Higher education in Spain comprises three stages: Grade degrees (undergraduate studies), University Master degrees (graduate studies) and Doctoral degrees (postgraduate studies). There are more than seventy universities throughout Spain, out of which more than fifty are public schools. Large and important cities—like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia—have the highest number of universities. The Complutense in Madrid and the Central in Barcelona are the two largest and most respected state universities.

Undergraduate studies last for three to four years and can consist of any of the following subjects: Arts and Humanities, Sciences, Health Sciences, Social Sciences and Law, Engineering and Architecture. Admission to the universities in Spain is determined by the cut-off mark, which is achieved at the end of the Baccalaureate. Graduate studies lead to University Master degrees, and consist of one to two academic years of study. At the end, the public defense of a thesis is required. Graduate studies provide students with academic, professional or research specialization.

Postgraduate studies lead to a Doctoral degree. The postgraduate studies are divided into two phases, one of theoretical study, and another of practical research. To acquire a doctoral degree, an original work of research in any field is mandatory. There are no time limits for completing doctoral programs, but they normally require three to four years. Higher Education in Spain can also take the form of an unofficial Masters degree, which is also offered by the Spanish universities in addition to the official degrees. The unofficial degrees can be acquired in one or two years, and improves a candidate’s job prospects. They are practical in nature, and geared towards different professions.

The academic calendar for higher education in Spain is more or less similar throughout the country. The academic year for higher education in Spain begins in October and ends in June. Examinations are held in February and June. International students are welcome to seek higher education in Spain. They are eligible for admissions to Spanish universities only if they have degrees that are considered valid by the higher educational system in Spain. Once their degrees are accepted, they need to pass the Spanish university entrance exams, which are held twice a year in several countries across the world. International students must then apply directly to the faculty of the programme they are interested in.

In the new millennium, Spain and other European countries have been trying to transform their higher education systems with the plan of creating a European Higher Education Space (EHES). The goal is to complete the process by the end of the first decade of the millennium so that there is uniformity in the academic system and the credit system for measuring academic achievement throughout Europe. This correspondence will increase student mobility and assist the assimilation of graduates into the united European job market.