Come study in Valencia
The city of Valencia is one of the most beautiful on the Mediterranean coast, and it also offers great educational options:
- Discover the countless programs offered by universities and higher learning centers.
- Learn Spanish or other languages at one of Valencia's certified schools.
- Expand your horizons by studying in other schools.
Requirements
The admission requirements are not the same for official and unofficial educational programs. In the latter case, they will depend on the requirements set by each school.
They will also depend on the type of stay. If you're an exchange student, you will need to know what agreements the university of origin has with the destination university. If you're an Erasmus student, you will have to be admitted by your university into the program. To do this, you can contact your university's International Relations Office.
If you are an ordinary student, you have to follow the admission and enrollment process for public universities, or the one in place at the school you want to attend. In the case of public schools, and in some private higher education institutions, you will need to have one of the following:
- High school degree with a passed university admission test (PAU)
- Professional technician, plastic arts and design technician, sports technician, or equivalent degree
- Admission for those over 25 or 45
- University degree
- High school degree from the EU or another country with an agreement in place, with an admission credential issued by the UNED
- Certified non-EU studies
In some cases, a high level of Spanish will be required. If you wish to take a Spanish language course, there may be no admission requirements.
Language requirements
In many cases, you will not need an official certificate to study as an Erasmus student in Valencia, although an adequate level of Spanish (equivalent to a B1) is recommended before attending the destination university.
Enrolling in a school or university
Once you are verified to meet the admission requirements, you will need to find out how to pre-register and register. Again, the admission and enrollment process will not be the same for official education and unofficial education courses. In the latter case, it will depend on the requirements set by each institution.
In either case, you will need to pre-register. When you satisfy all the admission requirements and have the documentation to prove it. Fill out and submit the application form as per the requirements set by the school you want to attend. Register. This will be the last step before you can study.
Evaluation system
In Spain, grades are often expressed with numbers ranging from 0 to 10, which can be associated with different evaluations, from highest to lowest: A, B, C, D and F. In addition, as an exception, the best students may graduate with honors when they receive a grade higher than 9.5. The minimum passing grade is a 5. Higher education is governed by the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). One credit is equivalent to one unit of student work, and each subject that a student has to take to receive a degree has a set and quantifiable number of credits.
Cost of the studies
Regarding the cost of the studies, official public education is governed by the public price of ECTS credits, which varies between 19 and 60 euros per credit, depending on the branch of knowledge and the educational level. A bachelor's degree is 240 ECTS credits, while a Master's is between 60 and 120 and costs between 1,200 and 3,600 euros. In the case of private education, the prices will be determined by the college or university. These costs are in addition to the cost of room and board in the city.
Financing studies with grants
You can apply for different kinds of grants. If you are going to start your Bachelor's or Master's studies in Spain and you are a citizen of Spain or an EU member State, you may qualify for grants from the Spanish government. These grants may be for the tuition and/or for fixed amounts tied to the student's income, residence or academic performance. There are special grants for students with disabilities and for applicants who are victims of gender-based violence.
The regional Ministries of Education also offer grants in addition to those of the Ministry of Education for the students from each region.
University students can also apply for scholarships from private organizations, such as Banco Santander or the La Caixa Foundation.
If you are a foreign university student, your university may have an academic mobility agreement with a university in Valencia, and you can do your Erasmus stay in the city. There is also the Fullbright Program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State of the United States of America, which helps graduate students complete their Master's degrees in American universities.
