Law Schools and Programs in Spain

Law Studies in Spain

Law is one of the most widely offered degrees in Spain: almost every public university and many private ones teach it, and it can also be studied by distance learning. The bachelor's degree gives a general grounding in Spanish, European and international law and is the starting point for careers as a lawyer, court representative (procurador), judge, notary or civil servant. Most programmes are taught in Spanish, which makes Spain an obvious option for students from Latin America.

How the Law degree is organised

Under Royal Decree 822/2021, Spanish bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees 60, 90 or 120 credits, followed by the doctorate. The bachelor's degree in Law (grado en Derecho) takes four years. At the Universidad de Salamanca, for example, the first year covers the basics (legal theory and history, Roman law, political economy and public finance, and introductions to constitutional, administrative, civil and criminal law). The second and third years are devoted to compulsory subjects, and in the fourth year students choose 30 elective credits to focus on judicial, private, public or business law, with the option of a work placement in a law firm or an institution.

Many universities offer double degrees that combine Law with Business Administration, International Relations, Political Science or Criminology. The reference for checking that a degree is officially recognised is the Ministry's Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT): a search for bachelor's degrees in Law returns 90 records, including some older curricula that are being phased out.

From graduate to lawyer: the master's and the aptitude exam

The bachelor's degree alone does not qualify you to practise as a lawyer (abogado) or procurador. Law 34/2006 requires, in addition to the Law degree, specialised training and a professional aptitude assessment to obtain the professional title. That training is taught as an officially recognised master's degree, and half of its content consists of external placements supervised by practitioners. The assessment tests practical training and knowledge of the rules of professional conduct, and it is called jointly by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Universities. The professional title allows registration with a bar association (colegio de abogados) or a colegio de procuradores. The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid sums it up on its degree page: the degree, together with the master's and the aptitude exam, qualifies graduates to practise as lawyers.

Where to study Law in Spain

Madrid and Barcelona have most of the schools, but every Spanish region has a law faculty. Some examples of official degrees listed in RUCT:

• Universidad Carlos III de Madrid: 4-year degree (240 credits) on the Getafe and Colmenarejo campuses, taught in Spanish; students must prove B2-level English before they graduate
• Universidad de Navarra (Pamplona): official degree of 240 credits over 4 years, on campus, in Spanish, with 300 places
• Universidad de Salamanca: 4-year degree organised in one-semester courses
• IE Universidad: degree listed in RUCT under the English name Bachelor of Laws
• Other public universities: Complutense de Madrid, Autónoma de Madrid, Alcalá, Sevilla, Granada, Murcia, Oviedo, Santiago de Compostela, León, Burgos, Cantabria and La Rioja, among many others
• Other private universities: Deusto, CEU San Pablo, CUNEF Universidad, Antonio de Nebrija, Alfonso X El Sabio, Católica de Valencia and Internacional de Catalunya
• Distance learning: Universidad a Distancia de Madrid (UDIMA)

In Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Galicia and the Basque Country some classes may be taught in the co-official language, so check the language of each course. After the bachelor's degree, besides the master's for access to the legal profession, there are specialised official master's degrees such as the Master in International Advocacy at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid or the master's in Banking and Securities Law (Abogacía Bancaria y Bursátil) at CUNEF Universidad.

Admission for international students

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply for an accreditation from UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' records and runs the specific subject tests. With it they apply to each university within its own deadlines; UNEDasiss advises checking the admission criteria with the chosen university, as they depend on previous studies and the country of origin. Private universities usually add their own admission process.

Recognition of the qualification

Royal Decree 889/2022 sets three procedures for foreign qualifications: homologación, which gives access to a regulated profession in Spain; declaración de equivalencia, which certifies the academic level (bachelor's or master's); and convalidación, which allows a student to continue university studies. Law graduates from abroad who want to practise in Spain should find out which procedure applies to them. Likewise, students who take a Spanish degree and want to practise at home will need to go through their own country's recognition process, because the degree mainly teaches Spanish and European law.

Careers

The Universidad de Salamanca lists the main career paths: practising as a lawyer or procurador (with the access master's), the justice system (judges, public prosecutors and other court staff), the national, regional and local civil service (state attorneys, tax or labour inspectors, the diplomatic service, international organisations), notaries and land registrars, and legal advice in private companies. Careers in the civil service require passing competitive public examinations (oposiciones).

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study Law in Spain?

The bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years, as at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid or the Universidad de Navarra.

Can I practise as a lawyer in Spain with just the bachelor's degree?

No. Law 34/2006 also requires an official master's degree for access to the profession, with external placements, and a professional aptitude assessment. The resulting professional title allows registration as a lawyer or procurador.

Can I study Law in Spain in English?

Most Law degrees are taught in Spanish. Some private universities have degrees with English names, such as IE Universidad's Bachelor of Laws listed in RUCT; check the actual language of instruction with each university.

How do international students get into a Law degree?

Most apply for an UNEDasiss accreditation, which assesses their secondary school record, and then apply to the universities of their choice within each one's deadlines.