School language by region
You will know which language your child will be taught in where you plan to live, how settled that rule is, and how to confirm it for one school.
Spain has no single language of instruction. Education is run by each region, so the language your child is taught in depends on where you live. In several regions, a regional language sits alongside Spanish in the classroom, and the balance between the two differs from place to place.
Pick the article that fits your situation
Which language will my child be taught in at school in Spain?
Spanish is the teaching language in most of Spain, but six regions also teach in a regional language. This page shows which regions those are and how schools differ, for families choosing where to live or apply.
How does Catalan-language schooling work in Catalonia?
In Catalonia, schools teach mainly in Catalan and teach Spanish as a subject. This page explains what that means for your child, how the court-ordered Spanish minimum fits in, and why the legal dispute is still open. It is for families choosing or using a school in Catalonia.
How does Valencia decide the language of teaching at each school?
In the Valencian Community, the language of teaching is set school by school, not by each family. This page explains how a school's plurilingual programme is set and how you find out which one your child's school uses.
What are the Balearic Islands' school language rules and the free-choice pilot?
The Balearic Islands teach mainly in Catalan under a standing decree, while a separate free-choice pilot is contested. This page helps families picking a school decide which one to plan around.
What are the Basque Country's three language models (A, B, D)?
The Basque Country has three school language models: A, B and D. This page explains what each one means and how easy each is to find, for families choosing a school there.
How do Navarre's three language zones affect school language?
Navarre sorts every municipality into one of three language zones, and the zone where you live decides which school language models are offered. This page is for families choosing a public or publicly funded school in Navarre.
How do Galician and Spanish share the classroom in Galicia?
Explains how Galicia divides classroom time between Galician and Spanish, which subjects usually go in which language, and how to find out your child's school's exact split. For families enrolling a child in a Galician school.
How do I find a specific school's language rules?
Shows you where to find a school's language project and your region's language-of-teaching rules, and who to ask if you cannot find them. For families choosing or joining a school in a region with its own co-official language.
Can I ask for Spanish-language teaching in a co-official region?
Parents in regions with a second official language have limited rights to ask for Spanish-medium teaching, and the outcome depends on the region. This page shows what you can realistically ask for and how to push if the school refuses.
What happens to school language if we move to another region?
Explains what carries over and what changes for a child who moves from one Spanish region to another with a different school language. For families moving between regions, especially to one with its own co-official language.
About this topic
This topic helps you find out which language your child will be taught in where you plan to live, how settled that rule is, and how to confirm it for one school. It covers the regional models in Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country, Navarre and Galicia. It also covers how to find a school's own language project, what parents can ask for if they want Spanish-medium teaching, and what changes when a family moves between regions.
It is written for people considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. Because the rule can shape where a family chooses to live, it is worth reading before you pick a town or apply to a school.
Start with "Which language will my child be taught in at school in Spain?" It gives the regional map and points you to the page for your region.
Key rules
- Spanish share in Catalonia: In Catalonia, Catalan is the main teaching language, and courts have ordered a minimum of 25% of teaching time in Spanish, though how it is applied is still being contested.
- Galician share: In Galicia, at least 50% of teaching time is in Galician, and schools set the exact subject split in their language project.
- Default language: Outside the six co-official regions, your child is taught in Spanish.
- Navarre: Basque is co-official only in the Basque-speaking and mixed zones, so check your town's zone.
- Main language: Catalan is the main teaching language, and Spanish is taught as a language and literature subject.
- Family choice: Families do not choose the language programme; the school's programme is fixed by the school.
School language by region: questions that cross several articles
Which regions teach in a co-official language?
Six regions teach in a co-official language alongside Spanish: Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country, Navarre and Galicia. The other regions teach in Spanish, with foreign languages and sometimes optional regional-language subjects. Read the article on the regional map of teaching languages first, then the article for your region.
Is the share of teaching time in each language the same in every region?
No, each region sets its own share of teaching time in each language, so the figures differ from place to place. Catalonia has a court-ordered minimum of 25% in Spanish, Galicia has at least 50% in Galician, and the Basque Country uses models A, B and D. Read the articles on Catalan-language schooling in Catalonia, the Basque Country's three language models, and Galician and Spanish in Galicia.
Can families choose the language programme in the Valencian Community?
No, families do not choose a programme individually, because each school sets its own programme in its language project. The school council and the regional education department approve it. Read the article on how Valencia decides the language of teaching at each school.
How can a family check which language zone a Navarre municipality belongs to?
You can find the zone of each municipality in the zone lists published by the Navarre education department and its Basque-language office. Their websites also show the language models of each school. Read the article on how Navarre's three language zones affect school language.
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What to read next
More in Language and integration at school
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Need certainty before you act?
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Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.