Schools & education in Spain

Public school is free and well-regarded; international schools in Madrid and Barcelona charge private-school-in-a-major-city prices; university is a bargain for EU residents and reasonable even for non-EU students.

Public schools (colegios públicos)

Free, including for foreign residents’ children, from age 3 (though only compulsory from 6) through 16. Instruction is in Spanish nationally, with co-official regional languages (Catalan in Catalonia, Basque in the Basque Country, Galician in Galicia, Valencian in the Valencian Community) taught alongside or, in some immersion programs, used as the primary teaching language — a real consideration for families choosing where in Spain to settle if the kids don’t speak the regional language. Enrolment requires your empadronamiento certificate, since school-zone assignment is address-based and competitive in popular neighborhoods.

Concertado schools — Spain’s middle option

Roughly a quarter of Spanish students attend concertado schools — privately run (often Catholic) but publicly subsidized, charging modest monthly fees (commonly €0–€150/month depending on the school and region) for materials, activities, and sometimes a voluntary "quota". These are a popular middle ground between free public schools and expensive fully-private or international options, and are often oversubscribed, so apply early in the spring admissions window.

International schools

Madrid and Barcelona both have deep international-school markets serving the expat and diplomatic communities, teaching the British curriculum (IGCSE/A-Levels), American curriculum, or International Baccalaureate. Annual tuition typically runs €8,000–€22,000+ depending on the school’s prestige and the child’s grade level (secondary is pricier than primary), before one-time enrolment/capital fees that can add several thousand euros more. Popular schools have waitlists — apply 6-12 months ahead of your intended start date if a specific school matters to you.

University tuition

Public university tuition in Spain is set per ECTS credit and varies by autonomous region and by how many attempts you need to pass a course (repeating a failed course costs more per credit). For a standard bachelor’s degree, EU/EEA residents typically pay €800–€1,600/year at public universities — genuinely inexpensive by Western European standards. Non-EU students historically paid substantially higher rates at public universities in some regions, though several autonomous communities (including Madrid) have moved to equalize or narrow the gap in recent years — verify the current fee schedule for your specific region and university, as this varies more than almost any other figure in this guide. Private universities and business schools run far higher, commonly €8,000–€20,000+/year regardless of nationality.

Childcare

Public nurseries (escuelas infantiles públicas) for ages 0-3 are subsidized but limited in availability and often have waitlists in big cities; monthly fees are income-adjusted, commonly landing around €100–€300/month. Private nurseries in Madrid or Barcelona run €400–€700/month for full-time care. Several regions now offer partial free public childcare from age 2, so check your comunidad autónoma’s current policy — this has been actively expanding.