Before you start studying abroad in Spain, you have to apply. In order for this to be successful, it is necessary to meet the admission requirements of the Spanish university of your choice.
Requirements for admission to study in Spain by type of study
The admission requirements for studying in Spain vary according to the study programs. The universities in Spain decide autonomously on the requirements for admission to a degree, so that these can differ in detail.
Bachelor
Anyone wishing to complete a bachelor’s degree in Spain usually needs a high school diploma. This must Applicants for a Bachelor’s degree in Spain can recognize. Recognition takes place through the Universidad Nacional de Educaciòn a Distancia (UNED). The corresponding application can be found on the UNED website. The document issued is called Credencial.
In addition, there may be other requirements. For example, depending on the course, good grades in certain school subjects can be decisive for admission.
Master
To apply for a master’s degree in Spain, a bachelor’s degree is required. At Spanish universities you can usually apply for a German Bachelor’s degree without any problems. The fact that the bachelor’s degree in Spain does not take three, but four years, is not a hindrance. The background to this is a royal decree that regulates the following: Foreign university degrees that entitle you to study for a master’s degree in another European country also allow admission to a master’s degree at a Spanish university.
Depending on the subject, specific admission requirements, such as certain previous knowledge, may also apply.
Promotion
Candidates for a doctorate in Spain need a normally Bachelor and a Master or equivalent degrees. In the bachelor’s and master’s programs, they must have acquired at least 300 ECTS. Depending on the university and doctoral program, there may be other admission criteria.
Shorter study programs up to a year
International students can not only complete a full course of study at Spanish universities. Short study programs such as a semester abroad or summer sessions offer the opportunity to leave everyday study life at the home university behind for a while and to discover new things. Applicants for a semester abroad in Spain usually need a high school diploma and must already be enrolled at a university.
Enrolled students with a (technical) Abitur usually also meet the requirements for the summer sessions offered by some universities in Spain, a country that is a member of European Union defined by topb2bwebsites.
There are usually no academic admission requirements for language courses in Spain alone. Anyone who combines the language courses with specialist courses at a university must of course meet the requirements for university studies.
Linguistic admission requirements of the universities
In addition to the academic criteria, there are also language admission requirements for studying in Spain. These can vary depending on the university, study program and language of instruction. In some cases, the universities do not require any formal proof of language proficiency – you should of course still be able to speak the language of instruction.
In addition to Spanish-speaking universities, Spanish universities now also offer English-language study opportunities, and some of them also teach in regional languages such as Catalan. The requirements are of course different depending on the language. A common proof of knowledge of Spanish is the DELE certificate. On the other hand, applicants can usually prove their knowledge of English via IELTS or TOEFL.
Language skills can also be proven with the DAAD language certificate, depending on the university and study program. Many universities in Spain also offer preparatory language courses for international students.
Academic admission tests
Students from EU countries, Switzerland and selected other countries do not have to take a general entrance examination for studying in Spain. For certain study programs, however, successfully passed academic admission tests are an important criterion for admission. For example, if you want to do an MBA in Spain, you have to complete the GMAT or GRE, depending on the university.
Tuition Fees in Spain
As in many other countries in Europe, there is a fee to study in Spain. Tuition fees are not only due for all domestic and international students who complete a full degree. Students who come to Spain for a semester abroad and have organized this as so-called free movers must also pay the fees – unlike students in the ERASMUS program.
Overview of tuition fees in Spain
Tuition fees in Spain can change every year. The announcement of the tuition fees of state universities takes place once a year in the Boletín Oficial del Estado.
The tuition fees vary depending on the university. There is a difference not only between state and private universities when it comes to costs. There are also differences between state universities. An important factor in the level of tuition fees is the region in which a state university is located. The tuition fees in Spain vary depending on the region by several hundred, sometimes more than a thousand euros. For example, studying at state universities in Madrid or the Catalonia region is usually more expensive than in the Canary Islands or Extremadura.
Critical to the level of tuition fees is not only the choice of university. Another aspect is the chosen subject: Many courses in the areas of linguistics, cultural studies and social sciences are among the cheapest options. Scientific or engineering and medical subjects, however, are significantly more expensive. The number of courses or the number of credits also determine the amount of the tuition fees, because these are per credit specified and calculated. As a rule, students in Spain earn 60 credits in the academic year. Another important factor in the fees is what academic year the students are in. However, state universities are usually much cheaper than private universities.
Here is an overview of the tuition fees that Bachelor and Master students in Spain should be prepared for:
- The tuition fees at Spanish state universities are usually between around EUR 600 and around EUR 2,000 per year for a bachelor’s degree.
- Master’s students at state universities usually have to expect tuition fees of up to EUR 4,000 per year.
- The costs for studying at private universities in Spain range between EUR 5,000 and EUR 15,000 per year. Thus, in some cases, they are much higher than at state universities.
Tuition fees for a semester abroad in Spain
Unlike a full degree, semesters abroad in Spain at state and private universities can be about the same price. The state Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the private Nebrija Universidad can serve as examples. Semester students who take 5 courses in the Pre-Established Study Abroad Program at UAB currently have to budget EUR 4400 in tuition fees. The fees for the Nebrija semester program also include 5 courses. The tuition fees for this currently amount to EUR 4115. The amount of the costs is related to the fact that the framework program and support for the students are factored in.
Further study costs in Spain
At universities in Spain, students have to pay additional costs in addition to the tuition fees. These include, for example, registration and examination fees as well as fees for repeating examinations. In addition, there are usually costs for study materials. In addition to the cost of studying, students in Spain also have to pay for their living expenses.
