Weighing each family member's priorities for a move to Spain

Key rules

• Must-haves: Any option that fails a must-have is dropped before scoring.
• Scoring: Score by importance, not by head count, so one big need is not outvoted.
• School age: Schooling is compulsory from 6 to 16, and rules for places differ by region.
• Review: Set a date to revisit the weights after you arrive.

Start by letting everyone list their needs

Each person, children old enough to join in included, writes their own list before any group discussion. Use these categories so the lists can be compared:

• income and finances
• career and professional development
• schooling and education
• language
• health care and special needs
• social life and friendships
• housing
• distance from family and travel
• climate and lifestyle
• safety, bureaucracy and legal status
• personal interests such as hobbies and culture

Each person then marks every item as essential, important or nice to have. The gaps between lists are the useful part. They show where you disagree.

Agree the weighting

Do not let the number of votes decide. One big need can matter more than three small wishes. The decision below sets out the options. In short:

1. Pull out the must-haves first. Examples are a child's special-education support, a health condition or a work permit.
2. Drop any option that fails a must-have, before scoring anything else.
3. Let each person score the remaining items by importance, for example 1 to 5, or 100 points to spread across the list. This shows how strongly people feel, not just how many care.
4. Add up the weighted scores and talk through the biggest gaps.
5. Agree a date to revisit the weights, for example after six months in Spain.

Check each need against Spain's realities

Work and pay. Pay levels are often lower than in the UK, Ireland or the US. The legal minimum wage is set each year, and for 2025 it was 1,184 euros a month in 14 payments. The 2026 figure is slightly higher. Check the current figure with the Ministry of Labour before you compare salaries.

School. Schooling is compulsory from age 6 to 16. Nursery for ages 0 to 3 is not compulsory. Public school places are handled by each region. The main application window is usually in spring, roughly March to May. Children who arrive mid-year apply to the regional education office, which assigns a place from the vacancies. Dates and points systems differ by region and town, so ask the regional education department.

Language. Adults starting from zero need roughly 300 to 450 guided hours to reach B1. At 5 hours a week that is about 1.5 to 2 years. Intensive study can cut it to 3 to 6 months. Children usually pick up the language faster, but a child's school year can be hard at first. In Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community and parts of Navarre, a second official language is used in class. Catalan is the main language of teaching in Catalonia. If a child will struggle with a second language in class, treat that as a factor in choosing a region. Rules here are changing, so confirm with the regional education department. Newly arrived pupils generally get some language support.

Grandparents and distance. Flights from Madrid or Barcelona to London take about 2h20 to 2h40, and to Dublin about 2h30 to 2h50. Direct flights to the US East Coast take about 7h30 to 9h30. West Coast trips usually take 11 to 13 hours or more, often with a connection. Fares swing a lot between off-peak and summer or holidays, so price a typical trip before you count visits as easy.

Climate and lifestyle. Put these on the list, but score them honestly. They are often the first thing people mention and the first thing they stop noticing.

What to do with the result

If the top-scoring option still leaves one person with an unmet must-have, change the plan. Consider a different region, a trial stay or a later start. Check the timeline and documents below for the school steps once you have a place in mind.

Choosing between options

How should your family weigh each member's priorities so one big need is not outvoted by many small ones?

• Treat it as a must-have: The need is non-negotiable, such as a child's special-education support, a health condition or a work permit. Any option that fails it is dropped before you score anything.

• Score it by importance: The need matters but is not a deal-breaker. Each member scores every criterion, for example 1 to 5 or by sharing 100 points, so strong feelings count and not just the number of votes.

• Treat it as a nice-to-have: The need is a preference, such as a hobby. It only breaks a tie between options that pass the must-haves and score closely.

Drop any option that fails a must-have, then add up each option's weighted scores and talk through the gaps. Revisit the weights after a set period.

Timeline and deadlines

• Apply for a public school place for the September start: usually March to May

• Check the published admission lists: May to June

• Complete formal enrolment (matrícula): June to July

• Apply to the regional education authority or its local office for a place: if your child arrives mid-year

Documents you need

• Passport for each child, needed for the school application.

• Proof of address, often the padrón registration (the certificate from your town hall that you live there).

• Vaccination record for each child.

• Previous school records, ideally with an official translation or validation.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take an adult to reach B1 Spanish?

Reaching B1 Spanish usually takes around 300 to 450 guided hours from zero, plus self-study. At 5 hours a week that is roughly 1.5 to 2 years, while intensive study can cut it to 3 to 6 months. Use this to decide how much weight language deserves for the adults in your family.

Which regions teach mainly in a language other than Spanish?

Public schools teach mainly or partly in a local language in Catalonia (Catalan), the Basque Country (Basque), Galicia (Galician), the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community and parts of Navarre. Newly arrived pupils generally get reception classes or temporary language support. If your child is older, weigh this heavily when comparing regions.

When do I apply for a public school place for September?

The main application window for a September start is usually in spring, roughly March to May. Lists come out in May to June and enrolment follows in June to July. Children arriving mid-year apply through the regional education authority or its local office, which assigns a place from available vacancies.

How long are flights from Spain to the UK, Ireland and the US?

Direct flights from Madrid or Barcelona take about 2h20 to 2h40 to London, 2h30 to 2h50 to Dublin and 7h30 to 9h30 to the US East Coast. West Coast routes usually take 11 to 13 hours or more, often with a connection. Use this when grandparents' distance is one of your priorities.