Universities in Spain

Spain's university sector is large and mostly public. 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. Public universities enrolled 74.3% of all university students, and the same report counts 149,278 incoming international students. This page lists the universities in the ministry's register (RUCT) that have a profile in our directory.

Faculties and schools that belong to a university, centres affiliated to one, business schools, higher arts education centres such as conservatoires of music and dance, and foreign universities with a campus in Spain are listed separately under higher education centres in Spain.

How university degrees work

Spanish degrees follow the three cycles of the European Higher Education Area: grado (bachelor's degree), máster and doctorado. Royal Decree 822/2021 sets bachelor's degrees at 240 ECTS credits, organised in 60 credits per year, so most last four years. The only exceptions are degrees that European rules require to have 300 or 360 credits. Official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 credits, and access to a doctorate requires 300 credits of prior university study.

Universities can also award their own qualifications (títulos propios), such as many master's programmes and continuing education courses. The decree requires that their names and presentation must not cause confusion with official degrees. Official grados, másteres and doctorates are recorded in the ministry's Registro de Universidades, Centros y Títulos (RUCT), which is the place to check whether a programme is official.

Official bachelor's degrees can be taught in person, in hybrid form or online.

Higher arts education (enseñanzas artísticas superiores) runs alongside the universities. The Conservatorio Superior de Danza de València, a public centre, awards the Título de Grado en Enseñanzas Artísticas Superiores de Danza after four years, placed at level 2 of the Spanish framework for higher education qualifications (MECES).

Admission for international students

You apply to each university within the deadlines it sets. Students with a school-leaving qualification from another country usually need UNEDasiss, a service that assesses international students' academic records and runs the tests they need to access bachelor's degrees at Spanish universities. Documents normally have to be legalised and translated. UNEDasiss advises applying for admission on time even if your accreditation has not been issued yet.

If you want a foreign degree to have formal effect in Spain, for example to start a master's or to work, the ministry distinguishes three procedures:

• homologación, needed to practise a regulated profession in Spain
• declaración de equivalencia, which certifies the academic level of a degree (grado or máster)
• convalidación, which recognises individual subjects so you can continue university studies

Check the language of instruction of each programme and any language level the university asks for.

Student visa and work

Students from outside the EU who stay for more than 90 days need a study visa from the Spanish consulate in their country of residence. University studies qualify when taught in person or in hybrid form. Consulates ask for proof of admission, proof of financial means of at least 100% of the IPREM (€600 for each month of study in 2026) and full health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, with no co-payments; travel insurance is not accepted. Students in higher education may work up to 30 hours a week, as long as the job is compatible with their studies.

Costs and funding

At public universities, tuition fees are public prices charged per ECTS credit. Each regional government sets them, so they differ between regions, and within a region the price per credit depends on the experimentality level of the degree; taking a subject a second time costs more. Some public universities publish separate prices for students from outside the EU. Private universities and centres set their own fees.

The state's general grant call awarded €1,138 million to university students in 2022-23, with an average of €3,687 per bachelor's student and €3,892 per master's student, according to the ministry. Regional governments and universities awarded about €299.5 million more. Check the requirements of each call and the scholarships of the university you apply to.

How to choose

• Official degree or own qualification: check the RUCT if you need an official grado or máster, for example for a regulated profession or a doctorate
• Public or private: fees and admission procedures differ
• Language of instruction: Spanish, a co-official language or English
• Mode of study: in person, hybrid or online, which also matters for a visa
• Recognition at home: check how your own country recognises Spanish degrees

Frequently asked questions

How many universities are there in Spain?

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

How long is a bachelor's degree in Spain?

Most bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits, which is four years at 60 credits a year. Degrees that European rules require to be longer have 300 or 360 credits.

How do I apply with a foreign school-leaving qualification?

Most international applicants have their records assessed by UNEDasiss, which also runs any tests needed for admission to a bachelor's degree. You then apply to each university within its own deadlines.

Can I get a student visa for an online degree?

The consulates list university studies taught in person or in hybrid form. A fully online degree is not included.

Can international students work while studying in Spain?

Students in higher education with a study authorisation may work up to 30 hours a week, as long as the work is compatible with their studies.