Best Universities to Study Pharmacy in Spain

Europe is constantly at the top of the list for study abroad for international students who wish to study abroad. And when we mention Europe, Spain immediately comes to mind. Aside from being one of the best study abroad destinations in Europe, Spain is also among the best countries in the world for international students.  

Studying medicine in Spain, specifically getting a degree in pharmacy, means an internationally recognized degree and a high chance of employment. There are around 30 universities that offer degree programs in pharmacy in Spain.

Here are some of the best universities in Spain to get a degree in pharmacy:

UCAM Catholic University of Murcia

UCAM is an ideal higher education institution for pursuing a degree in Pharmacy. They provide students with on-campus facilities, have agreements with prestigious companies in the Pharmaceutical industry, international recognition, and excellent higher education quality. Internships are available with the following partnering institutions :

• Pharmacy Offices
• Hospital Pharmacy
• Ophthalmology Clinics 
• Research Centers 

The campus is based in Murcia, and the duration of the program is five courses long, with only face-to-face learning available. The faculty focuses on personalized attention to every student to maximize their learning experience. Furthermore, the teaching methodology includes seminars and practice classes in groups. 

The high education quality that the UCAM Catholic University of Murcia offers for its students is one of the main reasons international students choose this institution. They try to help students prepare for their future careers as professionals in the Pharmaceutical industry. 

European University of Valencia

The Pharmacy degree at the European University of Valencia is an online learning program and takes five years to complete. The European University of Valencia offers a Pharmacy degree only in Spanish. The study plan combines pharmaceutical care and medical pathology. Students will learn to provide personalized advice for the betterment of society. 

The university focuses on providing students with the latest technologies in pharmacy, which allows future professionals to work in any related field. Students learn about pharmacy fundamentals and general knowledge during the first two years of the pharmacy degree. Later, with the help of tutors and experts, students will be able to choose the specialization they would like to pursue. 

Some of the benefits of getting a Pharmacy degree at the European University of Valencia are:

• Student-based learning (practical learning). 
• Teachers are professionals in the field. 
• The academic staff also does the job of counselors. 
• Students gain the ability to self-learn. 
• The flexibility of classes (catch up on work through recorded lectures). 

Francisco de Vitoria University

The Degree in Pharmacy at Francisco de Vitoria University is delivered in combination with a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Innovation. Students can choose between two available mentions of the degree, which are:

• Management of the pharmacy office and its relationship with the pharmaceutical company. 
• Drug R&D design. 

Being the only university in Spain that allows students to get internships in some of the biggest international companies such as Pfizer, PharmaMar, and Roche, students will gain real professional experience. The training in these companies is only a part of the obligatory internships. The faculty asks students to complete 6000 hours of training in hospitals and pharmacy offices. 

Among many benefits that the pharmacy degree at Francisco de Vitoria University offers, the high employability rate is at the top, with 93% of graduates getting a job after graduation. According to Erudera, the Francisco de Vitoria University in Madrid is ranked among Spain’s top three best private universities. 

University San Pablo Foundation CEU Andalusia 

The Pharmacy faculty at the University of San Pablo introduces the degree in Pharmacy that prepares students for a future career as pharmacists. Delivered in the Monteprincipe Campus, they offer over 1,800 hours of internships supervised by professionals and certified by the Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification (AENOR). 

Throughout this five-year-long degree program,  students will learn many skills that they can later use in their professional jobs. After graduating, students will be able to advise on the correct usage of medications, be part of the manufacturing process of new drugs, and advise patients on the nutritional aspect of foods. 

International students will have an easy time studying at this university because Spanish and English are both languages of instruction. With a pharmacy degree at San Pablo, graduates can work in any of the following professions:

• Head in pharmacy offices. 
• Pharmacists in hospitals, health care, and public health centers. 
• Technician in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Laboratory technician.
• Drug information centers. 

University of Granada

The undergraduate degree in pharmacy at the University of Granada is a five-year program with Spanish as the language of instruction, and the tuition fee is around €750 per year. With more than 160 years of experience in this field, the University of Granada welcomes students from all parts of the world to become part of a multicultural student body. 

The curriculum is mainly focused on the essential medical areas such as the human body Anatomy, Biometry, Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry, etc. Students will be able to choose from a variety of elective subjects that include:

• Specific chemistry areas
• Instrumental methods
• Parasitology
• Microbiology
• Physiology
• Biotechnology
• Physiopathology
• Pharmacology 
• Immunology etc. 

The University of Granada provides students with high education quality. It is also considered a university city where almost 30% of the population is either enrolled or working in the university. 

IQS Foundation

With most classes delivered in English, the IQS Foundation is one of the most popular choices for getting a degree in pharmacy among international students. The pharmacy degree is a five-year program, and the most popular elective courses include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. The IQS Foundation requires students to complete approximately 1,200 hours of laboratory work or more, depending on their learning pace. 

The obligatory internships at the IQS Foundation last over six months in pharmacy offices or hospitals. Students must complete another three-month training in any pharmaceutical industry, based on the specialization students choose.

This undergraduate program in Pharmacy at the IQS Foundation is equivalent to a master’s degree in any other university in Spain. Graduates with a degree in Pharmacy from this institution can continue their higher education degree at the Ph.D. level. 

University of the Basque Country 

The faculty of pharmacy at the University of the Basque Country offers four different undergraduate programs, including Environmental Sciences, Food Science and Technology, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, and Pharmacy. Although most courses are in Spanish, the faculty offers several subjects in English, and they are increasingly delivering courses in English every year. 

The Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy at the University of the Basque Country is a five-year program with 60 ECTS credits each. Students are supposed to complete an obligatory internship in the spring semester of their final year. Students of the pharmacy degree program learn several skills, including:

• Communication skills.
• Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
• Advise patients on pharmacotherapy. 
• Learn about ethical and deontological principles. 

The bachelor’s degree in pharmacy teaches and prepares students for the scientific research that come with the degree; they learn to design and manufacture new treatment drugs, which are crucial for removing any disease. 

University of Alcala

The faculty of pharmacy at the University of Alcala is an academic institution where several prestigious professors have and continue to teach since 1845. The degree in pharmacy focuses on delivering a teaching methodology per the European directives. Students of pharmacy prepare to become professionals in any pharmaceutical-related field. 

However, most graduates continue their professional training upon graduation to further advance in the profession. To enroll in this degree program, students must show interest in experiential sciences in the field of pharmacy and be able to focus and think logically when it comes to social issues. 

With a pharmacy degree from the University of Alcala, graduates can work in any of the following sectors where pharmaceutical care is required: 

• Management
• Supervision 
• Advising
• Production of Medicine