1. Introduction
Spain is located in the south west of Europe occupying the maximum part of the Iberian Peninsula. Every year thousands of students from across the world make their way there to attend one of many universities, public and private, located in the country. Spain has an excellent educational system due to the variety of high-quality educational options on offer. From an academic and educational perspective.
In Spain we can find:
- Public universities: funded by the state and receiving funds from the government, which establishes the guidelines for the university.
- Private universities: financed with their own endowment funds and tuition fees are paid by the students.
- Church Universities: governed by agreements between Vatican City and the Spanish state, mainly funded by the students themselves. They issue official and convalidated degrees with the same validity as public-private universities.
Thanks to the interconnection between universities and other institutions, Spain has an authentic university system.
The NARIC Spain Center (which is part of the “European Network of Information Centers” in Europe) offers information on the process of approval of university degrees and professional recognition in Spain: https://www.enic-naric.net.
2. Structure of the university system and educational qualifications
In Spain, university studies follow the Eurozone model, i.e., first-level degree (bachelor’s), master’s and doctorate.
- Bachelor’s degree: Studies include courses in art and humanities, sciences, health sciences, social sciences and law, engineering and architecture. These studies require a total of 240 credits to earn a bachelor’s degree with an average duration of three to four academic years.
- University Masters: The Masters includes 60 and 120 credits and consist of one or two academic years of study. They also require the discussion of the final thesis, to which 6 to 30 credits are assigned.
- PhD (postgraduate studies): A Master is required to obtain the PhD degree. Doctoral studies are divided into two phases. The first consists of 60 credits of theoretical study and the second is based on research, which will be concluded with the discussion of the doctoral thesis (a research work in a particular field). There are no time limits to complete doctoral programs, but they usually require three to four academic years of study and research.
In Spain there are more than 70 universities, about 50 are public and the others, over 20, are private. The largest number of private universities are located in Madrid.
Spanish universities have been trying to facilitate the admission of foreign students to all degree programs, through the implementation of measures adapting to the European Credit and Qualifications System (ECTS).
This facilitates the recognition of Spanish university degrees in over 30 member countries of the EHEA project and in other areas outside Europe, such as the United States, Asia and Latin America.
3. How to apply to study in Spain
Students from an EU country must apply through the Spanish National University for Distance Education (SNUDE). Applications open at the start of April. You’ll need to fill out an application form, and send it to the address on the SNUDE website.
Non-EU students need to apply for a Volante Accreditation from the Spanish Embassy.
All the students will have to show:
- Copy of the passport;
- School leaving certificate, or previous qualifications.
Those without a European Baccalaureate (EB) or International Baccalaureate (IB) are required to take the Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad (PAU) entrance exam. This ensures you meet the required academic standards to study at a Spanish university.
The exam is split into four parts that test your Spanish language skill and knowledge of your preferred subject. You’ll also need to answer several questions about Spanish culture and history.
The application process takes around three months. If successful, you’ll receive a “Credencial de Accesso” certificate, which you send to your university of choice.
Anyone interested in doing a postgrad degree or a PhD, should contact the university directly.
After you will have received the “Credencial de Accesso”, students will need to fulfill some admission requirements:
- Original graduate diploma (or certified copy) of the studies (secondary in the case of application to the Bachelor’s and undergraduate to apply to the Master and Doctorate), or replacement certificate for all legal purposes;
- Language exam: proof your level of English and/or Spanish (TOEFL, IELTS, DELE…);
- Identity documents;
- Additional program-specific qualification exams (optional and determined by the chosen university).
4. Proof of Language proficiency
→ DELE: Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera
Students can prove their level of command of Spanish by presenting the results received at the DELE test.
The Instituto Cervantes offers two options: online or through an examination center in your own country or in Spain. Check this to find a center near you: https://examenes.cervantes.es/es/dele/donde
You can sign up for the DELE exam online or in the center where you’re planning to take it.
Each level of this exam needs to be paid separately, and normally the prices grow as the level goes up. The prices can vary, in 2021 for the A1 exam: 108 euro and for the C2 exam: 220 euro. It’s important to note that they might change depending on the country and the exam center.
You can take an exam for any level you want if you feel ready, you don’t have to pass all the previous levels.
If you want to be well prepared for the exam, you should check for preparation courses and other useful sources such as youtube videos, podcasts and books (“Preparación DELE” is a series that covers the six exam levels).
The DELE exam can take between two and a half and five hours approximately (including breaks), depending on the level.
After you finish your exam, you’ll have to wait around three months to get your results. So, plan to take it in advance, depending on your university deadlines!
→ English: TOEFL, IELTS, CAMBRIDGE
If your study program or course is taught in English, you will be required to prove your level of English by presenting the results you receive in the English exam (TOEFL, IELTS, CAMBRIDGE).
In general, higher education institutions in Europe request students to have a level of command of the language of instruction equivalent to a B2 level.
5. University Fees
The fees (tasas) imposed by the state for public universities are set by the autonomous communities according to the guidelines established by the General Assembly for university policies.
Spanish students and EU students have the same amount of fee. For public universities:
- Costs for a bachelor’s degree between 450 and 2,000 euros per year.
- Costs for a Master’s and doctoral program are calculated in university credits (one credit = 25-30 student work hours), with costs generally ranging between 900-3,000 euros per year.
Private universities set their own fees and enrollment costs for degree, master or doctorate courses at a figure ranging from 5,000 to 18,000 euros, depending on the course and the university.
For students from non-member countries of the European Union, the fees have higher costs.
6. Finance your studies
There are several opportunities to finance your studies in Spain:
- International students following a Master’s or Doctoral program are eligible to apply for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship.
- The Erasmus + program offers a scholarship for exchange students (EU only) following a Bachelor’s degree program (first and second cycle) and a Master’s program that meet general, academic and financial requirements.
- The Spanish Ministry of Education can provide financial assistance. The application form must be completed and submitted to the Ministry of Education, the Instituto de cooperacion Iberoamerican or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The form often asks personal questions, including the amount of money you and your parents earn.
- Several universities in Spain offer scholarships for international students who come to study at their university. The deadlines for submitting applications for these scholarships vary, so it will be necessary to inquire as soon as possible with the university to avoid missing the opportunity to apply.