Vocational training (formación profesional): levels, length and where it leads

Terms used

• Consejo orientador — The consejo orientador is the school's written recommendation about which study route suits a student.
• ESO — ESO is compulsory secondary education in Spain, from about age 12 to 16.
• Bachillerato — The Bachillerato is the two-year upper secondary course, usually taken before university.
• PAU — The PAU is the university entrance exam taken after Bachillerato.

Key rules

• Levels: FP has three main levels: FP Básica, Grado Medio and Grado Superior.
• Length: Each level normally lasts 2 years.
• University: A Técnico Superior gives direct access to university without the PAU.
• Adults: Without the school title, you can enter Grado Medio or Superior by passing an access test.

The short version

Vocational training (formación profesional, or FP) has three main levels: FP Básica, Grado Medio and Grado Superior. Each takes about two years. Each leads to the next level, to work, or, from Grado Superior, to university.

Under the current FP law, all FP is dual. That means part of the course takes place in a company. It does not mean you must pick a special "dual" course.

FP Básica

This is the entry level for teenagers who are struggling in the normal school route.

• Who: students aged 15 to 17. The age is counted in the calendar year they start.
• School background: they must have finished primary school or the first cycle of ESO (up to 3rd year). They must not have repeated more than once in primary or twice in ESO overall.
• Needed: the teaching team must recommend FP Básica in a consejo orientador, and the parents or legal guardians must consent.
• Length: 2 years, 2,000 hours.

Regions set the exact admission rules, so ask the school or your regional education office how they apply.

Grado Medio

• Length: normally 2 years, about 2,000 hours. Depending on the course, it can be between 1,300 and 2,000 hours.
• Outcome: the Técnico title. It lets you work in that trade, or move on to Grado Superior.
• Access: normally you need the ESO title or equivalent. If you do not have it, see the access test below.

Grado Superior

• Outcome: the Técnico Superior title.
• Access: normally you need the Bachillerato or equivalent. Bridging routes from Grado Medio to Superior exist, so ask the centre what applies to your course.

Some courses are shorter or longer. A dual course can be extended to three years.

Going on to university

Yes. A Técnico Superior gives direct access to university without the PAU entrance exam. Places are given by cut-off marks for each degree, using your FP average grade (up to 10 points). You can also sit the specific phase of the PAU to raise your mark up to 14 points. Técnico Superior holders have a share of reserved places, normally around 7%. Some degrees prefer certain FP families, so check the degree you want.

If you do not have the normal school title

Adults can still enter Grado Medio and Grado Superior by passing an access test.

• Grado Medio test: you must be at least 17 in the calendar year of the test and not hold the ESO title or equivalent.
• Grado Superior test: you must be at least 19 in that year, or 18 if you hold a Técnico title in the same family. You must not hold the Bachillerato or equivalent.

What "dual" means

The company part is at least 20% of the hours in the general type. It is under 30% in the general regime. The intensive type is over 30%. You will see both when you choose a course.

Other FP training

The law also covers shorter training that is not a full cycle: accreditation of single competences, competence certificates, specialisation courses and professional master courses. These sit alongside the three levels. Older courses keep running until they are replaced, so you may see the old and new course names side by side.

The questions below cover the most common doubts.

Frequently asked questions

Can I go on to university after a Grado Superior?

Yes, a Técnico Superior title gives you direct access to university without sitting the PAU, the university entrance exam. Your place depends on your FP average grade, up to 10 points.

Can I do FP if I am an adult without the ESO title?

Yes, you can sit an access test for Grado Medio if you turn at least 17 in the year of the test and do not hold the ESO title or equivalent. For Grado Superior you must be at least 19 that year, or 18 if you hold a related Técnico title, and not hold the Bachillerato or equivalent.

Who can enter FP Básica?

FP Básica is for students aged 15 to 17 in the calendar year they start. They must have finished primary or the first cycle of ESO, and not have repeated more than once in primary or twice in ESO overall. The teaching team must recommend it in a proposal called a consejo orientador, and your parents or legal guardians must consent.

Is it true that all FP is now dual?

Yes, under the current FP law all vocational training is dual, meaning part of it takes place in a company. In the general regime at least 20% of hours are in the company, and under 30%. In the intensive regime it is over 30%. A dual FP may be extended to three years.