Engineering Science Schools and Programs in Spain

Engineering Science Studies in Spain

Engineering in Spain is taught mainly at universities, in schools of engineering (escuelas de ingeniería) that are often part of a technical university (universidad politécnica). The field is broad: industrial, mechanical, electrical, civil, telecommunications, aerospace, biomedical and computer engineering all lead to their own degrees. What makes Spain different from many countries is that several engineering professions are regulated by law, so the choice of degree decides which professional title you can hold later.

How engineering degrees are organised

Spanish university studies have three levels: a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits, normally four years; an official master's degree (máster universitario) of 60, 90 or 120 credits; and a doctorate. A search of the Ministry's Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT) for bachelor's degrees with "Ingeniería" in the title returns 860 records, so the offer is wide and spread across the country.

For the regulated professions the route has two steps:

• Bachelor's degree: an engineering grado designed to national requirements gives access to the profession of technical engineer, for example Ingeniero Técnico Industrial
• Qualifying master's degree: the full professional title, such as Ingeniero Industrial or Ingeniero Aeronáutico, is a regulated profession that requires the corresponding official master's degree; the total postgraduate training for it may not exceed 120 ECTS credits

Some universities combine both steps in a single track. The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), for example, links its bachelor's degree in industrial technologies with the master's in Industrial Engineering, its civil engineering degree with the master's in Ingeniería de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, and its telecommunications degree with the master's in Telecommunications Engineering. Universities also offer their own continuing-education master's programmes (máster de formación permanente), which are not the same as an official master's and do not give access to a regulated profession.

Where to study engineering

Barcelona and the Madrid region have the most engineering schools in our directory, followed by Valencia, the Basque Country, Navarra, Galicia and Murcia. Examples:

• Tecnun, the school of engineering of the Universidad de Navarra in San Sebastián, teaching since 1961, with degrees such as industrial technologies, mechanical, electrical and biomedical engineering
• Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona, with schools in Barcelona, Terrassa, Castelldefels and other towns, and continuing education through UPC School
• Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), which lists more than 90 master's options, including qualifying master's degrees, double master's and Erasmus Mundus programmes
• La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, a private campus focused on ICT engineering, architecture and business
• public universities such as the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Móstoles, the Universidad del País Vasco and the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, and private ones such as the Universidad de Deusto in Bilbao and the Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio near Madrid

Most engineering degrees are taught in Spanish. In Catalonia, the Valencian region, the Basque Country and Galicia part of the teaching can be in the co-official language, and some master's degrees are taught in English; the UPV, for instance, publishes which master's degrees have a compulsory language requirement for admission.

Admission, fees and recognition

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply through UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' records and runs the tests needed to enter Spanish bachelor's degrees. Public universities charge regulated prices per credit: at the UPC a first-time credit in a bachelor's degree costs 17.69 €, and 30.00 € for non-resident students who are not nationals of an EU member state (2026-27). Private universities set their own fees.

Engineers trained abroad who want to work in a regulated engineering profession in Spain need the homologación of their degree; a declaración de equivalencia only certifies the academic level of the degree (bachelor's or master's) and does not open a regulated profession.

Careers

Engineering graduates work in industry, energy, construction and infrastructure, telecommunications, transport, consulting and research. Practising a regulated profession such as Ingeniero Industrial requires the corresponding official degree, which is why many students in Spain continue to the qualifying master's after the bachelor's.

Frequently asked questions

Is a bachelor's degree enough to work as an engineer in Spain?

For many jobs, yes. A bachelor's degree designed for a regulated field gives access to the technical engineer profession, while titles such as Ingeniero Industrial or Ingeniero Aeronáutico require the corresponding official master's degree.

How long does it take to become an engineer in Spain?

A bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits, normally four years. A qualifying master's adds one or two more years, depending on the programme.

Can I study engineering in English in Spain?

Some master's degrees are taught in English, but most bachelor's degrees are taught in Spanish or a co-official language. Check the language requirement of each programme before applying.

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

Public prices are set per credit by each region. At the UPC in 2026-27 a first-time credit costs 17.69 €, or 30.00 € for non-resident students from outside the EU; private universities charge more.