Study and find schools in Spain

Studying in Spain

Spain combines a large public university system with a wide range of language schools, vocational centres and private colleges. The official language of the state is Spanish (castellano), and the Constitution makes the other Spanish languages co-official in their own autonomous communities, so some universities in Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Galicia and the Basque Country also teach in Catalan, Valencian, Galician or Basque.

According to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, official degrees were taught at 91 universities in the 2023-24 academic year: 50 public and 41 private. Together they had 1,762,459 students, and 11.4% of them were foreign nationals. The ministry counts 149,278 incoming international students, that is, students who travel to Spain to study at a university. Most foreign students on master's and doctoral programmes come from Latin America and the Caribbean, which makes Spain a natural choice for Spanish-speaking students who want a European qualification.

The education system in Spain

Spanish education is organised in several strands that matter to international students:

• Universities, public and private, offering bachelor's degrees (grado), master's degrees and doctorates
• Vocational training (FP), with intermediate (grado medio) and higher (grado superior) cycles and specialisation courses
• Language schools teaching Spanish as a foreign language, many of them private academies
• Primary and secondary schools, including international and bilingual schools

University degrees follow the European structure of three cycles: grado, master's and doctorate. Royal Decree 822/2021 sets bachelor's degrees at 240 ECTS credits, usually spread over four years of 60 credits each. Degrees subject to specific European rules can have 300 or 360 credits. An official master's degree (máster universitario) has 60, 90 or 120 credits, and a doctorate requires at least 300 credits from the two earlier cycles. In 2023-24, Spanish universities offered 3,322 bachelor's degrees, 4,049 master's degrees and 1,214 doctoral programmes, according to the ministry.

Universities also award their own qualifications (títulos propios), such as many professional master's programmes. These can be useful for a career, but they are not official degrees. Students who need an official qualification, for example for further study or a regulated profession, should check that the programme is a "grado" or "máster universitario" listed in the state register of universities, centres and degrees (RUCT).

Vocational training is run by the education authorities. The national portal TodoFP lists intermediate cycles (Ciclos de Grado Medio), higher cycles (Ciclos de Grado Superior) and specialisation courses by professional family. Higher FP is a common route for students who want practical training in fields such as tourism, business, health or design.

For language learners, the Instituto Cervantes runs an accreditation system for schools of Spanish as a foreign language. Accredited centres go through an evaluation that is repeated every three years. Examples in our directory include Academia Hispánica in Córdoba, founded in 1953, and Academia Berceo in Salamanca, which has taught Spanish since 1994; both are accredited by the Instituto Cervantes.

Admission and recognition of qualifications

Each university sets its own admission criteria and deadlines, and students apply directly to the university or universities they have chosen. For bachelor's degrees, many universities use UNEDasiss, a service of the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) that evaluates the academic records of international students and runs the subject tests needed to enter a degree. The resulting accreditation is then used in the university's own application. Planning ahead helps: academic documents usually have to be legalised and translated, and UNEDasiss advises applying to the universities within their deadlines even if the accreditation is still being processed.

Spanish students take the university entrance exam (PAU) after the bachillerato. International students with other secondary qualifications may need a recognition of their studies or specific tests, depending on the country where they studied; the university's admissions office and UNEDasiss explain what applies to each profile.

For master's degrees, admission depends on holding a bachelor's degree and meeting the requirements of each programme. Foreign university degrees can be recognised in Spain in three ways, set out in Royal Decree 889/2022:

• Homologación: needed to practise a regulated profession in Spain
• Declaración de equivalencia: confirms the academic level of a degree (grado or master's)
• Convalidación: recognises individual subjects so a student can continue a degree in Spain

Most programmes are taught in Spanish. Language requirements, in Spanish or in English for programmes taught in English, are set by each university and programme.

Student visa and residence

Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland do not need a student visa or a student stay permit. Other students need one for courses longer than 90 days. According to the Spanish Consulate General in London (page dated 15 September 2025), study stays of less than 90 days do not require a study visa, although some nationalities need a short-stay visa. The study visa covers higher education, post-compulsory secondary education, student mobility programmes, volunteering and certain training activities, including Spanish language courses.

The main requirements listed by the consulates are:

• Admission to an authorised centre for a full-time programme, and for higher education proof that enrolment fees have been paid
• Proof of financial means of at least 100% of IPREM, which the Universidad Complutense de Madrid gives as €600 for each month of study in 2026
• Health insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain, covering the same risks as the public system with no co-payments or waiting periods (travel insurance is not accepted)
• For stays over six months, a criminal record certificate and a medical certificate

Applications go to the Spanish consulate for the student's place of residence, at least two months before the studies start. Students who stay longer than six months must apply for a foreign national identity card (TIE) within one month of arriving in Spain. Requirements and fees differ slightly between consulates, so the page of the consulate where the application is made is the one to follow. Since 11 August 2026, according to the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, foreign students on official doctoral programmes apply for a residence permit for research instead of a student stay permit.

Costs and scholarships

Public universities charge public fees (precios públicos), set per credit by each autonomous community, so the cost of the same degree differs from region to region. The Organic Law on the University System of 2023 aims to reduce public fees and the differences between regions. Some universities publish separate fee tables for foreign students: the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, for example, lists "Precios para estudiantes extranjeros" next to its general prices per credit. Private universities, business schools and language schools set their own prices.

State scholarships exist for university students: in 2022-23, the average total award, including the tuition grant and financial support, was €3,687 for bachelor's students and €3,892 for master's students, according to the ministry. Eligibility conditions are set in each annual call.

For living costs, the visa rules give a minimum benchmark: the IPREM amount of €600 per month in 2026. Real costs depend mainly on the city and on housing.

Where to study in Spain

Madrid and Barcelona have the most schools in our directory, followed by Valencia, Málaga, Seville and Granada. Other cities with many schools include Zaragoza, Bilbao, Salamanca, Murcia, Córdoba and Valladolid.

• Madrid: the capital has the largest choice of universities, business schools, language schools and specialised colleges, such as the fashion school Academias ISA
• Barcelona: universities, language schools and international schools; examples include the Escola de l'IGOP of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the AESA Prep Academy of Barcelona, an American high school
• Valencia: a large university city on the Mediterranean, with language schools such as 2Day Languages
• Málaga, Seville, Granada and Córdoba: Andalusian cities with universities and many schools of Spanish for foreign students
• Salamanca: a smaller university city with several schools of Spanish, such as Academia Berceo

Each city page on SpainExchange lists the schools there, with links to their profiles.

Climate, health insurance and working while studying

Spain's climate varies a lot by region. In Madrid, the AEMET normals for 1981-2010 give an average temperature of 6.3 °C in January and 25.6 °C in July, with average July maximums of 32.1 °C. At Barcelona airport, on the coast, winters are milder and summers less hot: 9.2 °C in January and 23.9 °C in July.

For the visa, non-EU students need health insurance that matches the cover of the Spanish public system, without co-payments or waiting periods; travel insurance is not accepted.

Since the new immigration regulation came into force on 20 May 2025, students in higher education are automatically allowed to work up to 30 hours a week, employed or self-employed, as long as the work is compatible with their studies. For language courses this permission is not automatic and a separate work authorisation is needed. After graduating, students can apply for a residence permit to look for work, change to a work permit, or continue with further studies.

Frequently asked questions

How many universities are there in Spain?

In the 2023-24 academic year, official degrees were taught at 91 universities: 50 public and 41 private, according to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

Do I need a visa to study in Spain?

Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland do not. Other students need a study visa for courses longer than 90 days; for shorter courses, the normal entry rules for visitors apply.

How much money do I need to show for a Spanish student visa?

The minimum is 100% of IPREM, which equals €600 for each month of study in 2026. If accommodation for the whole stay has been paid in advance, that amount is deducted.

Can international students work in Spain?

Students in higher education can work up to 30 hours a week without a separate permit, as long as the work is compatible with their studies. Students on language courses need a separate work authorisation.

How long does a bachelor's degree take in Spain?

Most bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits and take four years, with 60 credits per year. Degrees subject to specific European rules can have 300 or 360 credits.

How do I get my foreign degree recognised in Spain?

Royal Decree 889/2022 sets three procedures: homologación (to practise a regulated profession), declaración de equivalencia (to confirm the academic level of a degree) and convalidación (to recognise subjects and continue studies in Spain).