry, physiology, genetics and microbiology with engineering, chemistry and biostatistics. Later years add subjects such as genetic engineering, bioinformatics, bioreactors, genomics and proteomics, alongside business management, ethics and patents.

It is a demanding science degree. According to the Universidad de Salamanca, its programme is aimed at students with a strong academic record and a good background in biology, mathematics, physics and chemistry.

How the degree is organised

The bachelor's degree in Biotechnology (grado en Biotecnología) is an official degree of 240 ECTS credits over four years. The Universidad de Salamanca has taught it since the 2009-10 academic year and splits the credits into 60 of basic training, 141 compulsory, 27 elective and 12 for the final-year project; through the electives, students can lean towards health, agriculture or engineering. At the Universidad de Murcia the degree is taught in the Faculty of Biology, on campus and in Spanish.

Several universities combine it with a second degree: the Universidad de Salamanca and the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria offer a double degree in Biotechnology and Pharmacy. Practical training carries a lot of weight. The Universidad CEU San Pablo advertises more than 1,300 hours of practical work in laboratories, companies or research centres, and at the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria the final year includes 12 credits of external work placements.

After the grado comes an official master's degree and, for a research career, a doctorate. The Universidad de Salamanca points its graduates to master's degrees such as Agrobiotechnology, Cancer Biology and Clinical Oncology, Cell and Molecular Biology, or Drug Evaluation and Development.

Admission and language

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. Public places are limited and demand is high: the Universidad de Murcia offers 60 first-year places, and its cut-off mark for the 2025-26 academic year was 11.232.

Private universities run their own selection. The Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, in Pozuelo de Alarcón, uses a personal interview, a skills test and a review of the academic record; the tests cost €80. Most degrees are taught in Spanish; at the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria some subjects, such as the integrated laboratory courses, are taught in English.

Where to study Biotechnology in Spain

In our directory, Madrid and Barcelona have the most schools, followed by Murcia. The Madrid region mixes public and private universities: schools with biotechnology studies include the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Cantoblanco), the Universidad CEU San Pablo, the Universidad Europea de Madrid (Villaviciosa de Odón) and the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria. In Catalonia they include the Universitat de Barcelona, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, the Universidad de Vic and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona.

Elsewhere, public universities with biotechnology studies are found in Salamanca, Granada, Murcia, Jaén, León, Oviedo, Santiago de Compostela, Zaragoza, Cádiz, Seville, Elche (Universidad Miguel Hernández), La Laguna on Tenerife and the Basque Country (Universidad del País Vasco). There are also Catholic universities in Ávila and Valencia.

Recognition of the degree

An official Spanish grado is valid throughout Spain. Biotechnology is not a regulated profession in Spain, so a foreign degree in this field is not "homologated". According to the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, homologation (homologación) only gives access to a regulated profession; for other qualifications, students can apply for a declaration of equivalence (declaración de equivalencia). The application is handled only online, through the ministry's electronic office.

Careers

The Universidad de Salamanca groups career paths into several profiles. Health biotechnology covers diagnostics, new therapeutic targets and vaccines, the biopharmaceutical industry and research centres. A biomedical and bioanalytical profile leads to hospitals and laboratories, with access to BIR training in hospitals. Industrial biotechnology covers process design and control, quality, patents and technology transfer, and agricultural biotechnology focuses on crop improvement. The Universidad Francisco de Vitoria adds clinical trial design and monitoring, management of biotech companies, intellectual property advice and teaching.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Biotechnology degree take in Spain?

The bachelor's degree takes four years and has 240 ECTS credits. Many graduates then take an official master's degree or a doctorate to specialise.

Can I study Biotechnology in English in Spain?

Teaching is mostly in Spanish. Some universities, such as the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, teach part of the subjects in English, so check the language of each programme.

What grade do I need to get into Biotechnology?

It depends on the university and the year. As a reference, the cut-off mark at the Universidad de Murcia was 11.232 for the 2025-26 academic year, with 60 first-year places.

Can I work in a hospital with a Biotechnology degree?

Yes, mainly in diagnostic and biomedical research laboratories. The Universidad de Salamanca also mentions access to BIR training in hospitals.