Applying for a master’s degree in Spain
11/05/2025 
Reading time: 6 min Master’s degree in Spain: how to apply
Short version:
- Choose a máster oficial if you may want a doctorate, public-sector recognition, or a degree validated across the EU. A título propio is a university's own qualification — fine for industry, but not officially recognised the same way.
- You need a bachelor's degree (often apostilled) and proof of Spanish or English (DELE / IELTS / TOEFL), depending on the program.
- Public tuition is roughly €1,000–3,500/year; private universities and business schools go up to €20,000+.
- For the study stay you must show funds of about €600/month (100% IPREM ≈ €7,200/year) — then apply for a student visa.
First: máster oficial vs título propio
This is the single most important choice, and it's easy to miss. Spanish universities offer two very different things both called "master's":
| Máster oficial | Título propio | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Official degree, validated by the state (ANECA) | The university's own certificate |
| EU recognition | Recognised across the EHEA / EU | Not automatically recognised abroad |
| Access to a PhD | Yes | No |
| Counts for public-sector jobs | Yes | No |
| Typical cost | Lower (public universities) | Often higher |
| Best for | Academia, regulated professions, staying in the system | A specific industry skill, employer-driven programs |
Neither is "better" in the abstract — but if your plan includes research, a regulated profession, or working for the public administration, insist on a máster oficial. If you're after a focused industry skill from a top business school, a título propio can be exactly right.
Choosing a program and university
Spain is especially strong in a handful of fields: business and economics (its business schools rank among the world's best), biomedicine and pharmaceuticals, tourism and hospitality, and increasingly tech, engineering and data. European employers do look at where you studied, so the institution matters alongside the program.
Consistently top-ranked Spanish universities for master's study include the University of Barcelona, the Autonomous and Complutense Universities of Madrid, the University of Valencia and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia — but rankings matter less than whether a specific program fits your goals. Start from the program, not the logo.
Admission requirements
The baseline is the same almost everywhere:
- A bachelor's degree or equivalent, plus your academic transcript. Foreign degrees usually need to be apostilled, and some programs ask for an equivalence check of your qualification.
- Language proof — Spanish or English depending on the program's language of instruction, evidenced by DELE, IELTS or TOEFL certificates.
- Supporting documents: a CV, a motivation letter, and often letters of recommendation.
"Master's degree equivalent in Spain" is a common search for a reason. If your bachelor's is from outside the EU, check early whether the program wants a formal equivalence (equivalencia) of your degree — it can add weeks to the timeline, so don't leave it to the end.
How to apply, step by step
Spanish universities usually open applications in late spring to early summer, but each faculty sets its own deadlines — always check the official program page.
- Shortlist programs and confirm each one's deadline and language requirement.
- Gather your documents: apostilled bachelor's degree, transcript, CV, motivation letter, recommendation letters, language certificate.
- Complete each university's application form (on its own portal) and pay any application fee.
- Submit and wait — decisions typically take one to three months.
- On acceptance, get your official admission letter and proof of tuition payment — you'll need both for the visa.
Reply fast to any request for extra documents (passport, apostilled diploma, course list). International places can be reassigned if you're slow to respond.
Costs and scholarships
Public universities charge per credit, so the total depends on the program, but the ranges are friendly:
| Type | Rough annual tuition |
|---|---|
| Public university — máster oficial | ~€1,000–3,500 |
| Public university — higher-cost programs | ~€3,000–6,000 |
| Private universities | ~€8,000–20,000+ |
| Top business schools | Up to €30,000+ |
Scholarships exist for international students too. Spain's Ministry of Education runs the Becas de colaboración (a research grant for final-year and master's students) and general merit-based grants for post-secondary study. Amounts vary year to year — check the official becas.gob.es portal for current figures and deadlines. Budget around €680/month for living costs excluding rent.
Student visa and moving
Once you have your place, you apply for a student visa (or a study authorization from inside Spain). For the consulate route you'll typically need:
- Passport and national ID.
- Official admission letter and proof of tuition payment.
- Bank statement proving funds — about €600/month (100% IPREM) for the study period.
- Medical certificate and full-coverage health insurance.
- Proof of accommodation.
After you arrive, you register with the police for fingerprints and collect your TIE card. Students can work part-time (currently up to 30 hours/week) as long as it doesn't interfere with studies. For the full picture, see where it's best to apply for a Spanish student visa, and how to sort out student accommodation in Spain before you land.
