English-Taught Programs in Spain: Where to Find Them (2027/28)

Spain has hundreds of English-taught programs, but they are not evenly spread. Most English-taught master's programs are at public universities, and most English-taught bachelor's programs are at private ones. In the FindUniPath database, 65 Spanish universities offer 686 English-taught programs: 204 bachelor's, 472 master's and 10 doctoral.

This guide shows where to find them, the English scores universities ask for, and when you still need Spanish. All counts come from our database of official university program pages (October 2026).

Public vs private: where English programs are

If you want low tuition, look at English-taught master's at public universities. If you want an English-taught bachelor's, you will mostly find it at private universities or at a few public ones such as Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), Rey Juan Carlos University and Pompeu Fabra University.

Universities with the most English-taught programs

Examples of English-taught programs

• UC3M (public): Bachelor in Aerospace Engineering, Data Science and Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Biomedical Sciences; Master in Human Resources Management.
• UPC BarcelonaTech (public): Master in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Automatic Control and Robotics, Aerospace Science and Technology, Engineering Physics.
• Pompeu Fabra (public): Bachelor in Computer Engineering (100% English group); Master in Biomedical Research, Intelligent Interactive Systems.
• Autonomous University of Barcelona (public): Master in Advanced Genetics, Bioinformatics, High Energy Physics, Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
• University of the Basque Country (public): Master in Cognitive Neuroscience of Language, Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling.
• IE University (private): Bachelor's in Data and Business Analytics, Political Science, Applied Mathematics, Behavior and Social Sciences.

Where to search for English-taught programs

1. 1.University program finders: most universities have English pages listing their English-taught degrees, for example UAB's page of Erasmus Mundus and master's degrees in English.
2. 2.QEDU: the Ministry's official degree search built from the official RUCT register.
3. 3.RUCT: check that the degree is official in the register of universities, centres and degrees.
4. 4.Erasmus Mundus catalogue: joint master's in English with partners in Spain.

English language requirements

Most English-taught programs ask for CEFR B2. The test and score depend on the university and sometimes the program:

Can you study in Spain without IELTS?

Sometimes. Many universities waive the English certificate if you are a native speaker or your previous degree was fully taught in English, for example UC3M, IE University and Esade. UPC accepts a semester of university study taught in English for some master's. Several private universities test English in their own admission process instead of asking for IELTS, such as UNIE, UCAM and Universidad Europea. Always get the waiver confirmed for your program.

Do you need Spanish?

Not for most fully English-taught programs. But there are exceptions and practical reasons to learn it:

• Complutense's English-taught master's in English Linguistics and North American Studies require C1 English plus B1 Spanish.
• Alfonso X el Sabio University says non-Spanish-speaking applicants also take a Spanish test in the admission process.
• Some English bachelor's programs require a second foreign language to graduate, such as B2 in a foreign language at the University of Girona.
• Part-time work, internships and daily life are much easier with Spanish. The official exams are DELE and SIELE from Instituto Cervantes.

How much do English-taught programs cost?

English-taught programs usually cost the same as Spanish-taught ones at the same university; the price depends on the region and your residence status. For non-resident non-EU students, UPC charges about €2,700 per 60 ECTS, UPM €84.07 per ECTS for most master's, and Pompeu Fabra €93.50 per ECTS in 2026/27. At private universities, English-taught bachelor's programs often cost €12,000–15,000 a year, for example €12,000 for Computer Engineering in English at CEU San Pablo and €13,030–15,120 at ESIC. See the cost of studying in Spain for details.

Erasmus Mundus master's in English with Spanish partners

Erasmus Mundus joint master's are taught in English and often come with scholarships. You apply to the consortium, not to the Spanish university directly, and most deadlines fall between October and January. Examples in our database:

• UPC BarcelonaTech: Data Engineering and Artificial Intelligence (DEAI); Hydrogen Systems and Enabling Technologies (Hyset).
• University of Barcelona: Quality in Analytical Laboratories; Chemical Innovation and Regulation.
• University of the Basque Country: Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion (i-MESC).
• University of Huelva: Urban Climate and Sustainability (MURCS).
• University of Córdoba: Rural Development.
• Universitat Jaume I: Geospatial Technologies.

Intakes: September and sometimes February

Almost all English-taught programs start in September or October. A few master's also start in February: UPC lists a February 2027 start for programs such as MET, MATT, MEE, MAST and Engineering Physics, with an expected deadline of 9 December 2026. A February start can help if you missed the autumn rounds, but leave enough time for the visa, which you should request at least two months before classes.

Tips for your English certificate

• Check the accepted list. Universities publish tables of accepted certificates; for example UPC follows a Catalan decree list, and UCAM accepts certificates from its own list and evaluates others individually.
• Check the age of the certificate. Some universities only accept recent certificates, such as ESIC (maximum 2 years old) and UDIT (taken within 2 years before the program starts).
• Check all four skills. UC3M asks for B2 in all 4 skills, and some UPF programs set a minimum for every IELTS band.
• Upload it with your application. At UPV, proof of English B2 must be uploaded with the pre-registration, not later.

English-taught PhD programs

Doctoral programs listed as English-taught are rare in our database: 10 in total, at universities such as UC3M (3), IE University (2) and CUNEF University (2). In practice, many doctoral candidates work in English in research groups, but admission rules and language requirements are set by each doctoral program. CUNEF, for example, requires English C1 for its PhD programs.

English-taught programs by field: where to look first

Ready to shortlist? Track deadlines for free on FindUniPath and see English-taught programs grouped by country with official links. Then check admission requirements and how to apply.