How much is tuition at a Spanish public university?

EU students pay roughly €1,500–€3,000 a year. Non-EU rates vary by region and are typically €4,000–€9,000 for a master. Private institutions such as IE charge many times that.

Can I study entirely in English?

At master level yes, particularly in engineering, computing, economics and business at UPC, UC3M and the private schools. English-taught bachelors exist but are far fewer, and Madrid concentrates most of them.

Can I work while studying?

Yes — student permits now allow up to 30 hours a week, which is more generous than most of Europe. Spanish is usually necessary for anything outside international companies and tourism.

What happens after graduation?

Graduates can convert the student permit into a twelve-month job-search permit, and then into a work or entrepreneur residence permit once they have an offer.

Study in Spain

Spanish public universities charge non-EU students a few thousand euros a year, and Valencia, Granada and Seville are among the cheapest large university cities in Western Europe. The trade-off is that English-taught options are concentrated at master level and in a handful of institutions; outside those, Spanish at B2 is genuinely required.

Typical tuition: €1,500–€25,000 / year
Living cost: €750–€1,250 / month
Work while studying: 30 hrs / week
Post-study stay: 12 months
Main intakes: September, February
Teaching language: English

Indicative figures for the country — not yet checked against official sources. Confirm with the university and the immigration authority before relying on them.

Popular universities

Barcelona, Spain

Public

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Programs: 2
World ranking: #292

Madrid, Spain

Public

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Programs: 2
World ranking: #335

Valencia, Spain

Public

Universitat Politècnica de València

Programs: 2
World ranking: #431

Madrid, Spain

Private

IE University

Programs: 1
World ranking: —

Popular programs

Universitat Politècnica de CatalunyaBarcelona, Spain

MSc Innovation and Research in Informatics

Master'sEnglish24 monthsScholarships

See how you match

Tuition: €5,500 / year
Deadline: May 31, 2027
Requirements: Bachelor in computer science, informatics or a closely related field
Documented coursework in algorithms, operating systems and mathematics

View details

Universidad Carlos III de MadridMadrid, Spain

BSc Data Science and Engineering

Bachelor'sEnglish48 months

See how you match

Tuition: €8,000 / year
Deadline: Jun 15, 2027
Requirements: Secondary qualification giving university access, with advanced mathematics
UNEDasiss credential recognition for non-EU qualifications

View details

Universidad Carlos III de MadridMadrid, Spain

MSc Economics

Master'sEnglish24 monthsScholarships

See how you match

Tuition: €8,400 / year
Deadline: Apr 30, 2027
Requirements: Bachelor in economics, mathematics or statistics
Strong mathematics record — real analysis expected

View details

IE UniversityMadrid, Spain

Master in Management

Master'sEnglish12 monthsScholarships

See how you match

Tuition: €39,900
Deadline: Jun 30, 2027
Requirements: Bachelor degree in any discipline, awarded within the last three years
IE Global Admissions Test, GMAT or GRE

View details

Computer Science Environment & Sustainability Economics & Finance Data Science & AI Business & Management Engineering Architecture & Design

Admission requirements

A bachelor degree in a related field for masters; for bachelors, non-EU applicants normally need UNEDasiss credential recognition
A sworn translation of transcripts into Spanish where the university asks for one
IELTS 6.0–6.5 for English-taught programmes, or DELE B2 for Spanish-taught ones
Admission to public bachelor programmes is by weighted score, published each round, rather than by individual assessment

English-taught programs

7 of the 7 programs listed here for Spain are taught in English.

Find programs

Application process

1For a bachelor, start the UNEDasiss process early — it runs on its own annual calendar and gates the application.
2Apply on the university portal in the relevant admission round; public universities run several.
3Accept the place and pay the reservation fee, which Spanish masters often charge months before term starts.
4Apply for the student visa, then register for your TIE residence card within 30 days of arriving.

Frequently asked questions

Official resources

Universities change fees and deadlines without notice. Use the official source link on every fact before making a decision.

Study in SpainFind programs

Study in Spain

Popular universities

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Universitat Politècnica de València

IE University

Popular programs

MSc Innovation and Research in Informatics

BSc Data Science and Engineering

MSc Economics

Master in Management

Admission requirements

English-taught programs

Popular cities

Application process

Frequently asked questions

Official resources

Study in Spain

Popular universities

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Universitat Politècnica de València

IE University

Popular programs

MSc Innovation and Research in Informatics

BSc Data Science and Engineering

MSc Economics

Master in Management

Admission requirements

English-taught programs

Popular cities

Application process

Frequently asked questions

Official resources