For many families, education is the reason for the move. The good news: schooling in Spain is a legal right for every child, regardless of the parents' immigration status. The less advertised part: enrolment follows an administrative path, and starting late means no place at the school near your home.
The system at a glance
| Stage | Age | Compulsory |
|---|---|---|
| Educación Infantil | 0–6 | No |
| Educación Primaria | 6–12 | Yes |
| ESO (lower secondary) | 12–16 | Yes |
| Bachillerato or FP | 16–18 | No |
Education from 6 to 16 is compulsory and free in state schools. Bachillerato leads to university; FP (vocational training) is often underrated by foreign families but has strong employment rates in Spain — in many fields better than a degree.
Three kinds of school
Público — free. Books, school meals and extracurriculars are billed separately. Teaching is in the region's official language, so in Valencia and Catalonia part of the curriculum is delivered in the regional language.
Concertado — a private school with state funding. No official tuition, but a monthly "voluntary contribution". Usually smaller classes and better facilities.
Privado / international — the expensive option, typically with a British or American curriculum taught in English. Costs vary widely by city and school; ask the schools directly before deciding.
If your child is under ten, state school is usually enough: children at that age pick up the language within six to twelve months. For a teenager arriving mid-ESO, an international school can soften the transition.
Documents for enrolment
- Empadronamiento (municipal address registration) — the key to everything; it determines your school catchment area
- Parents' and child's passport or NIE
- The child's birth certificate, sworn-translated and apostilled
- Vaccination record
- School reports from the previous school, translated
Something many people do not know: you can enrol your child on their passport without waiting for a NIE. The right to education is not conditional on a residence card.
More importantly: school enrolment and empadronamiento count as evidence of social integration and are later used in your residence renewal and citizenship file as proof of family stability. This paperwork is an investment in your future application.
Timing — where it goes wrong
The ordinary enrolment window runs in spring for the following school year. Arriving mid-year, your child will get a place — that is a legal right — but not necessarily at your preferred or nearest school. If you have flexibility, align your arrival with the enrolment calendar.
University
Here the numbers get larger, and one distinction matters a great deal.
Public university, EU student: roughly €800–€1,200 a year for a bachelor's degree.
Public university, non-EU student: many universities apply a higher rate, which can reach around €7,000 a year — in some cases close to private university fees.
Private university: roughly €7,000–€17,900 for a bachelor's and €5,000–€16,350 for a master's.
Rates vary between autonomous regions and even between universities, and in many cases holding legal residence in Spain changes your fee status. Before deciding anything, confirm the exact rate with the specific university for the specific academic year — the difference can run to thousands of euros annually.
Homologación: the step people skip
A foreign secondary or university qualification is not automatically valid in Spain. There are two separate routes:
- Homologación — formal recognition as equivalent to a Spanish qualification, required for regulated professions such as medicine, engineering and law
- Equivalencia — recognition of academic level without equating the title; enough to continue studying
Both take months. If you plan to study or work in a regulated field, start before you travel, not after you arrive.
What if you become the student?
The student visa is an underrated route. Under the 2025 regulation:
- Students may work up to 30 hours a week
- After graduating you may stay 12 months to find work
- With a relevant contract, you can convert to a work authorisation without returning to your home country
That makes the student visa a starting point for a residence path, not just a course of study. Details on the Spain visa page.
Next step
Sequence matters: homologación before you travel, school enrolment aligned with the administrative calendar, and city choice informed by that region's fee rates.
Tell us about your family and we will map the right order for your situation.
This page is general information and does not replace legal advice on your own case. Spanish immigration rules change often — talk to us before making a decision.