Public universities in Barcelona

Barcelona has one of the widest choices of higher education in Spain. The city has public and private universities, an online university, business schools and centres for music, the arts and design. Canal Universitats, the Catalan government's university portal, brings together the official bachelor's and master's degrees of the 12 Catalan universities in a single search tool.

Catalan and Spanish are both official languages in Catalonia, according to the Generalitat de Catalunya. Courses may be taught in Catalan, Spanish or English, and the language can change from subject to subject.

What the universities in Barcelona offer

The Universitat de Barcelona (UB), the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) are the public universities in the city. Several schools are attached to them: ESCI-UPF, for example, teaches its bachelor's degree in International Business and Marketing (Grado en Negocios y Marketing Internacionales) entirely in English.

Among the private universities, the Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) was approved by the Parliament of Catalonia in 1991 and brings together institutions such as IQS, Blanquerna, La Salle and Esade. The Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC Barcelona) has campuses in Barcelona and Sant Cugat, and the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU is also based in the city. The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has been a fully online university since 1995 and reports 97,500 students; it also offers programmes taught in English.

Barcelona is a major centre for business education. IESE Business School has been active since 1958, and other schools such as EADA, EAE Business School and ESADE are based in the city. Business schools often combine official degrees with their own qualifications: EADA, for example, offers a bachelor's degree in business administration (Global BBA), an official master's degree (Master Universitario en Gestión Empresarial) and its own MBA programmes, one of them bilingual.

Higher education in music, drama and design is also taught in specialised centres. The Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC) awards the Grado en Enseñanzas Artísticas Superiores de Música, with specialisations ranging from composition to jazz and traditional music. The Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu offers a higher music degree (Grau Superior de Música) and official master's degrees.

Admission for international students

The public universities admit new bachelor's students through a single pre-registration (preinscripció) on the Catalan government's university access portal. If you come from an EU education system or a country with a reciprocity agreement (the list includes China, Colombia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom), you need the UNEDasiss accreditation, which gives an access mark between 5 and 10. You can raise that mark by taking subjects of the admission phase of the PAU or the UNEDasiss specific competence tests (PCE). Students from other systems, including most of Latin America, first need to have their secondary school qualification recognised (homologación) as equivalent to the Spanish bachillerato.

From 2027, the extraordinary sitting of the PAU in Catalonia moves from September to July, according to Canal Universitats. Private universities and the UOC run their own admission process, which usually includes academic aptitude tests and, in some cases, a personal interview. Music and arts centres hold their own entrance exams.

Tuition fees

At the public universities, the Catalan government sets the price per credit each year. For the 2026-27 academic year, a first enrolment in a bachelor's degree at the UB, UAB, UPC, UPF or the other public universities in Catalonia costs €17.69 per credit, so a full year of 60 ECTS credits comes to about €1,060, plus administrative fees. Official master's degrees cost €19.37 per credit, or €17.69 for master's degrees that lead to regulated professions. At the UOC a bachelor's credit costs €20.42. Affiliated centres and private universities set their own prices, so check each school's website.

Practical tips

• Check whether a master's is an official degree (máster universitario) or the school's own qualification before you enrol
• The T-jove public transport pass for under-30s gives 90 days of unlimited travel in all fare zones for €45.50, according to TMB

Frequently asked questions

Can I study at a university in Barcelona in English?

Yes, for some programmes; others are taught mainly in Catalan or Spanish. ESCI-UPF teaches its business bachelor's degree entirely in English, the UOC has programmes taught in English, and many business school master's are in English.

How much does a public university in Barcelona cost?

In 2026-27 a first enrolment in a bachelor's degree costs €17.69 per credit, or about €1,060 for 60 ECTS credits, plus administrative fees. Private universities set their own fees.

What do I need to apply from abroad?

Students from the EU or countries with reciprocity need the UNEDasiss accreditation; students from other systems must first have their secondary school qualification recognised. Then you pre-register on the Catalan access portal; private universities have their own process.