Medicine Schools and Programs in Spain

Medicine Studies in Spain

Medicine in Spain is a single, long undergraduate degree that leads directly to a regulated profession. Students enter after secondary school, study for six years and graduate with an official bachelor's degree (grado) in Medicine. To work as a specialist in the Spanish public health system, graduates then compete in a national selection exam and train as residents in a hospital or health centre.

How the medicine degree is organised

Spanish university degrees normally have 240 ECTS credits. Medicine is one of the exceptions: the national rules for degrees that qualify for the profession of doctor (médico) set a length of 360 ECTS credits, which universities spread over six academic years. The same rules describe medicine as a regulated profession, so only an official degree that meets these requirements gives access to it.

The curriculum is built around compulsory modules set at national level:

• Morphology, structure and function of the human body
• Social medicine, communication skills and introduction to research
• Human clinical training (the medical and surgical specialties)
• Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
• Supervised clinical rotations and a final-year project (trabajo fin de grado)

The final block consists of pre-professional placements in the form of an independent clinical rotation in health centres and hospitals, with a final assessment of competences. The CEU San Pablo, for example, describes its degree as an official six-year, 360-ECTS programme with clinical placements in hospitals.

Where to study medicine in Spain

The Registro de Universidades, Centros y Títulos (RUCT), the ministry's register of official degrees, lists the bachelor's degree in Medicine at public and private universities across the country. Madrid and Barcelona have the largest choice, followed by Murcia and Valencia. Examples from our directory include:

• Madrid region: Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad de Alcalá, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Universidad Europea de Madrid and Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio
• Catalonia: Universitat de Barcelona, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Universitat de Lleida and Universitat Rovira i Virgili
• Valencia and Murcia: Universitat de València, Universidad Católica de Valencia, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Universidad de Murcia and UCAM
• Other regions: Universidad de Salamanca, Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Sevilla, Universidad de Navarra, Universidad de Oviedo, Universidad de Zaragoza and Universidad de Santiago de Compostela

The Universidad de Navarra's Faculty of Medicine held its first class in October 1954 and works closely with the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, according to the faculty. Teaching is mostly in Spanish. In Catalonia, the Valencia region, Galicia and the Basque Country, some subjects may also be taught in the regional language, so check the teaching guide of each course. Clinical placements always involve contact with Spanish-speaking patients, so a good command of Spanish is essential.

Admission for international students

Places in medicine are limited and admission is competitive. Students with a secondary-school qualification from outside Spain usually apply through UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses the academic records of international students and runs the tests they need to enter bachelor's degrees at Spanish universities. With that accreditation, students then apply for a place at each university within its own deadlines. Private universities often add their own process: the CEU San Pablo, for example, requires a specific admission test on top of the general university entrance requirements.

Students from outside the EU who come for more than 90 days need a student visa from the Spanish consulate in their country. Among other requirements, they must show financial means equal to 100% of the IPREM, which the Universidad Complutense gives as €600 for each month of study in 2026. Students in higher education may work up to 30 hours a week if the job is compatible with their studies.

After graduation: residency and recognition

The degree qualifies graduates for the profession of doctor, but specialist training follows a separate route. Access to specialist training is through an annual national selection exam for training places in health specialties, commonly known as the MIR. Successful candidates then train as residents in accredited centres until they obtain the specialist title.

Doctors who trained abroad and want to practise in Spain need homologación, the procedure that qualifies a foreign degree for a regulated profession in Spain. It is governed by Real Decreto 889/2022. Nationals of the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland with an official qualification for a regulated profession can instead apply for recognition under Directive 2005/36/EC.

Careers

Most graduates go on to specialist training in a hospital or primary-care specialty. Others move into biomedical research, often with a doctorate, public health, teaching or the pharmaceutical industry.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study medicine in Spain?

The bachelor's degree in Medicine has 360 ECTS credits and takes six years. Most graduates then spend several more years in specialist training as residents.

Can international students study medicine in Spain?

Yes. Students with foreign school qualifications usually obtain an accreditation from UNEDasiss and then apply to each university. Places are limited, and private universities may set their own admission test.

Is medicine taught in English in Spain?

Teaching is mostly in Spanish, and clinical placements take place with Spanish-speaking patients. Check the language of instruction with each university before applying.

What is the MIR?

It is the annual national exam for access to specialist training places in the health sciences. The result determines which specialty and hospital a graduate can choose for residency.