Why Students Choose Spain as a Study Abroad Destination
Spain is one of the main countries in the Erasmus+ programme, both for receiving and for sending students, according to the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. This post looks at what students find in Spain: heritage, a widely spoken language, universities, the climate and daily life, exchange options, the right to work and the visa rules. Each point is taken from an official source checked in October 2026.
Parque del Retiro in Madrid
Culture and heritage
The Ministry of Culture’s list of World Heritage properties in Spain includes the Cave of Altamira, the Historic City of Toledo, the Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct, and the works of Gaudí in Barcelona. The Paseo del Prado and the Buen Retiro in Madrid are on the list as well. According to Madrid’s tourist office, El Retiro Park covers over 125 hectares and has more than 15,000 trees.
Many of these places are in or near university cities, so they can be visited on a free afternoon or a weekend trip. Food is part of the culture too. Spain’s tourist board describes tapas as a type of appetiser, usually enjoyed with beer, wine or another drink, and notes that several of them can take the place of a meal. The post on Spanish wine covers the wine regions.
A language with a wide reach
Studying in Spain is a way to learn Spanish in daily use. The Instituto Cervantes yearbook for 2025 puts the number of native speakers of Spanish at 520 million and the number of potential speakers at more than 630 million. It ranks the native Spanish-speaking community third in the world, after Mandarin Chinese and Hindi.
Students who want to study the language before or alongside a degree can compare Spanish language courses in Spain.
Universities
Spanish universities have a long history. The Universidad de Salamanca traces its origin to 1218, when King Alfonso IX of León created the schools from which it grew, and it describes itself as more than 800 years old.
In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027, which cover 2,297 institutions, the Universitat de Barcelona is in joint 143rd place, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona is 175th and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra is in joint 205th place. The post on universities in Spain and their English requirements gives the longer list, and the post on the Spanish education system explains how degrees are organised.
El Alcazar Castle in Segovia
Climate and daily life
According to Spain’s tourist board, the country has around 3,000 hours of sunshine every year. Temperatures are mildest in spring and autumn, and the highest temperatures are reached in July and August.
Smaller cities are within reach of the large ones. In Segovia, visitors to the Alcázar can climb the 152 steps of the spiral staircase in the Tower of Juan II for the view over the city. The city pages describe student life in each place, and the post on nightlife in Spain covers evenings out.
Exchanges and Erasmus+
Many students come to Spain for part of a degree. An Erasmus+ study period lasts from 2 to 12 months. Erasmus+ students do not pay fees for tuition, registration, examinations or access to laboratories and libraries at the receiving institution, although small charges for insurance or student union membership may apply. There is no central application form. Students apply through the international office of their home university.
The programme is large in Spain. The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities announced that Erasmus+ 2025 would fund mobility projects for 72,513 students and staff in higher education in Spain. Tuition fees for students who enrol directly differ by region, university and degree, so they are best checked with the university.
Working while studying
EU nationals generally do not need a work permit to work anywhere in the EU, as the Your Europe portal explains. For students from other countries, the immigration regulation approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024 says that a long-stay authorisation for higher education allows the holder to work, as an employee or self-employed, without a separate procedure, as long as the work is compatible with the studies. As a general rule the work may not exceed thirty hours a week.
Visa
EU citizens do not need a visa. For other nationalities, the rules published by the Spanish consulate in London are a good example of what consulates ask for. A study visa is needed for stays of more than 90 days. Study stays of less than 90 days do not require a study visa, although a short-stay visa may be needed depending on nationality.
- For higher education, applicants show proof that the registration or enrolment fees of the institution have been paid.
- They must prove sufficient financial means. The minimum is 100% of Spain’s IPREM indicator, and accommodation paid in advance is deducted.
- Medical insurance and, for adults, a criminal record certificate are part of the file.
Each consulate publishes its own list of documents and fees, so the consulate for the student’s place of residence is the one to follow.
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