How is the education system in Spain organized, and how does it differ from that adopted in Russia or other CIS countries? How do I choose a kindergarten or a school? How to enroll in a Spanish university, and which universities are preferable? Why are vocational education colleges popular in Spain? How much will each stage of the child’s education cost the parents? We put everything on the shelves.
In any ranking of the best countries for expats/expats, Spain is certainly among the leaders. The Spanish digital nomad visa was recognized in 2024 as the best among, for a moment, 65 similar programs in different countries.
The beautiful Catalan capital Barcelona recently took second place in the list of the most suitable cities for combining work and leisure.
Many people choose to move to Spain, and one of the main issues that the family solves concerns the admission of children to a local kindergarten, school or, if the heirs are older, to a university.
How is education organized in Spain?
The Spanish education system consists of several stages:
Infantil (Educación Infantil) is a children’s school. From 3 to 6 years old.
Spanish children go to school from the age of 3. Of course, no one forces yesterday’s kids to sit at their desks, classes with them are held in a playful way, but, nevertheless, they gradually master numbers, get acquainted with the alphabet, foreign languages and often outperform their peers from countries where children attend kindergarten much longer.
Primaria (Educación Primaria) is an elementary school. From 6 to 12 years old.
Secundaria (Educación Secundaria) is a secondary school. From 12 to 16 years old.
The last two of these steps are mandatory. From the age of 12 to 16, a student receives compulsory secondary education (ESO, Educación Secundaria Obligatoria). Then he can choose several paths. One option is to graduate from two more grades in high school and, after passing the exam, enter a university. You can also go to the vocational education center.
Bachillerato is a high school. From 16 to 18 years old.
Ciclos Formativos – professional education. From 16 to 18 years old.
Young people, as part of vocational education, master any specialty, for example, in the field of construction or hospitality. Graduates of colleges who have completed the Grado Superior program, as well as graduates of the Bacilerato, have an open path to universities.
Educación superior – higher education.
Kindergartens in Spain
The garden period, as we have already found out, is not too long in Spain. However, many families have a question about where to identify a baby who has not yet turned 3 years old.
State-run free preschool institutions accept children from the age of 2, but you need to register there in advance. Paid kindergartens are accepted from 4 months. Payment: approximately 400 to 800 euros per month.
Some parents tend to find an English-speaking kindergarten if, for example, the family is going to move somewhere else.
Russian-speaking children can be sent to one of the development studios opened by immigrants. They do not have the status of a kindergarten, but in fact they are.
Schools in Spain
There are three types of schools in Spain: public, semi-private and private.
Public education (publico) is free. At their own expense, parents purchase textbooks and uniforms for their son or daughter, as well as pay for meals and some additional classes. Note that these costs are to some extent covered by a small annual subsidy.
The quality of education and the atmosphere in a municipal school depends on the area in which it is located, as well as on the personality of the principal. Sometimes, even in the wealthiest areas, there are strong educational institutions.
Semi–private schools (concertado) are schools attached to some Catholic organization that are partially funded from the regional budget. Concertado is considered to be better than regular public schools. They are appreciated, for example, for their individual approach to children. For example, if a student does not have time for some subject, the teacher will study with him separately. Studying at the Concertado is not completely free. Its cost is about 200-300 euros per month.
Private schools (privado) are much more expensive, about 500-600 euros per month for primary or secondary school tuition and 1,200 euros for senior classes, plus expenses for meals, uniforms and a school bus.
Elite colleges will require more finances, up to 40,000 euros per year. For example, Messi and Shakira’s children studied at prestigious international schools in Barcelona. Many wealthy foreigners tend to send their children to such educational institutions.
What is the difference between schools, besides the cost? First of all, the language of instruction. In “publico” and “concertado” – children learn subjects in Spanish or the language of autonomy. For example, in Catalonia, Catalan is mandatory.
Private colleges can work exclusively according to the British, American, French program, and teach Spanish as a second language. Another option is bilingual schools, where education is conducted, for example, in English and Spanish, plus or minus in equal parts. Many of these educational institutions provide an opportunity to obtain an IB (International Baccalaureate) certificate, which opens the way to universities in the UK and the USA.
Immigrants from Russian-speaking countries often send their child to a Russian or Ukrainian Saturday school, which complements the main one. Enterprising Russians and Ukrainians rent a room in an ordinary school and organize classes there on weekends. Children study history, literature in their native language, attend chess, drawing or gymnastics clubs.
Ultimately, the choice of the type of school depends on the future plans of the family, its financial capabilities, as well as on the age, abilities, language proficiency and personal qualities of the child himself.
The concertado is quite suitable for younger children. The atmosphere of these schools can be described with the words “a happy child runs to class.” A friendly environment, the absence of a cult of assessments and pressure, a minimum of “homework”, numerous excursions and practical exercises in the fresh air – that’s what catches the eye of parents from post-Soviet countries. There are additional classes at the school, for example, you can play music or draw.
Teenagers without sufficient knowledge of Spanish, but with a certain level of English, it is better to prefer a private international school. This will allow you to master the program, even if not in your native language, but in a familiar language, while learning Spanish at the same time.
Interestingly, schoolchildren in Spain have their own siesta, which usually lasts from 12:30 to 15:00. During this time, parents can take the child home to feed him lunch, or leave him for lunch at college. After the break, the children return to their desks and study until 17:00.
Universities in Spain
There are three levels of higher education in Spain, as in many other countries: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctoral degree. To get a degree “grado” (bachelor’s degree), you need to study, depending on the university, for 3-4 years (for doctors – up to 6 years). For a master’s degree, or a master’s degree, it takes another 2 years. Doctoral studies (postgraduate studies) last 3-6 years, and should end with the defense of a dissertation.
Spanish universities are divided into public and private ones, and public ones are considered more prestigious.
To enter the university, Spanish graduates take the unified state exam – Selectividad. It is held both in schools and in preparatory courses at universities.
Do Spanish universities accept foreigners who do not have a local school certificate? Yes, they accept, and immediately after the 11th grade, unlike in Italy, for example, where the applicant is required to complete 12 classes.
Moreover, it is possible to enroll in some educational institutions without exams by passing a certificate competition. However, such a trick does not always work, and it is more accurate to pass the PCE exam anyway. What will be included in the testing depends on the chosen curriculum.
What else do you need from an applicant from another country?
- Homologated certificate (homologation is the official recognition of educational documents obtained outside Spain).
- A certificate confirming knowledge of Spanish at the B2 level. It can be obtained by passing the DELE language exam.
- A certificate confirming knowledge of English at the B2 level, if the chosen curriculum is in English.
- A motivation letter.
Some private universities also require an interview.
What is the cost of training? In public universities, it depends on the chosen direction and starts from 800 euros per year. Average: 2000 – 5000 euros per year. In private universities, the rates are higher – from 3,000 to 10,000 euros per year – but there are opportunities for partial compensation of this amount through scholarships and grants. State–funded scholarships for students from abroad are not provided.
If the key criterion is the cost of education, then it is worth considering Andalusia. Studying in Cadiz, a city on the ocean coast, will cost less than 1,000 euros per year, renting an apartment will cost about 450 euros per month, and renting a room will cost 200 euros.
If the main issue is in the language, or rather, in its absence, then it should be borne in mind that undergraduate programs with teaching in English are more in private universities. There are many English-language courses at the Master’s degree program and at public universities.
An important remark. Pre-university preparatory courses are not mandatory, but many foreigners take this extra year to improve their language and prepare for the PCE exam.
How prestigious is university education in Spain?
Higher than other Spanish universities in the world ranking SQ World University Ranking 2023 were:
- University of Barcelona (178th place)
- Autonomous University of Barcelona (184th place)
- Autonomous University of Madrid (215th place)
- Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona (223rd place)
- Complutense University, Madrid (226th place)
- Carlos III University of Madrid (320th place)
- Polytechnic Institute of Catalonia, Barcelona (343rd place)
- IE University, Segovia (347th place)
- University of Navarre, private (253rd place)
- Polytechnic University of Valencia (400th place).
Vocational education in Spain
The advanced version of vocational education in Spain is called “Grado Superior” (Grado Superior). After 2 years of intensive training with an emphasis on practice, the student receives a narrow specialty in any direction. Then you can continue to delve into the profession by applying to the university, or go to find a job.
Let’s make a reservation, in Spain there is no prejudice against special education, as in post-Soviet countries. It is popular here.
Foreigners with a certificate of completion of 11th grade and strong Spanish can also enroll in vocational education centers. They do not provide teaching in English.
Applicants do not need to take exams, but when selecting, preference is given to local ones, and it is difficult to get to the most interesting and sought-after specialties.
Professional educational institutions can also be public, that is, completely or practically free for foreigners, and private, in which you will have to pay about 2500-5000 euros per year for the same programs.
Thank you for your help in preparing the material:
Olga Popova, Head of the LUXBARCELONA Real Estate and Immigration Agency
Evgeny Voitov, an expert at Adel Properties agency
Photos used: Depositphotos.com
English 
Russian 
German 
Polish