Affordable Higher Education in Spain in Public & Private Universities.

 In Spain there are currently 75 universities (both public and private) which offer about 3600 undergraduate programs and nearly 2000  master programs. The majority of degree courses conducted in  public  universities that have already been adapted to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) under Bologna Process since 2006. Although universities in Spain can either issue official degrees or non-official degrees but Official degrees have validity in the EHEA and in countries outside of Europe. The  degrees have following  divisions:

The official degrees.

• Bachelors degrees (Grado) 3-4 years degree (240 credits)  in  Arts and Humanities, Sciences, Health Sciences, Social Sciences and Law, Engineering and Architecture.  
• Masters degrees (Posgrado) 1-2 years degree (60-120 credits).
• Doctoral degree or PhD (Doctorado) 3-4 years (60 credits and research  to be defended publicly).

The non-official degrees.

The non-official degrees are neither valid in the EHEA nor widely recognized in other countries some degrees have a high market demands. The non-official university degrees include Non-official Bachelor, Non-official Masters (Maestrias), Masters Specialist and Masters Expert.

University of Barcelona

University of Seville

University of Cantabria

University of Salamanca

Important Note:
This information is for Public Universities and students are suggested to learn process of admission and enrolment for Private Universities they may follow different schedules than Public Universities and suitable to them. 

Documents require the following for admission:

• Validation of secondary school studies with the Spanish "Curso de Orientación Universitaria (COU)" or "Bachillerato LOGSE".
• Application to take the Admissions Test of the university of student's choice (the Selectivity Exam).The selected  university's site must be contacted directly to know conditions,the dates for registration and for the exam.
• Any student can take the Selectivity Exam up to four times. The student can improve the grade to  obtain five points or more that is  equivalent to the "Bachillerato" and "COU".
• Some degrees may require the highest grades in the university admissions exam, the "Pruebas de Acceso a la Universidad (P.A.U.)". an aptitude test  to assess their capacity in Art Appreciation, Translation, Sports and similar studies (in double Spanish and foreign degree).
• After passing the test and obtaining a place transfer the following documents to the university.


• An original certificate of admission.
• A receipt of having paid relevant fee into the bank account of the university.
• A photocopy of the examination results slip.
• The number of the student's passport.
• The examination's results and the year and the type of Selectivity Test passed.
• The academic transcripts.


Note:

Students with previous university studies should not sit for the university selectivity exam.

Other cases

• Students who have initiated university studies in their own country and wish to take a completely different program of studies in Spain should follow the same application procedure as students from secondary schools.
• Students who have initiated university studies in their own country and wish to take a completely different program of studies in Spain should follow the same application procedure as students from secondary schools.
• If convalidation of the degree has been denied by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, students may apply for partial convalidation of their studies at the university of their choice.

Academic year

First of all, it is important to take into account that the  academic calendar is different to that of most European universities. The first semester usually starts in the last week of September, finishing in mid-February with a two-week Christmas holiday in the middle. The second semester generally begins in the third week of February and finishes at the beginning of July, with a one-week Easter holiday in the middle.

Enrolments

1. BACHELOR STUDIES

The enrolment period is open from 1st December to June.

The special enrolment period is open from July until September (in the case of degrees with vacancies)

2. MASTER'S AND POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

The enrolment period is open from 1st December  until 15rd July .The special enrolment period is open from July  until September  (in the case of degrees with vacancies)

Tuition Fee

The prices of first year of the same matriculation (degree) can vary between € 720  to  € 20,000 . The variation was due to difference of price per credit in the Autonomous Region that may be € 12 in Andalucía €17 in Navarra or Madrid. The price per credit may be manifold in private universities. Same is case with  Master Degree cost that ranges between € 2000, € 3000 and € 5000. For Doctorate the price may  be from € 29  for a Research credit to € 67 for the same credit in other regions like Cataluña and  Canaries or Castile La Mancha. It is however seen that fee is on lower side in Universities managed by State and "Not For Profit" Bodies. There is a good number of scholarships available from Public as well as from Private and Not For Profit Institutes.

Visa & Residence Permit:

The students from non- European countries are required to get Schengen visa of 90 days from  their countries and then process their residence permit on arrival to Spain. But students from within the Europe can obtain residence permit without getting any visa before reaching in Spain.

Important Note:

There are a good number of private (both commercial and not for profit) educational institutes which are offering a wide range of vocational, business and even degrees level courses. Reputation of the majority is good. Their programs, fees, deadlines and requirement can be checked individually from them. The below mentioned list will show a variety of such universities and schools.

Universities in Spain

University of Almeria   (Public)

University of Cádiz       (Public)
University of Córdoba   (Public)
University of Granada    (Public)

University of Huelva      (Public)

University of Jaen          (Public)
University of Malaga  (Public)

University of Seville      (Public)

Universidad Technologia Y Empresa Private
International University of Andalusia (Public)
Pablo de Olavide University (Public)
Loyola University Andalusia Catholic
University of Zaragoza (Public)
San Jorge University Catholic
University of Oviedo (Public)

University of the Balearic Islands(Public)
University of the Basque Country (Public)

University of Deusto Catholic
Mondragon University Private
University of La Laguna (Public)

University of Las Palmas de Gran (Public)
European University of Canarias  Private
University Fernando Pessoa-Canarias  Private
University of Cantabria     (Public)

European University of the Atlantic Private
University of Castile–La Mancha (Public)

University of Burgos (Public)

University of León  (Public)

University of Salamanca(Public)
University of Valladolid  (Public)
Catholic University of Ávila Catholic
IE University  Private
Isabel I University   (Spanish) Private
Miguel de Cervantes European University  Private
Pontifical University of Salamanca  Catholic
Autonomous University of Barcelona(Public)
Polytechnic University of Catalonia  (Public)
Pompeu Fabra University  (Public)
Rovira i Virgili University (Public)

University of Barcelona   (Public)
University of Girona (Public)

University of Lleida (Public)
Abat Oliba CEU University Catholic
International University of Catalonia  Private
Open University of Catalonia(Public)
Ramon Llull University Private
European University  Private
University of Vic  Private
University of Extremadura(Public)
University of A Coruña (Public)
University of Santiago (Public)
University of Vigo (Public)
University of La Rioja (Public)
International University of La Rioja  Private
Menéndez Pelayo International University  ((Public)
Autonomous University of Madrid  (Public)

Carlos III University of Madrid  (Public)
Complutense University of Madrid (Public)
National University of Distance Education (Public)

Rey Juan Carlos University (Public)

University of Madrid (Public)

University of Alcalá  (Public)
Alfonso X University  Private
Antonio de Nebrija University Private
Camilo José Cela University Private
CEU San Pablo University Catholic
European University of Madrid  Private
Francisco de Vitoria University      Private
Comillas Pontifical University Catholic
Saint Damasus Ecclesiastical University  Ecclesiastical
Universidad a Distancia de Madrid(Spanish)   Private
University of Murcia  (Public)
Universidad Politécnica  (Public)
Universidad Católica  Catholic
University of Navarre  Catholic
Universidad Pública de Navarra (Public)

James I University       (Public)

Valencian International University  Private
Miguel Hernández University of Elche(Public)
Polytechnic University of Valencia  (Public)

University of Alicante (Public)
University of Valencia (Public)
Valencia Catholic University  Catholic
Universidad CEU  Catholic
European University of Valencia  Private.