The September cash peak: what you need at the start of term

Terms used

• Matrícula — The matrícula is enrolment: the formal registration of your child in a school for the year.
• Reserva de plaza — The reserva de plaza is a fee some schools charge to hold your child's place.
• Concertada — A concertada school is privately run but publicly funded, and often charges some fees.
• Material escolar — Material escolar means school supplies such as notebooks, pens and art materials.

Key rules

• Public school enrolment: Enrolment in a public school is free.
• Private and concertada fees: Reservation fees may be non-refundable, so read the school's terms before paying.
• Free textbooks: Free book schemes are set by each region, so ask your regional education department before buying.
• Buying window: Most families buy books and supplies between July and early September.

What to expect

Your biggest costs come in a short window: a possible place fee in spring or early summer, then books, supplies and clothing from July to early September. Plan to have that cash ready before term starts.

Spring to early summer: enrolment and reservation

Public schools do not charge for enrolment (matrícula). Admission requests are usually made online in spring, often March to May. Enrolment is confirmed in June or July.

Private schools and some concertada schools (publicly funded, privately run) often ask for a reservation or enrolment fee (reserva de plaza). You usually pay it once the place is offered, between spring and early summer. Some schools ask again at the start of the school year. The amount depends on the school. It may be non-refundable or deducted from your first fees, so read the school's terms before you pay.

June to July: get the lists

Schools usually publish book and material lists in June or July, and sometimes in early September. Collect them as soon as they appear and price everything before you buy. Most families buy between July and early September.

Books: check for a free scheme first

Free textbooks are run by the regions, so schemes differ. Many regions run loan or reuse schemes in public and concertada schools. They mostly cover primaria and ESO, and in some regions also infant education or basic FP. Some are open to all pupils. Others depend on family income. Usually you must return the books in good condition at the end of the year. Some regions give vouchers or grants instead. Ask your regional education department what applies this year. Vouchers and loans are handled at the start of the school year, so you may need to pay up front.

If no scheme applies, expect to pay roughly these amounts a year (2025 estimates):

• Infantil: €100–200, mostly workbooks.
• Primaria: €150–300.
• ESO: €250–400.
• Bachillerato: €250–450.

Costs are higher in private schools with bilingual or own-publisher materials.

Supplies, uniform and sports kit

School supplies (material escolar) cost about €50–120 per child in Infantil, €80–150 in Primaria and €100–200 in ESO and Bachillerato (2025 estimates). Some schools charge a fixed materials fee instead, often €30–100 a year.

If your school requires a uniform, a full set costs about €150–350 per child. The sports kit (tracksuit, PE shirt, shorts) costs about €40–120. Branded items from the school's supplier cost more than generic ones, and some international schools charge more.

A simple cash plan

1. Spring to early summer: set aside any reservation or enrolment fee.
2. June or July: get the lists and decide between a scheme, buying yourself or a fixed fee.
3. July to early September: buy books, supplies and clothing, and keep the receipts.

Consumer groups publish yearly back-to-school estimates, and the figure usually rises. Check the latest report for a current per-child number. The planner, checklist and questions below help you work through each step.

Choosing between options

How should you cover books and supplies this September?

• Use your region's free textbook or loan scheme: Your child is in primary or ESO at a public or concertada school in a region that runs a scheme and your family qualifies, whether universally or by income.

• Buy books and supplies yourself: No scheme applies or you do not qualify. Budget from the school's book list and supplies list.

• Pay the school's fixed materials fee: The school charges one, often €30–100 a year, instead of asking you to buy supplies separately.

Check the scheme first, since it removes the largest cost. If it does not apply, pay the fixed fee when the school offers one; otherwise buy from the lists. Keep cash ready for any reservation or enrolment fee in private and some concertada schools.

School year cash calendar from June to July

The school year's money runs from one June to the next July. Most of the big payments land before classes start, so plan for June to early September first.

Month by month

March to May: reservation

• Public schools do not charge for enrolment, which is free.
• Ask whether the fee is refundable or deducted from the first instalment before you pay.

June to July: enrolment and lists

• Public school enrolment is confirmed now, at no cost.
• Summer activities and July childcare are billed separately from the school fees.

July to early September: the big purchases

• Uniform: rare in ordinary public schools, though some ask for a tracksuit or a school sports shirt. Common in concertada schools and almost universal in private and international ones. Some schools require their own shop or an approved supplier for branded items. Others accept any shop for plain items such as trousers or skirts. Check the school's internal rules before buying.
• Some private schools ask for a second payment at the start of the year.

September or October to June: monthly instalments

• Private and concertada tuition is usually spread over 10 monthly instalments. Some schools use 11 or 12, including July and August.
• The canteen is billed monthly from September to June, for the days used.
• Extracurricular activities usually run from October to May or June.
• The school's fee schedule shows the exact number of payments.

Autumn to spring: the school trip

• This applies to older pupils, usually 4º ESO or 1º Bachillerato, sometimes 6º Primaria.
• Expect a deposit of 100 to 200 euros at signup, then monthly payments until the trip.
• Total cost is typically 300 to 600 euros for a domestic or short trip and 600 to 1,500 euros abroad.
• The trip usually happens between March and May. Class fundraisers can lower the price.
• Cancellation and refund terms are in the agency contract, so read it before the deposit.

May to June: closing charges

• No national rule sets these. Each school and its parents' association (AMPA) decides.
• Typical items are a graduation ceremony and party, a yearbook or photo album, an end-of-year outing, and a class collection for teacher gifts.
• In public schools, costs are usually modest: a few euros for a party contribution up to a few tens of euros for photos or an album.
• Private and concertada schools, and Bachillerato dinners, can cost noticeably more.
• These extras are optional in public schools.

How to use this

Keep the heaviest cash for July to September, when books, supplies, uniform and any second school payment can fall together. Then budget a steady monthly amount for instalments and canteen. Set aside a separate pot for the trip and the end-of-year extras, since they arrive months apart.

Checklist

• Ask the school whether a reservation or enrolment fee is due between spring and early summer, and whether it is refundable or deducted from the first fees.

• Check with your regional education department whether your region has a free textbook or loan scheme and whether your child qualifies.

• Find out if the scheme is open to all pupils or based on family income, and whether you must return the books in good condition at the end of the year.

• Estimate textbook costs for your child's stage if no scheme applies: about €100–200 in Infantil, €150–300 in Primaria, €250–400 in ESO and €250–450 in Bachillerato.

• Look up the latest OCU or FACUA back-to-school report (consumer groups) for the current per-child estimate, and set aside that cash for July to September.

Check the current back-to-school figure and your region's free textbook rules with the school and your regional education department.

Frequently asked questions

When do schools publish the book and material lists?

Schools usually publish book and material lists in June or July, at the end of the school year, and sometimes in early September. Most families buy between July and early September. If your region uses vouchers or loan schemes, those are handled at the start of the school year.

How much does a school uniform and sports kit cost per child?

A full school uniform typically costs about €150–350 per child, and the sports kit about €40–120. Branded items from the school's own supplier cost more than generic ones. Uniforms are mainly required in concertada and private schools, and some international schools charge more.

Are school supplies cheaper if the school charges a fixed fee?

A fixed materials fee is often €30–100 a year, which is usually below the €80–200 that supplies cost in Primaria, ESO and Bachillerato when you buy them yourself. Not every school charges one. The school's supplies list or fee notice tells you which applies.