types of universities in spain

Last Updated on August 28, 2023

Are you an international student looking for information about types of universities in spain? If your answer is yes, you need not look further, this article below will provide all you need to know about types of universities in spain.

The following article details types of universities in spain, best universities in spain, Private universities in spain, university of Barcelona, universities in madrid, best universities in spain for computer science,

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Classical universities offer the widest selection of specialties in both the fundamental and applied sciences. Universities themselves, according to the standard European system, are divided into departments and faculties, each of which is focused on a specific field of science.
Most specialties are divided into stages of bachelor’s (Diplomatura)and master’s (Licenciatura)Students may choose to not continue their studies after obtaining a bachelor’s degree. However, in programs such as medicine and veterinary medicine, in order to obtain a complete higher education, both stages are required.
Spanish universities also often come together to create research institutes or doctoral colleges. Their activities are aimed at the development of research and PhD programs, less often – master’s programs.
In addition to standard degrees (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral), Spanish universities often offer a number of undergraduate programs (Maestrias), which take 1-2 years to complete. Certificates obtained at the end of the course may not be recognized at universities in other countries. Nevertheless, they are extremely appreciated in some areas of professional activity and can be considered advanced training.
In addition to classical universities, in Spain there are a number of higher education institutions with their own characteristics. These include:

  • Polytechnic universities. For example, University of Valencia and Polytechnic University of Valencia, Autonomous University of Madrid and the Polytechnic University of Madrid all exist separately. Polytechnic universities train exclusively industrial specialists: engineers and architects. Higher technical schools have the same specifics in Spain. In “ordinary” universities, these areas also exist, but, as a rule, not at such a high level. Training in technical specialties traditionally lasts for 1-2 years longer than in the others. Graduates of undergraduate polytechnic universities receive the title of Arquitectura Técnica or Ingeniería Técnica. Then they can optionally continue their studies in the magistracy in order to become full-fledged Arquitecto or Ingeniero.
  • Higher schools of arts. Depending on the chosen field of art, Spanish students can study in the following types of higher schools: conservatories (Conservatorio), higher schools of music and dance (Escuela Superior de Música y Danza), theater schools (Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático), Schools for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage objects (Escuela Superior de Conservación y Restauración de Bienes Culturales), Schools of Design (Escuela de Diseño) and others. Higher art schools often collaborate with major universities in their autonomous community. This allows art education institutions to develop and promote their research programs. Examples of higher art schools can be found here.
  • Business Schools. The main direction of universities with business education is MBA programs (Master of Business Administration), which last for 1-2 years on average. The language of instruction is English. Business schools may exist autonomously or at universities. Some have several branches around the world. So students can choose at least two countries of study, which allows them to study the specifics of business management in different systems of government. Each school tries to attract leading businessmen as teachers, which gives such institutions prestige and, of course, increases the price tag: the cost of MBA programs can reach up to 47,292 USD, as in the school IEDE.
  • University schools. Formally, such schools are part of large universities. However, the training programs here are more applied than academic. Popular specialties are nurse, librarian, elementary school teacher. Education takes 2-3 years and does not involve obtaining a degree higher than a bachelor’s. Graduates can find a job immediately after graduation, but only for a position corresponding to their level of education: for example, you cannot work as a doctor with a nurse diploma.
  • Online universities. Such universities offer e-learning. They can be both public and private. Education here includes three cycles, as in full-time universities (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral), a diploma is also valued on a par with the usual. You can study and improve qualifications in such universities throughout your life.

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1University of BarcelonaBarcelona1,000 USD3,000 USD
1922Autonomous University of MadridMadrid1,000 USD5,000 USD
1963Autonomous University of BarcelonaCerdanyola del Vallès3,000 USD3,000 USD
2094Complutense University of MadridMadrid
2475Pompeu Fabra UniversityBarcelona3,000 USD5,000 USD
3356Polytechnic University of CataloniaBarcelona3,000 USD5,000 USD
3457Polytechnic University of ValenciaValencia3,000 USD3,000 USD
3748Universidad de NavarraPamplona11,000 USD15,000 USD
3779University of GranadaGranada1,000 USD1,000 USD
41110Carlos III University of MadridMadrid3,000 USD3,000 U
  • Prices. Studying and living in Spain will be much cheaper than in other EU countries, not to mention the United States and Great Britain. The tuition per year at a state university for a foreign student can be as low as 544 USD. Renting a room in a student apartment will cost about 296 USD/month. Students receive discounts at museums, cafes, and when using public transportation.
  • Bilingual education. Most prestigious universities in the country offer courses in both Spanish and English. Some of the subjects for study are chosen by the students themselves, therefore, by the time they graduate, they have the opportunity to master the skills in their specialty in the two most spoken languages after Mandarin. Each university also has Spanish courses for international students.
  • Centuries-old traditions. Some universities in Spain were founded back in the 13th century, so there is no doubt in their educational methods. For instance, the University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca) is the oldest university in the country. It was opened as a collegiate school, in 1218 received the status of a “universal school” (a university) and has continued teaching since then.
  • Developed infrastructure. Green areas, multi-storey libraries, equipped with the latest technology auditoriums, laboratories of innovative research – all of this can be found in the majority of Spanish universities. On campuses, there are also areas for self-study in the open air, as the weather during the year rarely goes below +15 °C.
  • Level of prestige in Europe and the world. Spanish universities are constantly developing. But they are still far from Anglo-Saxon universities, which occupy the top spots in the world rankings. Universities of Spain are a frequent choice for an exchange semester, but not seen as an investment in a prestigious education. Still some universities conducting studies in English or ones with double degree programs still occupy high positions in the QS, THE, and CWUR ratings.
  • Autonomy of universities. Spain has a rather complicated administrative structure. Often there are conflicts between regions. Some universities are controlled by autonomous communities like Catalonia and Valencia. The admission requirements may differ from those in the rest of Spain, and the teaching is usually conducted in the local language or dialect. Students may have difficulty finding employment or transferring to another university.
  • Politics. In Spain, universities are not far removed from the world of politics. Many universities openly declare their political affiliation. This may negatively affect the reputation of students and teachers in the scientific community and in society as a whole.
  • The need to legalize a diploma. To enter a Spanish university, non-EU citizens are often required to legalize and/or homologate a document of previous education (certificate or diploma), if it was obtained in their native country. This is a long and complicated procedure. Read more about it in the article Education in Spain.

Admission requirements to universities in Spain

Type of trainingAgeDurationMin.costAverage costMin. language level
Foundation17+1-2 years4,729 USD/year11,823 USD/yearDELE B1 / IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 80
Bachelor’s18+4 years544 USD/year14,187 USD/yearDELE B1 / IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 80
Master’s20+1-2 years851 USD / year2,518 USD / yearDELE B2-C1 / IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 80
MBA20+1-2 years21,281 USD / year44,927 USD / yearDELE B2-C1 / IELTS 6.5, GMAT 600
Doctoral20+3 years709 USD / year2,365 USD / yearDELE B2-C1 / IELTS 6.5

The Ministry of Education of Spain has no authority over the university admission process (the same system works in the USA, Great Britain, and a number of other countries), therefore universities have the right to present their own requirements for applicants. Every university in Spain has its own list of the necessary documents and/or examinations required for admission. It may change slightly every year, so it’s worth checking the current requirements on the website of the desired university. Below you can see the standard lists of documents for admission to the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in Spain.

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