• Bachelor's programmes - basic degree programmes and/or general education-oriented;
• Master's programmes - specialized or multidisciplinary advanced training, academic or professional oriented;
• Doctorate programmes - advanced training in research techniques. top
  

Entering university
Competition for places at Spanish universities is high as there are too few places for all the students wishing to attend. Spanish students must have an Intermediate level and then pass an Entry exam. This will give them a chance to continue their education in a university or other Higher education facility.

EU nationals are entitled to compete for places at Spanish universities on equal terms with Spanish nationals, as are Spanish nationals in other EU countries.

In addition, a percentage of places at most universities, e.g. 5 percent, are allocated to foreign non-EU students. In general, qualifications that are accepted as entry requirements in a student's home country are accepted in Spain.

Applications must be submitted to universities and addressed to the student secretariat (vice-rectorado de alumnos).

Spanish universities accept British A-levels as an entrance qualification, but an American high school diploma isn’t usually accepted. American students must usually have spent two years at college or hold a BA, BBA or BSc degree.

For information about the recognition of EU diplomas in Spain, contact the Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Subdirección General de Cooperación Internacional, Centro de Información sobre Reconocimiento de Títulos y Movilidad de Estudiantes, C/Alcalá, 34, 28014 Madrid (917-018 000, www.mec.es).

Students with foreign qualifications must have them approved by a process known as convalidation or homologation (homologación) by the Spanish Department of Education and Culture in Spain. All foreign students require a thorough knowledge of Spanish, although preparatory courses are provided.

Note that in autonomous regions where there’s a second official language (e.g. the Basque Country, Catalonia and Galicia), courses may be conducted in the local language. top

You should consider that a Bachelor's program is worth 180 credits in total, 60 credits per year. A Master of Science program is worth 240 credits, also 60 credits per year.

The fees for Master programmes and Doctoral programmes are respectively EUR 15.36 - 37.24 per credit, where a Master's program is usually worth 60 - 80 credits, and EUR 30.72 - 63,80 per credit for a Doctoral programme. This may be an important consideration if you don’t qualify for a grant and must pay for your own university education abroad.

Note that a disadvantage of moving to Spain is that foreign children resident in Spain may be classified as overseas students by their home countries, making them no longer eligible for grants and possibly liable to pay fees (or higher fees).

If you live permanently in Spain and plan to study in another EU country such as Britain, you aren’t required to pay tuition fees, but won’t be eligible for a living expenses grant.

Students should expect to pay EUR 350 to EUR 1,000 a month for meals and accommodation. There’s a huge difference in the cost of living between cities and regions, with Madrid and Barcelona the most expensive.

Finding a part-time job to help pay your living expenses is difficult in Spain and shouldn’t be relied upon.

Some universities have their own student halls of residence (colegios mayores), although places are in high demand and short supply.

Spanish students under the age of 28 and registered at a Spanish institute of higher education are covered for health insurance by a students’ insurance fund. This fund also covers many foreign students under reciprocal agreements, including those from EU countries. Students over the age of 28 and others who aren’t covered must have private health insurance.

Many Spanish students attend the nearest university to their home and treat university as an extension of school, particularly in Madrid and other large cities where accommodation is expensive.

Faced with the choice of either living with their parents or in a depressing university residence or cheap room, most choose to live at home. Spanish students don’t usually work during their studies or during holidays and most go home at weekends.

Few university facilities are open at weekends, when foreign students must amuse themselves. Note that like Spanish state schools, universities offer few extra-curricular, sports and social activities. top

American and European universities
In addition to Spanish higher education establishments, there are also a number of US universities with faculties in Spain including the Schiller International University, the St. Louis University and Suffolk University (all in Madrid). All classes at American universities are taught in English.

The European University has branches in Barcelona and the University of Surrey (Britain) also has a branch in Madrid. Many foreign university students (and Spanish students abroad) can study in Spain under European Union exchange programmes for periods ranging from a few weeks to several months. If you’re heading for Barcelona (or anywhere in Catalonia), ensure that a course is conducted in Spanish (Castilian) and not Catalan. top

Further information
Information about higher education in Spain can be obtained from the cultural sections of Spanish embassies abroad and from the University Council (Consejo de Coordinación Universitaria, ccu.mec.es), Secretaría General, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid (914-539 800).

A useful book about higher education in Spain is Studying and Working in Spain by M. Newton and G. Shields (Manchester University Press) and the Spain Exchange website also includes a wealth of useful information about studying in Spain as well as a detailed description of all universities and higher education establishments in the country (www.spainexchange.com). top

Kirina Boykova / Expatica

Sources:

http://portal.ucm.es/en/web/en-ucm

http://www.ub.edu/web/ub/ca/

http://www.tostudyinspain.com/spanish-university-system/

http://www.qrossroads.eu/higher-education-in-europe/spain-66

This is an extract from Living and Working in Spain, by David Hampshire. Published by Survival Books.