Study in Spain

Who this applies to

International (foreign) students at Spanish universities. Public fees are set REGIONALLY (per autonomous community) and charged per credit; undergrad credential recognition for non-EU/non-EHEA students is centralized via UNED (UNEDasiss).

Governing authority

Ministry of Universities. Undergraduate foreign-credential accreditation via UNEDasiss (UNED). Degree homologation/equivalence via the Ministry.

Degree system

Grado (Bachelor) 4 yrs (240 ECTS) · Máster 1–2 yrs (60–120 ECTS) · Doctorado (PhD) 3–4 yrs. (Medicine 6 yrs.)

Undergraduate Admission

Credential Recognition

Non-EU/non-EHEA applicants obtain an UNEDasiss accreditation (converts the foreign secondary qualification to a Spanish admission mark). For competitive degrees, students may sit PCE (Pruebas de Competencias Específicas) exams to raise their admission mark (scale up to 14).

How to apply

Via regional pre-registration (preinscripción / distrito universitario) using the UNEDasiss mark; admission is by calculated grade and program cut-off (nota de corte). EU/EHEA students use their home qualification + (if needed) the EBAU.

Graduate Admission

Master

Apply directly to the university; recognized bachelor's; sometimes degree homologation/equivalencia; Spanish or English proficiency per program.

PhD

Recognized master's (or 300 ECTS); research proposal + acceptance by a doctoral program/supervisor.

Language Requirements

Spanish Taught

Spanish proficiency, commonly DELE / SIELE B2–C1.

English Taught

IELTS / TOEFL (a growing number of English-taught programs).

Regional Languages

In Catalonia (UB, UAB, UPF, UPC) and Valencia, much teaching is in Catalan/Valencian; check the language of each course.

Tuition Intl Per Year Eur

Public Bachelor

Per-credit, set REGIONALLY — roughly €700–€2,500/yr for EU students; some autonomous communities charge non-EU students higher per-credit rates (others charge the same).

Public Master

~€1,000–€3,500/yr (official master's; some specialized master's higher).

Private Universities

~€6,000–€20,000+/yr (e.g. University of Navarra ~€9,000–€15,000+).

Source

European Commission 'Study in Spain'; study.eu; university fee schedules

Visa And Costs

Student visa & residence permit

Non-EU students need a student visa (estancia por estudios); for stays >6 months obtain a TIE (foreigner ID card) after arrival.

Financial Means

Proof of funds based on IPREM (~€600+/month, ≈ €7,200/yr); private health insurance required.

Living costs

~€700–€1,100/month depending on city (Madrid/Barcelona highest).

Scholarships

MAEC-AECID (Spanish government scholarships for foreigners), Fundación Carolina (especially for Latin American students), Erasmus+, and regional/university scholarships.

Sources & references

• tuition/system — https://education.ec.europa.eu/study-in-europe/country-profiles/spain (2026-06-10)
• tuition/cost — https://www.study.eu/article/spain-tuition-fees-cost-of-living (2026-06-10)