Admissions and enrollment to study in Spain, what's the difference?
Understand the difference and succeed in the entire process
One of the most common mistakes when applying to study in Spain is the confusion between admission and enrollment in a Spanish university.
In this article, we'll explain this difference in detail that makes it all the more important to your process.
Admission: The first step in the process of studying in Spain
Admission is the first step in the process of studying in Spain. It begins with the submission of an application for admission to the university you have chosen.
This request is often accompanied by a request for specific documents, such as your first and/or final year transcripts, a cover letter, letters of recommendation.
During this you will be subjected to tests : language, personality, scientific. The nature of these tests will change depending on the university and the training you want to do there. The tests can be carried out on the university campus or online, always depending on the studies chosen and the university targeted.
Test results are usually standardized as a result of automated correction.
The results can be confirmed through interviews with someone from the university.
Please note that when tests are carried out remotely, universities may check the correspondence between the grades on the report cards and the test result and reserves the right to check the student's level impromptuly, at any time during the process, or even once the start of the school year has passed.
If there is a proven difference between the test result and the student's actual level, especially in languages, the university can legally exclude the student, even after the start of the academic year.
The fact that the admissions process is selective means that all applications are reviewed by the university and compared to each other. The objective of this step is to check if the student matches the profile sought by the university.
The criteria may vary from one university to another, but in general, they take into account, mainly, academic performance and language levels (often Spanish and/or English). In some universities, a motivational interview is also taken into account.
It is crucial to carefully follow the guidelines provided by the university when submitting your application.
Make sure all documents are provided, correct, complete, and submitted by the deadline.
Registration: The second step after being admitted
If your application is accepted, congratulations!
You have taken a major step in your journey to study in Spain.
But there is still one important step to take: registration.
This registration phase is itself broken down into 2 phases: seat reservation and registration.
Place reservation is the process by which you officially book your place at the university and in the program you have chosen. This is usually an administrative formality that follows admission.
During this stage, you will be required to pay a place reservation fee and sometimes a file opening fee, submit additional information such as the bank details of the account from which your tuition fees will be deducted, and possibly choose your course times for the coming year.
Be careful, however, this last point, if it is asked of you, will be in an advisory capacity and is in no way a guarantee of your future schedules within the university.
On this occasion you also sign and accept the general conditions of the university, read these documents carefully before accepting them, these are the rules to which you will be subject throughout your study in the university, academically, legally and financially.
The fact of completing this entire 1st part of the registration phase guarantees that your place is blocked and it commits you to carry out your studies in the university. If you give up, you will have to make an official request to the university and it will not allow you to recover the amounts already paid.
The registration becomes definitive, when you have been able to provide the RLA document (Requisito Legal de Acesso) which is none other than the official document called credencial and issued by an organization called the UNED. This credencial is the document that recognises your secondary school leaving certificate in an education system other than that of Spain as legal access to the Spanish university system. As long as you have not provided this document to the university you are not fully enrolled, the university can only reserve a place for you. So be careful not to forget this end point, otherwise the university will not be able to legally keep you in its workforce.
Although the terms "admission" and "enrollment" are sometimes used interchangeably, it is important to understand that they represent two distinct steps in the process of studying in Spain.
Admission is the selective process that determines whether you are accepted into the university, while enrollment is the administrative process that finalizes your student status.
At FEEduc, we're here to help you every step of the way, whether it's applying for admission or registering. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need more information.
Good luck in your university journey in Spain!
Below we leave you an FAQ that will help you better understand the process of admission and registration in Spanish universities. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact FEEduc.
Answers to questions about admissions and registration to study in Spain FAQs for going to Spain to study for higher education
Admission dates vary depending on the university and study program.
Some private universities begin their admissions process in November or December and most of them will do so in January or February for the academic year that begins the following fall.
Admissions processes at private universities often remain open until June or July and, in any case, as long as there are still places available.
Public universities have about a month to open admissions processes, usually sometime in June.
The documents required vary by university, but generally, you must provide your transcript (from the first year, the final year, your high school leaving exams), a letter of motivation, a copy of your passport and, sometimes, letters of recommendation.
The university may also test you for proficiency in Spanish or English, science, and personality tests.
No, being admitted does not guarantee a place at the university.
You must also complete the registration process which includes the reservation of a seat.
It is therefore recommended that you complete this step as soon as possible once you are admitted and always within the timeframe required by the university.
Seat reservation is the first part of registration. You inform the university of your intention to enroll.
Definitive registration, on the other hand, is the finalization of the process where you submit the credential required by the Spanish state for all students from a foreign education system and who continue their studies in an official training in Spain. Come and discover the information on the subject on our page dedicated to the Credencial.
If you miss the application deadline, you may lose your place at the university.
Some universities are quite flexible but others are very strict, so it's crucial to meet all deadlines and submit all necessary documents on time.
