Universities and Colleges in Spain - Courses, Fees, Scholarships, Admission Requirements & Grades

About Universities In Spain 

As the cost of studies continues to rise in popular study abroad destinations such as the US, UK, and Canada, Spain is quickly emerging as an alternative to the so-called "Big 3", offering equally good if not better standard of living and quality of education at much more affordable costs. More than 30 Spanish Universities form part of the QS World Rankings 2026, including popular universities like the University of Barcelona, Complutense University of Madrid, Pompeu Fabra University, University of Navarra, and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. 

The majority of the best universities in Spain are based in the cities of Madrid, Barcelona, Pamplona, and Tarragona. As of 2022, Spain was home to almost 1,400 Indian students, according to the estimated figures released by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India. International students seeking admission to Spanish universities can submit the following language test scores: TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, and PTE. Some of the popular courses in Spain are MBA/PGDM, MSc, MS, BBA, and BA. 

Universities in Spain: Highlights

Generally, the duration of courses in top universities and colleges of Spain is 12 months to 2 years. 

Parameter	Statistics
Universities in Spain	35
Tuition Fees	Up to INR 10 L: 11 Up to INR 40 L: 32
Top streams in Spain	MBA/PGDM, MSc, MS, BBA, and BA
English language exams required	IELTS/TOEFL/PTE/Duolingo
Entrance exams required	GRE/GMAT

Why Study in Spain?

Studying in Spain can be a good option for Indian students for a number of reasons, including:

• Much lower tuition rates as compared to universities in the USA, UK, Canada, or Australia
• Average monthly cost of living ranges between EUR 700-EUR 1,300 (INR 61.3 K-INR 1.13 L), much more affordable than other countries
• Around 38 Spanish Universities form part of the latest QS World Rankings, thus showing no shortage of quality education options.
• Students can choose from a range of courses, which include full-time and part-time degree programs, certification, and diploma courses that can be taken up in English and Spanish.
• The country offers sunny and bright weather for most of the year, ideal for going out and playing a round of beach volleyball, football, hopping on a cycle, or just having a sunbath and reading a book.
• There are a number of government and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to deserving international students that can further help offset the overall costs of studies.  These include the MAEC-AECID Scholarships, Becas MEC, and Erasmus+, among others. 

Best Universities in Spain 

Some popular options for students to consider for higher studies in Spain include:

University	QS World	Shiksha Popularity Ranking
University of Barcelona	#160	#94
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona	#172	Unranked
Complutense University of Madrid	#187	#155
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid	#206	Unranked
University of Navarra	#262	#186
Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona)	#265	#169
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid	#301	#264
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid	#334	#670
Universidad Politecnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC)	#392	#698
University of Granada	#401	Unranked

Best Engineering Universities in Spain 

Based on QS Subject Rankings 2025, some of the top universities for Engineering courses in Spain are given as follows:

University Name	QS Subject Rank
Universidad Polictenica de Madrid	#86
Universitat Politenica de Catalunya	#97
University of Barcelona	#137
Universiatat Politecnica de Valencia	#145
Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona	#231
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid	#239
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid	#262
Complutense University of Madrid	#271
University of Granada	#277
Universidad de Sevilla	#299

Best Management Universities in Spain

Some of the best Spanish Universities for Management studies are:

University Name	QS Subject Rank
Universitat Ramon Llull	#24
IE University	#32
University of Navarra	#42
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid	#151-200
Pompeu Fabra University	#201-250
Complutense University of Madrid	#251-300
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid	#251-300
Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona	#251-300
University of Barcelona	#251-300
Comillas Pontifical University	#301-350

List of Top Medicine and Health Sciences Universities in Spain 

Some popular institutes for Medicinal studies in Spain include:

University	QS Medicine Rank 2025
University of Barcelona	#56
Complutense University of Madrid	#124
Universitate Autonoma de Barcelona	#141
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid	#157
Universitat de Valencia	#201-250
University of Navarra	#201-250
University of Granada	#251-300
Universidad de Sevilla	#301-350
Pompeu Fabra University	#301-350
Universidad de Santiago de Compostela	#401-450

Top Ranking Courses in Spain

Some of the top courses in Spain for international students are given as follows:

Top courses	Count of Universities
MBA/PGDM	27
M.Sc.	24
MS	15
BBA	10
BA	6
Others PG	5

Admissions Requirements

While each university has its own application deadline, most accept applications over the Spring and Fall intakes. 

Upcoming deadlines for admission to Universities are:

Intake	Applications Open (Tentative)	Application Deadline (Tentative)
Spring (Jan or Feb) 2026	Jul, 2025	Oct-Dec, 2025
Fall (Sep or Oct) 2026	Jan, 2026	May-Jun, 2026

Documents Required

• Official transcripts of past academics
• SOP
• Professional Resume or CV
• LOR
• Portfolio (as per the requirement)
• Proof of Finances
• Valid scores in SAT, ACT, GRE, or GMAT
• English Proficiency

Entrance Exams Accepted

Some of the entrance exams accepted by universities include:

Entrance Exam	Count of Universities
GRE	8
GMAT	9

English Language Requirements

Some of the English Language Proficiency exams accepted by universities are as follows:

English Language Exams	Count of Universities
IELTS	34
TOEFL	23
PTE	9
Duolingo	8

How to apply to Universities in Spain?

While the application process for admission to Spain universities varies, given below is the general process of applying for higher studies in Spain:

• Research and filter out the courses and the universities you're interested in
• Register on the official university portal 
• Gather and upload all important documents
• Pay the standard university application fee, and after a careful review, submit the application
• Track the status of your application via the application portal
• Wait for some time for the admission response
• If selected, accept the admission offer and apply for a Spain Study Visa

Documents Required for a Spain Student Visa

Applicants must carry the following set of documents as part of the Spain Study Visa process:

• 2 Copies of the Visa application form
• Recent passport-sized coloured photographs
• A valid passport (Original + Photocopy)
• Official copy and photocopy of the Admission letter
• Proof of Finances and Housing
• Proof of Fees Payment
• A valid health insurance and medical insurance
• Spain Student Visa fee paid via DEMAND DRAFT to the Consulate General of Spain
• Police Clearance Certificate

How to apply for a Student visa to Spain?

Follow the steps below:

• Schedule a visa appointment at the Spanish Consular Office or contact an agent recognized by the same
• Complete the Spain student visa application form and submit the same at the Consular Office either by yourself or via an agent
• Note down the code that comes along with the proof of receipt as provided by the Consular Office. This code can then be used to track the status of your visa application
• The Consular Office may require a student to provide any missing documents, and also call them for a personal interview at a later date
• After the personal Interview, the applicant may be granted a Spanish study visa
• The Spanish Consular Office would also get in touch with the applicant to inform him/her of the process to collect their original documents back 

Student Visa Fee in Spain: Visa application option and cost

Different types of Student Visas exist for Spain, and the validity for all of them varies. If students wish to apply for the same from outside Spain, they need to apply for the same at a Spanish embassy. Some of the different student visa types available in Spain are given as follows:

• Schengen Student Visa or Type C Visa (less than three months)
• Short-Term Student Visa (3-6 months) or 180-day D Type Visa
• Long Term Student Visa (more than 6 months)

The student visa fee for international students in Spain is given as follows:

Type of Visa	Cost
Short Term Visa (Schengen Visa)	EUR 60
Long-Term Visa for Non-USA citizens	EUR 80

Did you know, you can now study for next to no cost in Europe?

Check out the video below to know more:

Jobs in Spain

Here's all you need to know about career opportunities in Spain.

Post Work Permit in Spain 

A lot of international students get into employment after completing their studies in Spain as the country's living costs are quite affordable and the atmosphere is welcoming. If you want to get into employment after finishing your higher studies, you will be required to contact the immigration authority under the Secretary of State for Migration (La Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones) as well as the labour and employment authorities under the Ministry of Labor and Economy.

Part-Time Options

International students may have a not-so-easy job hunt journey in Spain as compared to their Spanish peers. This is because most of the companies in their country prefer employees who are fluent in Spanish. Also, most of the jobs available overseas are of a full-time nature. So make sure the student explores such part-time employment opportunities that do not clash with their schedule, clashing as classes.

Check: Part-time work options in Spain for International Students

Top Job Sectors & Economy

Some of the most in-demand jobs offered in Spain during 2024-25 are given as follows:

• Supply Chain Manager
• Cyber Security Analyst 
• Sales Associates 
• Business Development Manager 
• Logistics Expert 

Best Paying Jobs in Spain

Job Profile	Average Annual Salary (in EUR)	Average Annual Salary (in INR)
Neurosurgeon	EUR 80,000	INR 81.72 L
Supply Chain Manager	EUR 54,252	INR 55.42 L
Operations Manager	EUR 44,000	INR 44.95 L
Electrical Engineer	EUR 40,181	INR 41.04 L
Software Engineer	EUR 40,044	INR 40.9 L
Project Manager	EUR 41,011	INR 41.89 L
Data Scientist	EUR 39,000	INR 39.84 L
Mechanical Engineer	EUR 35,943	INR 36.72 L
Data Analyst	EUR 30,661	INR 31.32 L
Attorney or Lawyer	EUR 30,500	INR 31.2 L
High School Teacher	EUR 28,937	INR 29.56 L
Retail Store Manager	EUR 27,491	INR 28.08 L
Accountant	EUR 24,995	INR 25.53 L

1 EUR = INR 102.16

Source: Payscale

Akash Gaur10-08-2025 16:46