Study in Spain

Study in Spain is a common choice for international students who seek to get high quality education with affordable costs. Spain, located in western Europe, offers various options for Bachelor, MA and PhD studies.

There are many universities in Spain, the majority of which have good reputations and get high rankings worldwide. The Spanish language is the language in which the majority of programs are taught at Spanish universities; however, there is a real attitude to more academic programs and degrees that are taught in English.

Conditions for study and admission to Spanish universities:

Official documents required for admission:

If you are willing to study at a Spanish university, you are required to present some official papers that prove your skills, abilities, nationality and identity.

The admission requirements at a Spanish university also depend on the level and track of your study. Generally speaking, to study in Spain, you need the following supporting documents:

1. A copy of your passport: you need to copy the sheet/s in your passport that contain/s your personal details and photos as well.
2. Your CV: it must be written in English. Your CV should contain your personal details and a general look of your educational and career history.
3. Your academic documents (transcripts and certificates): in order to assess your academic status, educational institutions in Spain require students to present copies of their previous studies. If your papers are written in a language other than English or Spanish, you will be asked to present an accredited translation to the whole document.
4. A certificate of the 10th. Grade.
5. A certificate of the 12th Grade.
6. Transcripts of the Bachelor degree. (For MA degree or PG program).
7. Transcripts of the MA degree (if any).
8. The certificate and transcripts of the diploma (if any).
9. Diplomas or other certificates (if any).

Other required documents:

1. Two recommendation letters: while taking a decision of whether to admit or not admit an international student, the Spanish universities take into consideration the recommendations of previous professors and supervisors. You should ask for authentic reference letters from the instructors with which you closely worked, such as: academic consultants, thesis consultants or previous instructors with whom you took several training courses.
2. Purpose statement: the purpose statement is like an introduction of who you are, what you did and why you are interested in a specific program. The statement also contains: a clear and detailed presentation of why you are interested in the program to which you apply, a description of your previous academic and career accomplishments, a comprehensive explanation of how a specific program is suitable with your long-term objectives and a persuasive conclusion.
3. A proof of mastering the language: international students are asked to carry out a standard test whether in the Spanish or English language according to the teaching language.
4. A duly filled application form (if any): you need to carefully fill in the application form to get admitted to the university you choose. The application forms can be filled online or offline depending on the university.
5. Documents of work experience: if you are planning to get postgraduate courses in Spain, most universities require you to do an internship or have a few years of work experience in a related field. Here is a list of papers that prove your experience:
6. Latest joining letter.
7. Latest salary slip.
8. Employment certificates from all previous employers.
9. Email experience.

Requirements for mastering the language to study in Spain:

If students are willing to study at a prominent university in Spain, they need to choose between studying in Spanish or English, as most departments offer, at least, one program that’s fully or partially taught in English. Therefore, international students need to show a great linguistic command, that means sitting for a standard test and getting the minimum score.

Although there are several proficiency tests in the English language, only a few tests are accepted all over the world. In Spain, most universities require students to prove English proficiency at least B2 level. Here is a list of the required scores in different tests:

1. TOEFL: It's an abbreviation of “Test of English as a Foreign Language.” The required score is 90-100.
2. IELTS: It's an abbreviation of “International English Language Test System.” The required score is 6. 5.
3. CPE- AC.

Requirements of the “Student Visa” for international students to study in Spain:

Students should take the required documents and papers to the embassy or consulate and fill the application form to get a student visa. The documents required are varied according to the student case. However, here is a list of the common requirements to get a student visa in Spain:

1. A valid passport during your accommodation in Spain.
2. Conditional or unconditional admission letter from the university.
3.  A copy of all passport’s sheets as well as a colourful passport-size photo.
4. Registration confirmation at the college or university.
5. Proving or presenting health insurance.
6. A proof of accommodation in Spain.
7. Enough money to defray on yourself.
8. A medical certificate or a medical examination result issued by an official doctor.
9. A negative criminal record examination from the countries in which the students have lived over the past five years.

In case you fail to present accurate documents, your request for a student visa might be rejected.

Why you should study in Spain:

1. Getting high quality education that’s consistent with international standards.
2. Study in the English language is available.
3. Mild weather and pleasant environment in Spain.
4. Learning the Spanish language is available.
5. Great job opportunities await you after graduation.
6. A classical diverse culture is preferred by a lot of people.
7. Many prominent universities.

Study and life expenses in Spain:

University tuition fees in Spain:

University tuition fees in Spain are affordable, especially at public universities, as the government limits the tuition fees.

Spanish universities use a format known as pay-per-credit, which means that the tuition fees paid by students are calculated according to the number of credit hours per year. One academic year usually has a total of 60 ECTS credits.

Spain is a part of the Bologna Process, which is a series of agreements signed among European countries in order to guarantee the consistency in quality and criteria of academic majors. The Bologna Process also uses the ECTS credit format (European Credit Transfer System), which is used to measure students' workload in the academic year.

Remark: In case a student withdraws from the program and re- register again for the second or third time, the tuition fees will increase.

The Bachelor degree costs:

A Bachelor program at a Spanish university usually takes 4 years to be fully completed. That means that the total number of credits is 240 ECTS for four academic years, taking into account that one academic year has 60 ECTS credits.

The Bachelor Degree’s average cost in Spain is 1200 euros (1443 USD) per academic year. The expenses might reach 6000 euros (7217 USD) if the student enrolled at the university for the third time, depending on the university.

Cost of each Bachelor degree’s credit ranges from 12.000 to 30.000 euros, that means about 1800 euros (2165 USD) each academic year. The second Registration might reach 3000 euros (3608 USD) every academic year. As for the third registration, it might reach 6000 euros (7217 USD) every academic year. Students of non-EU countries are expected to pay more. Furthermore, some universities oblige international students of non-EU countries to pay the expenses of the third registration.

The expenses of the Master degree:

MA degree’s cost in Spain for international students might reach 1800 euros (2165 USD) every academic year, depending on the program or university. The MA degree’s credit cost ranges from 16-45 euros for each credit. That means, students might pay about 2700 euros (3247 USD) every academic year. Master programs usually take one or two years to be fully completed, which means 60 or 120 ECTS credits, depending on the program duration.

Students of non-EU/EEA countries are expected to pay higher tuition fees for the MA program at Spanish universities. Regarding some MA programs, like Humanities, it might cost 65 euros for each credit. Other programs, like Sciences, Health Sciences and Economics, might cost 70-90 euros per credit. Students of EU countries pay the same tuition fees that Spanish students pay.

Doctoral Degree expenses:

The PhD degree in Spain costs international students about 3300 euros (3969 USD) or approximately 55 euros per credit for every academic year. During the first year of the PhD program in Spain, students are asked to attend all training courses, that means 60 ECTS credits per academic year. The PhD degree can last up to three years for full-time attendance, with an additional two years, when approved by the university's academic body.

Expenses of study at private universities in Spain:

The expenses of studying at a private university in Spain is much more expensive than studying at a public one. That's because the private universities aren’t funded by the government as the public universities. Moreover, private universities set the tuition fees that suit the services they offer. To get an academic degree from any of the Spanish universities, you might need to pay 20.000 euros (24.057 USD) per academic year. The tuition fees might be more or less depending on the university you select or the program you choose. Generally speaking, the university tuition fees at private universities in Spain range from 6000 to 20000 euros per academic year.

Living expenses in Spain for international students:

In general, life expenses in Spain are affordable for international students. However, the total expenses depend on the lifestyle, accommodation or the city (big cities are more expensive). Generally, international students are expected to pay 900-1000 euros/month (1100-1200USD) to cover all their needs, including the renting costs. The expenses of living and renting might be much more expensive in big cities like Madrid and Barcelona when compared with other small cities.

Renting and housing expenses:

Renting and accommodation are the biggest expenses for international students in Spain, as it varies according to the accommodation type. Furthermore, shared flats is the most common accommodation type as well as the most suitable type for international students’ budgets. Students can also choose among the different types of accommodation whether halls of residence, private residence or shared flats with other students.

Generally, renting takes a lot of the monthly expenses of international students in Spain. Here is a list of the accommodation types and the average costs for each one:

1. Halls of residence: students’ halls of residence might be a little bit expensive in big cities like Madrid and Barcelona. Monthly average cost depends on the size of halls of residence as well as other facilities, whether the bathroom is private or shared for example. You are expected to pay 350-1000 euros (421-1202 USD) to live inside the university campus.
2. A shared flat: you can rent a room in a shared flat and share the bathroom, the living room and the kitchen. A three-room flat in the downtown may cost 1000 euros (1202 USD) per month. Consequently, if you share a flat with two other students, the cost will be 330 euros (396 USD) per person.
3. Studio apartments: The Studio apartments are very expensive, bearing in mind that you will pay the renting and facilities expenses by yourself. A studio flat in the downtown costs 650 euros (781 USD) per month.
4. Host accommodation: Living with host families is also common among international students, as the average cost is approximately 1000 euros (1202 USD) per month, depending on whether breakfast, lunch or dinner are included.

The best 10 universities to study in Spain according to QS Ranking:

The University	The University Ranking Worldwide	The University Assessment according to QS Ranking
Autonomous University of Barcelona	178	45.8%
University of Barcelona	184	45.5%
Autonomous University of Madrid	215	42.2%
Complutense University of Madrid	226	41.2%
Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona)	233	39.9%
University of Navarra	253	38.3%
Carlos III University of Madrid	320	33.7%
Polytechnic University of Catalonia	343	31.4%
IE. University	347	31.1%
Polytechnic University of Valencia	400	28.4%

 

The most important undergraduate majors to study in Spain:

1. Applied Sciences.
2. Hospitality Management Specialties.
3. Computer science and information technology.
4. Arts and Humanities.
5. Business Administration training courses.
6. Business Administration and Marketing.
7. Interior Design.
8. Industrial design engineering and Product Development.

Most important postgraduate majors to study in Spain:

1. MA in Digital Marketing and Customer Experience.
2. MA in Management (English Language or Spanish Language).
3. MA in Neuromarketing.
4. MA in Design for Urban Environment.
5. MA in Integrated Management of Quality, Environment, Health and Safety Systems.
6. MA in Prevention of Occupational Risks.
7. MA in the art of video games.
8. MA in Business Administration.
9. MA in Marketing Management.
10. MA in Project Management.

The most prominent Scholarships available for international students in Spain:

European University of the Atlantic Cooperation Scholarship:

Scholarship link: Click Here

Scholarship amount: full exemption of tuition fees.

The Eligible degree: undergraduate studies.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarships:

The scholarship link: Click Here

The scholarship amount: a monthly salary of 1000 USD. In addition to the travel expenses and other things.

The Eligible degree: postgraduate studies.

Spanish Scholarship Program for Study Abroad:

Scholarship link: Click Here

Scholarship amount: 500-1500 USD.

The Eligible degree: undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

International Excellence Scholarships/ UIC Barcelona:

Scholarship link: Click Here

Scholarship amount: 20% exemption of tuition fees. of money

The eligible degree: undergraduate studies.

Marie Curie Individual Fellowships:

The scholarship link: Click Here

Scholarship amount: a mobility allowance of 600 euros per month, a living allowance of 500 euros per month, a research project fund, etc., depending on your application.

The eligible degree: PhD studies.

EADA Business School Scholarships:

The scholarship link: Click Here.

Scholarship amount: 25-50% exemption of tuition fees.
Eligible Degree: Postgraduate Studies.

Esade Master's Degree Scholarship Esade Ramon Llull University:

Scholarship link: Click Here.

Scholarship amount: 10-50% exemption of tuition fees.

The eligible degree: postgraduate study