10.07.2026

10 minutes to read

First, it is worth clarifying the term itself. In Spain, after school, students usually do not enter an “institute” in the way we commonly understand it, but rather a university, higher education school, business school, or another higher education center. If we are talking about a first higher education degree after 11th grade, the student most often chooses Grado — the Spanish bachelor’s degree.
The first decision is whether to choose a public or private university. Public universities are usually cheaper, but it is harder to get into popular programs. Many programs have competition, and the result depends on the final admission score. Private universities are more expensive, but the admission process is often clearer: an interview, internal test, motivation letter, language certificate, or portfolio.
You should not choose a university only because it is located in Barcelona or looks beautiful on the website. It is better to open the curriculum and see what the student will actually study. Sometimes the program name sounds perfect, but inside there are many subjects that do not match expectations at all. For example, one business program may focus more on finance, another on marketing, and a third on company management.
The language of instruction should also be checked separately. In Spain, there are programs in Spanish, English, and mixed formats. In some autonomous communities, part of the subjects may be taught in a regional language. In Catalonia, Catalan may appear; in Valencia, Valencian; in Galicia, Galician; in the Basque Country, Basque. This is not a reason to immediately reject a university, but it is better to know this information in advance.
The city also matters. Madrid and Barcelona offer more opportunities for internships, networking, and work, but life there is noticeably more expensive. Valencia, Alicante, Granada, Seville, Málaga, Salamanca, or Zaragoza may be calmer, cheaper, and more convenient for a student adapting after school.
A good strategy is not to choose just one university. It is better to make a list of several options: a few strong ones, a few realistic ones, and a couple of backup choices. Then, if competition is high somewhere or a program closes admission earlier, there will still be other paths.

The cost of studying in Spain cannot be described with one single number. It depends on the university, region, degree program, and student status. In public universities, the price is usually calculated by ECTS credits. An academic year most often includes around 60 credits, but the price of one credit may differ across autonomous communities.
Public universities are usually more affordable than private ones. But it is important to remember that for students from non-EU countries, the cost may sometimes be higher. In addition, some programs are more expensive by nature. This often applies to medicine, dentistry, architecture, engineering, design, business, and international programs.
Private universities can be significantly more expensive. However, they often have a more flexible application process, more programs in English, faster responses from the admissions office, and more support. For a family that wants a clear process and less bureaucracy, this can sometimes become the deciding factor.
When calculating the budget, you cannot look only at tuition. The student needs somewhere to live, food, city transport, insurance, study materials, documents, translations, apostille, visa fees, and personal expenses. Sometimes studying at a public university looks inexpensive, but rent in a large city greatly increases the total budget.
Madrid and Barcelona are usually the most expensive. In smaller cities, life can be noticeably cheaper, but there may be fewer English-language programs or less of an international environment. That is why choosing a city based only on price is not always correct. You need to look at the balance: program, budget, safety, transport, housing, and opportunities after graduation.

Spanish higher education follows the European ECTS system. This makes it easier to understand the study workload and compare programs with other European countries. But the duration of studies depends on the education level and field.

A bachelor’s degree in Spain is called Grado. In most cases, it lasts 4 years and includes 240 ECTS. This is the main path for a graduate after 11th grade who wants to receive a first higher education degree.
However, some programs last longer. For example, medicine, veterinary studies, architecture, and some engineering fields may take 5–6 years. That is why, when choosing, it is important to look not only at the name of the degree, but also at its duration, number of credits, and professional requirements.
Studying for a bachelor’s degree requires independence. Teachers will not guide the student “by the hand” like at school. The student will need to read materials, prepare projects, take exams, write papers, participate in group assignments, and communicate properly in the language of instruction. So getting admitted is only the first step. The student also needs to be ready to study in a new system.

A master’s degree in Spain is called Máster. It usually lasts 1 or 2 years and may include 60, 90, or 120 ECTS. But it is not possible to enter a master’s program immediately after 11th grade: first, a bachelor’s degree is required.
Still, it is useful to know about this stage in advance. In some professions, a bachelor’s degree is not enough. For example, in education, law, psychology, architecture, or other regulated fields, an additional master’s program may be required.
A master’s degree is often chosen by those who want to deepen their specialization, change direction, or receive a European diploma after completing a bachelor’s degree in another country. For a future career, this can be a serious advantage.

Doctoral studies in Spain are called Doctorado. This is no longer an ordinary student program, but research work. Usually, students enter it after a bachelor’s and master’s degree, when they have a research topic and a desire to build an academic career.
For a graduate after 11th grade, doctoral studies are not yet a practical step. But if the student is already thinking about science, university teaching, or research work, this path can be kept in mind for the future.

If the program is taught in Spanish, it is better to aim for B2 level. This is the minimum level at which a student can not only buy coffee or ask for directions, but also listen to lectures, read textbooks, write papers, make presentations, and participate in discussions.
Requirements depend on the university. Some may ask for a DELE or SIELE certificate, some may conduct an internal language test, and some may not request an official document. But even if the university does not formally require a certificate, weak Spanish will still quickly create problems.
The university environment is different from language courses. No one will deliberately speak slowly and choose simple words. Classes will include academic vocabulary, assignments, deadlines, emails from the administration, exams, and group projects. If a student arrives with A2 or weak B1, the first months can be very difficult.
If the program is in English, Spanish is still needed for life. The student will need to solve issues with housing, banking, transport, insurance, healthcare, documents, and everyday situations. In big cities, English helps, but it cannot fully replace Spanish.
It is better to start learning the language in advance. Ideally, 1.5–2 years before admission. If the student already has A2 or B1, one year of regular preparation can lead to a confident B2. If the level is zero, it is not worth counting on “quickly improving” the language in a couple of months before moving.

Admission seems complicated because you need to think about universities, exams, documents, language, and visa at the same time. But if you go step by step, everything becomes much clearer.

First, the student needs to understand what they want to study. Simply saying “I want to study in Spain” is too broad. It is better to immediately define the field: business, marketing, IT, medicine, engineering, psychology, tourism, design, architecture, international relations, philology.
It is important to honestly assess not only the student’s interest, but also their strengths. If math has always been difficult, engineering or finance may quickly become a problem. If biology and chemistry are not interesting, medicine is unlikely to be a comfortable choice. The more accurately the profile is chosen, the easier it will be to find suitable programs and exams.
At this stage, it is useful to look at curricula. They show what the student will actually be doing, not just the attractive name of the degree.

Once the field is clear, you can start looking for specific universities. It is better to consider several cities, not only Madrid and Barcelona. Spain has strong universities in less obvious places as well, where life may be cheaper and calmer.
For each university, you need to check the language of instruction, cost, admission score, application deadlines, documents, exams, availability of residences, practical training, and internships. If the program is in English, it is important to clarify whether it is fully in English or only partially.
For public universities, you need to look at the nota de corte. This is the admission score from previous years. It does not guarantee admission, but it helps understand how competitive the program is. If the score is high, you need to plan exams in advance that can raise the final result.

After 11th grade, the student needs to prepare the school certificate and other school documents for the Spanish system. Usually, an apostille, translation, and a procedure for recognition or comparison of education may be required. For public universities, UNEDasiss is often used.
It is better to prepare documents in advance. An apostille takes time. The translation must be completed correctly. The university may ask for additional certificates or a specific format. If you find this out a few days before the deadline, you may simply not have time.
Personal data should be checked especially carefully: first name, surname, date of birth, passport number. Everything must match in the school certificate, translations, applications, and visa documents. A small mistake can later slow down the whole process.

For admission to Spanish public universities, foreign graduates often need PCE exams. They help raise the final score and participate in the competition for the chosen program.
PCE subjects are not chosen randomly. They must correspond to the future degree. For medicine, biology and chemistry are usually important; for engineering, mathematics and physics; for business, mathematics or economics; for humanities, history, literature, language, or other relevant subjects.
A mistake in choosing subjects may cost admission. A student may pass an exam well, but it may not give the necessary weight for a specific program. That is why PCE subjects are better selected according to the university, region, and degree, not simply based on what seems easier.
For private universities, PCE may not be required. Internal exams, interviews, portfolios, motivation letters, and language certificates are more common there. But this should always be checked on the website of the specific university.

Language and academic subjects are better prepared in parallel. If the program is in Spanish, the goal is a confident B2. If the program is in English, strong English is needed, along with at least basic Spanish for everyday life.
For PCE, it is important to prepare not only by topics, but also by format. You need to solve past exam tasks, get used to Spanish terminology, practice timing, and understand how to format answers. Even a strong student can lose points if they do not know the exam format.
It is good if preparation starts in 10th–11th grade. Then there is time to calmly improve subjects, strengthen the language, and avoid spending the last months in panic mode.

When the documents, language, and exams are ready, the application stage begins. Deadlines depend on the university, region, and type of program. Private universities often open admission earlier, and popular programs may close before the official end of the admission period.
Submitting documents on the last day is risky. The website may freeze, a file may fail to upload, or the university may request clarification, a fee payment, or an additional document. If there is extra time, this is unpleasant but solvable. If the deadline is today, it becomes a real problem.
After applying, you need to check your email regularly. The university may send a request, an interview invitation, an admission result, or instructions for paying a place reservation fee. Emails sometimes go to spam, so that folder should also be checked.
After receiving admission, the next stage begins — the student visa. A letter from the university does not yet mean you can immediately buy a ticket and move. For long-term study, a visa package is required.

A student visa is needed if the study program lasts more than 90 days. For a bachelor’s degree, this is almost always a national student visa. Documents usually need to be submitted through the Spanish consulate in the country of residence or according to the rules that apply to the specific applicant.
It is better to start preparing the visa immediately after receiving confirmation of admission. During high season, there may be queues for appointments. In addition, certificates, translations, apostilles, insurance, and financial documents are not prepared in one day.
The main task of the visa package is to show that the student is really going to study, has money for living expenses, medical insurance, a place to live, and grounds for long-term stay in Spain.
If the program lasts more than 6 months, after arrival it is usually necessary to apply for a TIE — the foreigner identity card. This is done already in Spain. The student needs to book an appointment, prepare documents, pay the fee, and go through the procedure at the police station or immigration office.

The exact list depends on the consulate, the student’s citizenship, and the country of application. Therefore, before collecting documents, you need to open the website of your Spanish consulate and check the current requirements. But most often, the package looks approximately like this: