Can I get English-medium education in a Spanish public school (colegio bilingüe)?

Key rules

• Cost: Public bilingual schools charge no tuition, and concertada schools may not charge for teaching.
• Partial English: Only some subjects are taught in English, and Spanish stays the main language.
• Regional rules: Each region sets its own programme name, subjects and share of English, so rules differ depending on where you live.
• Teacher level: Teachers of non-language subjects must hold B2 or C1 English, but real classroom English varies by school.
• Catalonia: Catalonia has no formal English-medium programme, because Catalan is the language of instruction.

The short answer

Yes, but only partly. Public bilingual schools (colegios bilingües) teach some subjects in English, alongside the normal English class. Spanish stays the main language of the school. You pay no tuition. Think of it as a middle path between full immersion and a private international school.

How it differs by region

Nearly all regions run their own public bilingual programme, and English is the main second teaching language in most. Each region sets its own name and rules. Examples:

• Madrid: Colegio Bilingüe in primary, and the Bilingual Institute programme in secondary.
• Andalucía: Plurilingüismo, or Centros Bilingües.
• Castilla y León: Secciones Bilingües.
• Valencia: Programa Plurilingüe.
• Galicia, Aragón, Asturias, Castilla-La Mancha and others have their own equivalents.
• Catalonia: there is no formal English-medium programme, because Catalan is the language of instruction. Some schools still teach a few subjects in English.
• Basque Country: the models use Basque and Spanish, with English added.

Programme names and rules change, so confirm the current version with your regional education department.

What is taught in English

Each region decides which subjects and how much of the timetable. In primary, English usually covers natural science, social science, arts and crafts and physical education. In secondary, it is usually non-language subjects such as technology, biology or geography. Spanish language and literature, and the regional co-official language, stay in their own language. Maths is kept in Spanish in some regions.

The share of lessons in English is set as a minimum and a maximum by each region. Check the current figures with the regional education department or the school.

Is the quality the same everywhere?

No. Teachers of non-language subjects must hold a B2 or C1 level of English, shown by an accredited exam or an official language school certificate. Even so, the real amount of English in class, and whether the school has native-level language assistants, differs between schools and between teachers.

Studies of Madrid's programme found gains in English. They also found weaker results in subject content in the early years, and larger gaps for lower-income pupils. Schools publish only some of their results, and official school-to-school comparisons are limited. Visit the school and ask. The checklist below gives the questions to put to them.

Concertada schools

Many concertada schools (publicly funded private schools) run bilingual programmes under the same regional rules. Some add extra English hours through their own programmes. They may not charge for teaching, but can charge voluntary fees for extras such as bilingual add-ons, transport and meals. These fees vary widely, so ask each school what is optional and what it costs.

Choosing

• If you want some English-medium teaching without fees, a public or concertada bilingual school is the place to start.
• If you want most or all teaching in English, you will probably need a private international school, which costs more.
• If you want your child fully integrated in Spanish, a standard public school works, with English as a normal subject.

Admission to public schools follows your local area and the regional application process. Ask your town hall or regional education department which schools near your home are bilingual.

Bilingual and international school language checklist: hours, assessment, newcomer support

Questions to ask on language hours, assessment and newcomer support

• Ask how many weekly hours are taught in English as a subject, and how many are other subjects (such as science or arts) taught in English.

• Ask what share of the timetable is in English, for example 30%, 50% or more, and whether it is the same in every year.

• Ask whether the English hours are timetabled lessons or count lunch, play and extra exposure, as some publicity does.

• Ask whether the English hours are in the school's official programme or only extra paid activities (extraescolares).

• Ask whether the teachers of English-taught subjects hold an accredited level (B2 or C1) or whether a language assistant leads the class.

• Ask the class size and whether classes are split for oral practice.

• Ask whether there is a second foreign language and from which year it starts.

• At an international or British-curriculum school, ask how many hours are Spanish and how many are in the home curriculum, and whether the Spanish and regional-language requirements are met.

• Ask whether progress is measured against CEFR levels (A1 to C2) and how often English levels are tested and reported to parents.

• Ask which external exams the school prepares for or hosts (Cambridge, Trinity, Aptis, EOI), at what ages, and what the pass rates were in recent years.

• Ask whether exam preparation is included in school hours or paid separately.

• Ask whether English-taught subjects are assessed on content, on language or on both, and whether the assessing teachers are accredited.

• Ask whether the school uses a placement test on entry and what happens if your child is behind.

• Ask whether the school takes part in the regional diagnostic tests (fourth year of primary and second year of ESO) and can share anonymised results.

• Ask whether the school has newcomer support for children with limited Spanish, such as an aula de enlace in Madrid or ATAL in Andalusia, and how many hours your child would spend there.

• Ask whether your child would stay in an ordinary group and still take part in the bilingual line while attending that support, and how long the support lasts.

Frequently asked questions

Does Catalonia have public English-medium schools?

No, Catalonia has no formal English-medium public programme, because Catalan is the language of instruction. Some centres still teach a few subjects in English. Ask the school directly which subjects, if any, are taught in English.

Can a concertada school give more English than a public bilingual school?

Yes, some concertada schools offer more English hours, usually through extra English lessons or their own extended programmes. They follow the same regional rules as public schools and may not charge for teaching.

Is the English level the same in every public bilingual school?

No, quality varies considerably between schools and even between teachers. Teachers of non-language subjects must hold a B2 or C1 level in English, but the real share of English in class and the availability of language assistants differ.

Which subjects are usually taught in English in a bilingual school?

In primary, English-taught subjects are usually Natural Science, Social Science, Arts and Crafts and Physical Education. In secondary they are usually subjects such as Technology, Biology or Geography. Spanish language and literature and the co-official language normally stay in the main language, and each region sets the exact share of lesson hours.