5 tips to help you decide

2. Public or private system?

To study in Spain, you will have to choose from 82 universities: 50 are public universities and 32 are private universities.

Some fields of study are very selective in the public system, as we have already explained to you on this blog where you can find articles on the subject.

If the program you have chosen is a selective program, or even a very selective one (in some regions and cities of Spain), as is often the case with those preparing for a profession

• in human medicine,
• in veterinary medicine
• paramedical (nurse, physiotherapist, audioprosthesistetc...)

you will certainly have no choice but to apply to a private university. The private system is much more developed in Spain than in France.

The Spanish have a tradition much closer to that of the Anglo-Saxon countries or the United States than in France: they do not hesitate to invest in their children's higher education.

Of the 32 private universities in Spain, however, you should be careful that some do not disagree with your ethical and religious views.

Very proselytizing speeches and teachings, which do not exist in France and which might surprise you and not suit you, are allowed in Spain.

However, if you'd like to try your luck at a public university, we'd like to remind you that FEEDUC has been offering a special support service for the past two years. For more details, click here.

3. Choose a region ?

The region in which your future university will be located will also be a factor to consider.

Spain is organized into autonomous communities, and many decisions are decentralized, especially in the field of education.

If it is true that, to obtain a state diploma, the central government sets the prerequisites, it is also true that the number of places granted to each university on regulated courses, particularly in health, is set at the regional level.

Your choice of region will also determine the number of languages you will need to master to study in Spain.

For example:

• You will not be able to study and do internships in the health care field in Catalonia if you do not speak Catalan as well as Spanish.
• This will also be the case in the Basque Country or in Galicia.
• On the other hand, Valencian is recognized in the Valencian Community, but you will be able to do your studies and internships entirely in Spanish.

As in France, there are also regional accents. If you learned Spanish in France, you will have no problem understanding someone from Castilla y Leon (Salamanca or Valladolid) or from the Madrid community, but you will need to adapt to Andalusia for example.

4. Choose a city?

The city in which you study will also determine your future life in Spain.

The budget you will have to spend on your studies will vary from one city to another.
For example:

• in architecture you will have to pay 13,600 euros per year for the campus of the Universidad Europea de Madrid
• the price will be 9,570 euros per year for the campus of the Universidad Europea located in La Orotava on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

Multiply this price difference by 5 (number of years of architectural studies in Spain + 1 to be able to sign one's own projects as in France) and you will see that it represents a very important difference over the whole course.
Add to that the difference in price for housing, transportation, food and leisure activities and you will quickly see that

The choice of city will not be neutral on the overall budget of your studies in Spain.

5. Choose a location in a city?

The location of your university: another criterion that you may not have thought about for your studies in Spain, but which will determine your student lifestyle.

While most universities offer training in all fields, their geographical location will condition the daily life of the students who take their courses there.
For example:

• when you study at the Universidad Europea de Valencia you can enjoy life in the heart of Valencia, just a few steps from the beach.
• if you study at Universidad Alfonso Diez el Sabio you enjoy a "country life" 45 minutes from the center of Madrid, the Spanish capital, which you can choose to enjoy or escape from, depending on your preferences.
• If you choose theUniversidad Europea de Canarias, you will enjoy a healthy life in the middle of nature (sea, mountains, countryside).
• If you join the IED or the Nebrija you will be in the heart of Madrid and you will have access to the multitude of cultural and festive events of the Spanish capital.