Admission requirements for studies at university in Spain

General requirements.

First cycle studies (bachelor's):

If you have successfully completed upper secondary studies, are in possession of a valid school leaving certificate and qualify for higher education studies in your home country, you may also qualify for higher education studies in Spain. However, you are requested to prove your level of English and/or Spanish. In some cases, you are also requested to take additional qualifying courses and/or pass specific exams at the institution of your choice in order to meet the eligibility criteria. Please check with your institution in Spain if such specific exams are required for the program you are applying for.

Second cycle studies (master's):

If you are applying for a master's program at university in Spain, you are required to be in possession of a relevant Bachelor's or equivalent degree diploma.

Third cycle studies (PhD):

In the event you are applying for doctoral studies at university in Spain, you are required to be in possession of a relevant diploma or master's degree program.

The "Selectividad" exam is no longer required.

In the past, international students from outside Europe were required to pass the Spanish university entrance examination called "Selectividad". However, this exam is no longer required and students are able to apply for any Spanish higher education institution provided they meet the eligibility criteria.

[Learn how to apply for studies at university in Spain].

Language requirements for studies at universities in Spain.

Spanish:

According to Spanish regulations regarding access to university studies, no specific certificates are required to prove your knowledge of Spanish. In general, students can prove their level of command of Spanish by presenting the results received at the DELE test (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera), by presenting the results from school studies or any other studies. Your university will check whether your level of Spanish is sufficient for you to be able to successfully pass your studies in Spain.

[Learn more about the DELE test]

English:

If your study program or course is taught in English, you will be required to prove your level of command of English by presenting the results you received at English courses. Please, always check with your university whether your English studies are sufficient for you to meet this requirement.

In general, higher education institutions in Europe request student to have a level of command of the language of instruction equivalent to a B2 level according to the scale as described by the European language passport.

Minimum grade point requirement to access undergraduate studies (first cycle) in Spain.

When applying for first cycle studies (bachelor's) in Spain, students are ranked based on their grade point average obtained at upper secondary school. Therefore, always check with your Spanish university about the minimum grade point you need to obtain, the so called "Nota de corte".

You may use the European grades comparison chart to learn how you would score in Europe.

Source: UNED (Spanish National University for Distance Education. UNED is responsible for the recognition of foreign qualifications to access university studies in Spain)