Finance Schools and Programs in Barcelona, Spain

About Finance Schools and Programs in Barcelona, Spain

Finance covers how companies, banks, insurers and public bodies raise, invest and manage money: corporate finance, financial markets, banking, accounting, risk and, at the most mathematical end, actuarial science. Barcelona offers every level of study in the field, from a vocational qualification in administration and finance to bachelor's degrees in economics and business and specialised master's programmes at universities and business schools.

How finance studies are organised in Spain

Spanish bachelor's degrees (grados) generally have 240 ECTS credits, or four years of full-time study. Official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 credits, and a doctorate is open to students who have completed 300 credits across both stages. Finance is usually studied first through a degree in economics or business administration, followed by a specialised master's degree.

It is worth checking the type of qualification: an official master's degree (máster universitario) is listed in the national register of universities and degrees (RUCT), while many business-school masters are the school's own qualifications. Both can be useful for a career, so ask which one a programme leads to before you enrol.

In vocational training (FP), the higher qualification Técnico Superior en Administración y Finanzas lasts 2,000 hours. Entry requires, among other options, the bachillerato or an access test.

Where to study finance in Barcelona

• Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF): a public university whose official bachelor's degrees registered in RUCT include Economics, Business Administration and Management, and International Business Economics.
• Universitat Ramon Llull: its official degrees include the Bachelor in Business Administration and Management. Schools in our directory that belong to it include ESADE and La Salle.
• EAE Business School: its Máster en Finanzas (60 ECTS) is offered full time in Barcelona, in Spanish or in English.
• Stucom Centre d'estudis: a state-subsidised (concertada) centre that teaches the higher vocational qualification in Administration and Finance in Barcelona.

Other schools in our directory with finance-related programmes in the city include the UPF Barcelona School of Management (UPF-BSM), EU Business School Barcelona, UIBS / Barcelona Business School, Global Business School Barcelona and UPC School. For actuarial science specifically, the Universitat de Barcelona teaches the official Máster Universitario en Ciencias Actuariales y Financieras, listed in RUCT.

Not every programme of a school with a Barcelona campus is taught in the city. IESE's Master in Finance, for example, is taught in Madrid, with modules in New York and London, so check the campus of each programme.

Admission and recognition

If you finished secondary school outside Spain, access to a bachelor's degree usually starts with UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses the academic records of international students and runs the tests needed to enter Spanish universities. If you hold a foreign degree, a declaration of equivalence (declaración de equivalencia) certifies its academic level, while homologación is needed only for regulated professions.

Careers

University graduates work in banking, corporate finance departments, auditing, insurance, investment and financial consulting. The vocational qualification prepares for roles such as financial administrator, accounting administrator, or administrator in banking and insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study finance in English in Barcelona?

Yes. EAE Business School, for example, offers its Máster en Finanzas in Barcelona in English as well as in Spanish. Check the language of instruction of each programme before applying.

Is a business school master's in finance an official degree?

Not always. Official master's degrees appear in the RUCT register; many business-school programmes are the school's own qualifications. Ask the school which kind of qualification you will receive.

Where can I study actuarial science in Barcelona?

The Universitat de Barcelona teaches the official Máster Universitario en Ciencias Actuariales y Financieras, which is listed in RUCT.

Is there a vocational route into finance?

Yes. The 2,000-hour higher vocational qualification Técnico Superior en Administración y Finanzas prepares for administrative and financial roles in companies, banks and insurers.