v256.0 · education · ES · verified 2026-04
Spain education system
Education in Spain — public + private K-12, international schools, university system, tuition costs, scholarships, language of instruction, and expat-family pathway.
System overview
Modern free K-12 + university system · 17 autonomous communities each adapt curriculum (Catalan, Basque, Galician language variations) · LOMLOE 2022 latest reform · Strong tradition (Salamanca 1218 — among Europe's oldest universities)
K-12 schools
| Public K-12 | Infantil (3-6 free) · Primaria (6-12) · ESO Secondary Obligatory (12-16) · Bachillerato (16-18, pre-university) · Selectividad/EvAU university-entry exam · Free public schools |
| Private K-12 | ~30% Spanish students at private/concertado (state-subsidized, mostly Catholic) · Concertados free + small contribution · Fully private EUR 5-20K/yr · Religious tradition strong |
| International schools | American School of Madrid · King's College Madrid (British curriculum) · British Council School · Lycée Français Madrid · ICS Madrid (IB) · Brittain School · Sotogrande International · Multiple British curriculum schools across Costa del Sol + Madrid + Barcelona EUR 8-25K/yr |
University system
| University system | 80+ universities · UCM (Madrid Complutense, 1499) + UB (Barcelona, 1450) · Universidad Autónoma de Madrid + Barcelona · IE Business School (top global MBA) · ESADE + IESE business schools · Salamanca (1218 — Europe's 3rd-oldest university) |
| Tuition costs | Spanish/EU students: EUR 750-2,500/yr (Madrid Catalonia higher than other regions) · Non-EU students: EUR 1,500-6,000/yr (Catalonia + Madrid higher) · Master's EUR 1,500-8,000 · IE/ESADE/IESE EUR 50-90K MBA |
| Scholarships + financial aid | Becas MEC (Ministry of Education) · Erasmus+ · Carolina Foundation (Latin America focus) · Government bilateral scholarships · Regional government · Industry-specific · IE/ESADE/IESE merit + need awards |
Language of instruction
Spanish (Castilian) primary · Catalan-medium schools (Catalonia, Valencia, Balearic Islands) · Basque-medium (Basque Country, Navarra) · Galician-medium (Galicia) · Increasing English-language master's · IE+ESADE+IESE bilingual
Expat-family pathway
Student visa straightforward · NIE registration · Proof of funds 100% IPREM (EUR 600+/month) · 1-yr renewable · Post-study residence path · Beckham Law 24% flat tax for new tax residents · EU passport pathway after 10yr residence
Recent changes (2023-2026)
2024-25: LOMLOE 2022 implementation continuing · Beckham Law extended to digital nomads + remote workers · Catalonia language-medium policy continued · International school growth in Costa del Sol + Mediterranean coast · Lower fees than France/Italy continuing
Source: official Spain Ministry of Education · Last verified 2026-04
See also: Spain country profile · education atlas