List of 102 Best Universities in Spain (2026 Fees)

One of the world's most famous tourist destinations, Spain welcomes a significant number of international students every year. Despite Spanish being the primary language of instruction in Spain, statistics show that the country has the third most significant number of enrolled international students among universities. Moreover, universities in Spain are among the most prestigious institutions in the world with their globally-recognised potential in producing competent professionals.

In Spain, students will experience a mixture of multicultural and stimulating lifestyle. You will find a culture unique to the Spanish people – warm, friendly, and welcoming. Its monuments and museums built centuries ago reflect a society that embraces the past as it lives in the present and moves forward to the future.

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• Schools in Spain
• School Holidays in Spain
• Public Holidays in Spain
• Student Visa Requirements in Spain
• How to Get a Scholarship in Spain

Table of Contents

• Facts about Universities in Spain
• What is education like in Spain?
• Quick Facts about Spain

Facts about Universities in Spain

• There are around 78 universities in Spain. Most of them have received worldwide recognition for their excellent instructions.
• Spain, especially Barcelona, is known for its competitive graduate programs in architecture and business.
• Universities in Spain adhere to the standards set by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) consistent with the Bologna Process across Europe.
• Universities in Spain offer degree programs for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate. These degree programs require teaching in theory and practice for better learning.
• The oldest university in Spain, Universidad de Salamanca, was founded in 1218.
• The primary medium of instruction in Spain is Spanish except for English-taught programs.
• Tuition and school fees in Spain vary. The table below presents a rough estimate of tuition costs in public and private universities in Spain:

• The government funds public universities in Spain, while the Catholic Church runs and manages its private universities.
• Applicants for the university need to take an entrance examination in June.

What is education like in Spain?

The education system in Spain is generally managed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (Ministerio de Educaciōn, Cultura y Deporte). However, each region directly governs the education system in their respective geographical scope.

Public schools in Spain offer religious education although it is not compulsory. The language of instruction in most schools is Spanish. International schools are better venues for learning subjects in English.

In Spain, children are required to attend school between age 6 and age 16. They ought to undergo two levels of mandatory education: primary and secondary. To get a comprehensive view of Spain’s education structure, refer to the table below showing the required age for every education level as well as the corresponding mandate:

The start and end of the school year in Spain differ for every region. However, school usually begins in mid-September and ends in mid-June. The Kingdom of Spain follows a three-term system comprised of approximately 11 weeks in school. They also follow several holiday breaks parallel with their religious traditions, such as Christmas break (December to January) and Easter break (two weeks in March or April).

Furthermore, living costs in Spain are reasonable. In fact, the country is considered as one of the cheapest European countries. On average, €900 to €1200 is enough to cover your monthly expenses, such as accommodation, transportation, reading materials, and food.

Quick Facts about Spain

• Spanish is the world's second most widely spoken language. Approximately, there are 437 million native speakers of the Spanish language.
• Spain has a total of 47 World Heritage Sites in the form of rock arts, national parks, and historical cities and buildings.
• Madrid’s Puerta del Sol or Gate of the Sun is directly located in the centre of Spain.
• Spain is one of the oldest constitutional monarchies in the world. It is currently ruled by King Felipe VI.
• Spain used to be one of the most powerful empires in history.
• A Spaniard has written the first-ever novel – Don Quixote by Cervantes.
• The Spanish people are said to have a life expectancy of 82 years. The country is 15th in the world’s longest life expectancy rates.
• The Spanish national anthem does not contain any words.

The beauty and history of Spain, coupled with its welcoming arms for international students would make anyone want to fly to this European country and try its fascinating lifestyle. Are you one of them?

Below is a comprehensive list of all universities in Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sagunto, Seville, Bilbao, Málaga, Oviedo, Gijón, Avilés, Alicante, Elche, Elda), Biscay, ‎Cantabria, Castile & Leon, Las Palmas, Zaragoza, Murcia, Orihuela, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Laguna, Granada, Palma, Vigo, Cartagena, Cádiz, San Sebastián, A Coruña, Oleiros, Arteixo, Valladolid, Tarragona, Reus, Córdoba, Pamplona, Castellón de la Plana, Santander, Torrelavega, Alzira, Xàtiva, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Algeciras, La Línea, Huelva, Almería, Salamanca, Jerez de la Frontera, León, Albacete, Jaén, Martos, Burgos, Logroño, Ferrol, Narón, Lleida, Girona, Salt, Pontevedra, Marín, Badajoz, La Orotava, Puerto de la Cruz, Los Realejos, Santiago de Compostela, Ourense, Benidorm, La Vila Joiosa, Gandia, Oliva, Blanes, Pineda de Mar, Lloret de Mar, Manresa, Marbella, Torrelavega, Vic, Manlleu, Guadalajara, Lugo, Palencia, Toledo). Edarabia strives to offer the latest updates, helping you find the best university in Spain with information on tuition fees, accreditation details, videos, photos, location map, community reviews and ratings.

Edarabia showcases all universities and colleges in Spain which can be filtered by courses and tuition fees. International students looking to get a degree in Spain can choose from a diverse range of programs and diplomas and obtain their Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhDs (or MBAs) from some of the top-rated institutions. Some universities also offer online courses through which students can apply for distance learning and get an online degree in certain fields.

Students who require financial aid can apply for scholarships in order to study higher education at a lower cost. Student visas and accommodation are also provided to students at many universities. There are study abroad and exchange programs offered in order to promote language development skills while giving students the opportunity to interact with other cultures around the world. Additionally, each university/college has ratings based on student reviews and are ranked below accordingly.

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