Many students choose to study in Spain because of the numerous benefits associated with studying in the country, one of which is the fact that tuition fees and living expenses is low and affordable. There are also lots of job opportunities for students who intend to work while studying in the beautiful country of Spain. So if you are still thinking of where to pursue your studies abroad, why not think of doing that in Spain. In today’s article we shall focus on Spain, tuition fees, cost of living admission requirements etc.
Spain, as it is officially called, covers the entire region of the peninsula of Iberia, SW Europe. The country provides enlightenment and a great learning opportunity to the student who chooses any of their 78 universities. The government of Spain also maintain and look to increase the standard of this schools by regulating their activities and providing funds for the institutions
The schools in Spain draws thousands of applications each year to their pristine colleges to earn degrees in various filed. The country offers an excellent and properly organized educational system that makes sure that student gains the utmost experience in learning no matter what their choice is.
Why choose Spain?
Apart from having institutions that offers affordable tuition, which is less than those of a lot of international countries, the country also has one of the oldest learning cultures with one of its best universities (Universidad de Salamanca) dating back to 1218.
The country also offers a variety of high standing universities that allows you to choose from the wide range of course that they have to offer. So for international students seeking quality education, Spain provides you with an ample opportunity to do this while still having an unforgettable experience with their entertaining locale.
The country is also home to 44 UNESCO world heritage sites making it have a lot to offer students. They also have one of the most popular football league competition in the world, ‘la Liga’. So if you are looking to experience a great deal of excitement in studying, having fun and finding balance, Spain offers more than enough opportunities to do so.
Ranking
Spain universities are among the top ranking universities in the world. And according to QS world ranking the country has 11 universities in their top 500 list.
According to QS the best university in Spain is the University of Barcelona and has a world ranking of 156. In subject area, the University of Spain is listed among the top hundred. The next on their list is Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, which is the Alma mater of His royal Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain and is ranked 187th in the world. The next three on the QS list are UniversitatAutonoma de Barcelona, University Complutense Madrid and the University of Navarra with are in 195th, 233rd, and 270th position respectively in the world.
Spain top universities are also ranked quite highly by other ranking bodies, and some of them include 4icu and ARWU who ranks them in the range of 200-500.
Also in graduate employability ranking, some of Spain universities, one of them been IE University which is ranked number one in Spain and 34th in the world according to international New York Times.
How to apply
Spain offers a range of awesome courses that are made available to both local and international students. A degree in Spanish is called ‘Grado’, and there are requirements to meet before the application can be made. The application process for undergraduate, postgraduate, masters and PhD is quite simple as can be seen below;
Applicants can be divided into two categories depending on their membership in the European Union;
For EU students and students from China;
• Candidate should search for institution of interest
• Candidates should Gather the following document
1. A certificate from the last two pre-varsity academic years
2. A document that confirms your eligibility to access higher education in your home country
• Certificate to study in Spain is called “credencial”, and is applied for online through the UNEDasiss system.
• Verification of document by the institution is compulsory.
• Submit the document to the University of choice even if “credencial” is not ready.
For non-EU students
The method of application is the same for non-EU student except the document required for them are entirely different for the EU student. The following document should be gathered by the applicants;
1. The academic record for last two ore-varsity years.
2. Proof of proficiency in Spanish form upper secondary school.
3. Documents must be translated into Spanish before submission.
After receiving the acceptance letter from your university, the following documents will be required
1. The proof of acceptance at a university in Spain
2. Your updated passport
3. Completed application
4. Photo ID
5. Birth certificate
For programs in English, a certificate of proficiency such as IELTS or TOEFL is required
Application period
The first semester usually starts around the middle of September or early October and runs through December or early January. Application deadline is usually in July. And it follows the ends of the second semester which is in June.
Cost of living
Attending an institute of higher learning in Spain is a great experience. One which would not be forgotten no matter where you go after the completion of your programme. The country imbibes a precious learning opportunity and couples it with immaculate cultural and amazing experience.
For a student living in Spain or planning to do, life in Spain can be very affordable. Students just have to carefully research to see how they can live and spend as prudently as possible. Some of the highlights of living in Spain and the average cost of living is explained in the paragraphs below.
One of the first things that should be considered when you are applying is the tuition fee of the universities in Spain. The overall average cost of tuition in Spain is calculated to be around £1000 per semester. This cost is at least 20% less than the tuition of some other countries in Europe.
For housing and feeding, if your institution has a dormitory it is advisable to stay there as you can save more money that way and some of they even come with a free meal. But in case that is not the case, you can live what is called “the country life” in Spain, meaning you keep off big cities and towns and although you can still enjoy the tradition and other great events they have to offer they will not be a place of permanent residence.
Transportation will cost you averagely 6 euros per trip around Spain, entertainment is very affordable and allows you to enjoy the lavish lifestyle that the country has to offer.
Conclusion
Spain has the extravagance and charm of any European country, and its colorful culture makes it exceptional. The idea of pursuing your studies in Spain is not only fantastic but will be a great adventure both academically and culturally. It is also a very popular tourist destination and the one that international students flock to; this affords student chance to meet students from all around the world, and all in all, have an excellent experience.