Luxurious beaches, a relaxed lifestyle and delicious food make Spain a popular place to study abroad for students from all over the world in different school types. In 2019, Spain took the first place in the list of the 10 best European countries for studying abroad on the website education.com! After all, what could be better than to combine an unforgettable cultural experience with studying abroad!
Like many EU countries, Spain made a serious leap and reformed its education system in 2007. By adopting the Bologna Process, Spain has made sure that the only old things in their universities are buildings.
Why get a higher education in Spain?
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The diploma of higher education of the Spanish University is valid throughout the European Union, in Latin America, as well as in Russia after Russia joined the Bologna Process in 2003, a system for creating a single pan-European educational space.
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All the universities listed by us in Spain have their own labor exchange, which allows graduates not to rush in search of work and frustration caused by the discrepancy of requirements and opportunities.
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Studying at a Spanish university allows a student to almost independently create their own curriculum, measuring their capabilities and desires, taking into account possible changes in the process of professional self-determination and the development of their personality.
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Getting a higher education in Spain provides an excellent opportunity to learn Spanish and (or) English at the level of native speakers, not only by memorizing the rules of grammar, but also in direct and, importantly, long-term communication.
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The pricing policy of Spanish universities, taking into account the range of opportunities offered by them and the quality of education, is the most reasonable in comparison with British or even foreign universities.
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And of course, it is impossible not to mention the famous Mediterranean climate of Spain. In the absence of a sharp temperature drop and an abundance of sunny days, you will get a real pleasure from staying in this hospitable country.
Entering a Spanish university after school
It is interesting to go to Spain for higher education immediately after graduation, but it is quite difficult. There are no entrance exams for applicants with an international Baccalaureate diploma. Final exams of other foreign schools in Spain are not considered valid. To get an education in Spain, applicants-graduates of foreign schools must:
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take entrance exams for foreign students in Spain (selectividad para extranjeros). These exams are written, three of them are mandatory: Spanish, philosophy or history of Spain, a foreign language (English, German, French, Italian or Portuguese), and one is optional in the discipline chosen by the student, in order to increase the number of points scored. Applicants can prepare for the exams on their own or at special preparatory courses. Exams can be taken in June or September. And in case of a summer failure, you can try again in the fall;
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prepare the necessary documents: a certificate and a valid foreign passport;
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choose a place of residence: a student hostel or a hostel, an apartment in the city, Spanish families hosting foreign students;
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after successfully passing the exams, choose the appropriate university in Spain, which you can enroll in, based on the number of points scored;
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get a category D student visa.
Transferring to a Spanish university from a foreign university.
When transferring from a foreign university to a Spanish university, you do not need to take exams, you can transfer to the same specialty, while the student must study in Russia for at least one year on a full-time basis.
For translation into Spanish, you must provide the following documents:
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a list of courses that you attended at a foreign university, and the disciplines in which you passed the exams. This is necessary for conducting a comparative analysis of educational programs, according to the results of which it will be clear which course of the Spanish university you can enroll in;
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a letter of recommendation from the foreign university where you are studying.
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Each application is considered by the University of Spain separately, so additional documents may be required. The consideration of the documents begins in March.
If you go to a Spanish university and successfully complete your studies there, it will be considered that you have received a higher education in Spain. Having a European-style diploma will give you an undoubted advantage when applying for a job and will open up opportunities that are not available for graduates of foreign universities. Upon completion of their studies at a Spanish university, students receive the title of "Bachelor" (Graduado) of a certain field of activity.
Master's Program
If you decide to deepen your knowledge, improve your qualifications or engage in scientific activity, you should continue your studies at the Master's program. The education lasts for a year or two, and at the end you get a master's or master's degree. In Spain, there is a very large selection of Máster and MBA programs in Spanish or English. You can also continue your Master's degree in Spain if you have already received a higher education in Russia.
To continue studying in Spain with a master's degree or an MBA program in Spain, if you have a foreign diploma of higher education, you must:
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submit an online application to selected universities;
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provide a translation of the diploma and the diploma supplement with grades into Spanish (later, after enrollment, you must provide the original diploma with an apostille and a legalized or judicial translation);
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set an average grade, if it is not specified in the appendix to the diploma;
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explain the correspondence of the grades in your diploma to the scale of grades in Russia;
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provide a certificate of knowledge of Spanish and / or English (depending on the language of the curriculum);
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provide proof of access to the master's program
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submit a motivation letter / master's thesis plan / academic and / or professional resume;
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have a valid international passport;
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get a student visa;
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choose a suitable accommodation option for you in Spain - a student residence, an apartment in the city.
Studying in Spain for an exchange.
If you are already studying at a foreign university that has an" exchange agreement " (Conventionio de intercambio) with one of the universities in Spain, then in this case, usually in the third, fourth or fifth semesters of study, you can transfer to Spain. Then you will become a" student-visitor " (estudiante visitante).
If you intend to study in Spain under an exchange program, you should first not only ask if there is a similar student exchange program at your chosen university, but also make sure that it really works. To realize the dream of many foreign students about studying abroad and even to put the business "on stream" is a complex process, sometimes implemented only by enthusiasts of their business in the field of education.