How to Apply at a University in Spain

Applying for attendance at a university in Spain is the first step in making your dreams of attending school in this amazing country come true. All universities in the country require that an application be completed before one can be considered for admission into a university. Luckily you will find that filling out these college applications is simple and easy to do, and takes only a short amount of your time.

Here we will take you step-by-step through the process of applying for a university in Spain. Follow these instructions and you will learn for yourself just how easy It is to apply at the university you want to attend.

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Bachelor’s Degree Programs & Admissions

If you wish to earn a Bachelor’s degree at a Spain university, the process of completing an application will vary according to the country in which you obtained your secondary education. European and Non-European students will need to follow the exact procedures for applications as indicated below.

European Students

For those who are in a European country, application submission takes place through the SNUDE, the Spanish National University for Distance Education. The application, called the solicitud de inscripcion, opens during the month of April. Upon completion of the application it should be printed and mailed to the address indicated on the website. You may be asked to submit a copy of a passport, identity card or school leaving certification with the application. If accepted you will receive a Credencial de Accesso within a period of three months. This should be sent to the university in which you want to attend.

Non-EU Students

If you are not from a European country and looking to earn your Bachelor’s degree it is necessary that you have a recognition from your high school. This recognition certifies that you have attained the necessary certification in compliance with requirements in Spain. The recognition can be obtained at a Spanish Embassy. The Embassy will provide you with a Volante Accreditation which can be used to apply at the universities of your choice.

After being granted the Volante Acreditativo it is necessary that you register for a Spanish University entrance exam. This exam is called the selectividad or the Pruebas de Acceso a la Universidad. You are now ready to apply.

A Look at the Exam

There are four different components of the Selectividad exam. Each is important:

  • Text Analysis: This portion of the exam gives you the chance to choose between two texts, written in Spanish. Once you choose the text questions related to it will be provided to you.
  • Questions about Spain’s History or Philosophy: You can choose between the two when it is time to take your test. You will need to answer several questions about the chosen subject in this portion.
  • Foreign Language Exam: Take your choice of French, English, German, Portuguese or Italian.
  • Your Choice: The fourth and final part of the exam can be indicated by your selection, with choices which include subjects related to Art, Fine Art, Dance and Music; and subjects related to Science and Technology. Several choices are available in all.

You must successfully complete each portion of the test in order to move forward in the process of attending school in Spain.

Applying at a University for Postgraduate Degrees

Those seeking a postgraduate degree should contact the institution they are interested in attending directly to learn the admission requirements. In most cases, you will need to provide proof of earning your bachelor’s degree, a copy of your passport and transcripts. This is also true for those who are returning to a university after already attending or attending a college or university in another country.

There may be more than one period of applications at the university that you want to attend, as many of the universities offer both fall and summer semesters. For the main semester (summer) it is usually required your application be submitted by July of the year. Make sure that you have all of your information, as well as the application, in as soon as possible. Never wait till the last minute to get all of the things into the school.

Also, keep in mind that all of your applications and documents must be submitted in Spanish. If your documents are not already in Spanish you will need to have an official translator translate them into Spanish.

While there are several things that you will need to do to apply for admission into a Spain University, most of those things are simple and easy to do, and certainly are all very much worth the rewards that you will find in the end. With this information in tow applying for admission into a Spain university will be simple and easy for you to do.