SPAIN

For a long time Spain was a country of holidays and sunshine, but over the past few years it has been confidently turning into one of the important destinations for studying in Europe. People come here not for Switzerland-level elite boarding schools, nor for careers in US-level global corporations. They come for something else — for quality European education at a reasonable price, for a warm climate and for a life that doesn’t end after six in the evening.

What people usually come to study

For schoolchildren. Spanish private boarding schools are a destination that isn’t too well-known yet, but very promising. The country has more than 180 boarding schools where the share of international pupils reaches 22% (that’s more than 15 000 people). People come here for a unique blend of British, American and Spanish educational standards, as well as for specialised programmes — for example, football academies attached to clubs like «Barcelona» and «Real Madrid», art schools with access to the Prado and Gaudí, marine biology programmes on the Costa Brava, or robotics. The schools offer instruction in three languages: Spanish, English and, say, Catalan or French. Many follow A-Level programmes or the American High School Diploma. Pupils live in on-campus residences, in rooms for 1–4 people. The daily schedule is packed: lessons, sport, the arts, independent study. Weekends are devoted to excursions, hikes and sports tournaments.

For students. Spanish universities are an important point of attraction for international students. In the 2023/24 academic year, around 196 500 international students studied here, not counting the classic Erasmus+ exchange. Over eight years the number of international students has almost doubled; they now make up roughly 11% of all students at Spanish universities. Interestingly, Spain attracts a very diverse audience. The largest group is students from Latin America (almost 94 000 people), for whom Spain is almost an extension of home, with the same language and a similar culture. Around 53 000 students come from EU countries, and Spain is the outright leader for the Erasmus+ programme: roughly 14% of all participants choose it. Another 22 000 people come from Asia and Oceania, of whom about 13 500 are from China. The USA (around 11 500 students) and Morocco (around 7 300) stand out separately. Spanish universities are especially popular at Master’s and doctoral level — people come here already holding a degree, to gain a specialisation or carry out research. In recent years Spain has been actively expanding its offering of English-taught programmes. In a single academic year alone, universities offered around 900 programmes where at least half the courses are taught in a foreign language. This makes the country far more accessible to those who are only just starting to learn Spanish.

Features of studying

Secondary education. Spanish boarding schools provide a safe environment with round-the-clock supervision. The campuses are set in picturesque locations: on the Costa del Sol coast, in the foothills near Madrid, in historic cities like Toledo. Classes are small — 12 pupils on average — and the teacher-to-pupil ratio is 1:8. The schools offer different accommodation formats: full board (the child lives on campus all week), weekday-only boarding (parents take them home for the weekend) and flexible boarding, which can be adjusted to the family’s individual schedule. Many schools in Spain have long traditions: 85% of them were founded before 1950. At the same time they actively cooperate with top universities — Spanish, European and American. Graduates are deliberately prepared for admission to the world’s leading universities, and statistically, 95% of them are successfully admitted.

Higher education. The Spanish higher education system is close to the common European one: a Bachelor’s lasts 3–4 years (depending on the field), a Master’s — 1–2 years. The academic year starts in September and is divided into two semesters: the first from September to December or January, the second from January to May. Spain has 14 universities in the QS top 500 best universities in the world, among them the University of Barcelona and the Autonomous University of Madrid. The campuses are well equipped: libraries, sports grounds, medical centres, laboratories. A distinctive feature of Spain is its strong professional niches. The country is a recognised leader in tourism and hotel management, architecture and restoration, civil engineering and renewable energy. If you plan to work in these fields, a Spanish diploma is a serious advantage.

Visa requirements

Citizens of non-EU countries need a national type D student visa to study for longer than 90 days. The process involves submitting documents to the consulate after receiving confirmation from the university.

The main requirements:

• Confirmation of enrolment at a Spanish educational institution
• Proof of finances: a minimum of 600–700 euros a month for the whole intended period (about 7 200–8 400 euros a year)
• Medical insurance with full coverage
• Certificate of no criminal record (with an apostille and translation)
• A passport valid for at least the entire period of study

Cost and timeframes: The consular fee is about 100–150 euros. Visa processing can take 4–8 weeks. After arriving in Spain you have 30 days to apply for a foreigner’s identity card (TIE — Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero). Important: since May 2025 language school students cannot convert tourist status into student status inside the country — you must apply for the visa in advance from home.

Pros and cons

Pros.

• Compared with other countries of Western Europe, study and life in Spain are noticeably cheaper.
• Quality education, recognised throughout Europe and beyond.
• A wide choice of English-taught programmes.
• A sunny climate and a rich culture — 300+ sunny days a year, which for many is a weighty argument.
• The chance to work legally while studying — since 2025 students can work up to 30 hours a week (previously it was 20).

Cons.

• Despite the growth in English-taught programmes, everyday life will be hard without Spanish — especially when dealing with government agencies, renting housing or going to the doctor.
• Spain is famous for its slow and convoluted bureaucratic system: obtaining a visa, a residence permit and other documents can take several months.
• The economic situation. Unemployment in Spain is traditionally above the European average, which can make finding work after studies harder.