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Date Published: 12/11/2024

Spain's universities attract record number of international students

Most foreign students in Spain come from Europe, the UK, China and Columbia

In recent years, Spain has become a magnet for international students seeking to pursue higher education. The National University of Distance Education (UNED) has reported a significant increase in the number of applications from foreign students, with an impressive 28,326 requests for accreditation to begin degree studies in 2024.

This represents a doubling of applications since 2017, when the number stood at just 14,447.

According to data from the Ministry of Education, the number of foreign students enrolled in Spanish universities increased by 10.7% in the 2022-2023 academic year, reaching a total of 184,193 students.

This trend is expected to continue, with many international students drawn to Spain's rich culture, glorious weather and high-quality education system.

However, the rules are about to change and studying in Spain could become a little trickier for many. A new university entrance exam for foreigners, known as the PAU, is expected to be implemented in 2026.

This exam will require non-EU students or those from countries without agreements with Spain to obtain a minimum grade to apply for admission to any Spanish university, whether public or private.

Up until now, these foreign students didn’t have to take a test to access Spanish higher education; all that was needed was the validation of their high school or vocational training centre and, of course, to meet the entrance criteria of the university they were applying to.

It’s hoped though that the new exams won’t have a negative impact, since a large proportion of students coming to Spain are from European countries or those with reciprocity agreements, such as the United Kingdom, China and Colombia.

A growing trend

The number of international students moving to Spain to study is increasing every year at a rate of around 4,000 to 5,000 students.

Universities in Madrid received the most international students in the 2021-2022 academic year (31,590), followed by Catalonia (28,847), Andalucía (20,592) and Valencia (18,573).

Other regions, such as Castilla y León, Navarra, the Basque Country and Murcia, also received a significant number of international students.

In other news: Spain holiday calendar 2025: These are all the festivos, bank holidays and long weekends

Image: Freepik

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