Vocational training or Bachillerato: choosing for your teenager

Terms used

• Bachillerato — The Bachillerato is a 2-year upper secondary course that prepares students for university.
• FP — FP is vocational training: job-oriented courses with practical training, at Grado Medio and Grado Superior levels.
• Grado Medio — The Grado Medio is the intermediate level of FP, taken after ESO, leading to a Técnico title.
• Grado Superior — The Grado Superior is the higher level of FP, which can lead to work or university.
• ESO — ESO is compulsory secondary school in Spain, finishing around age 16.
• EBAU/PAU — The EBAU/PAU is the university entrance exam taken after Bachillerato.

Key rules

• University: Bachillerato is the direct route to university, but Grado Superior also opens the door.
• Language: Teaching is in Spanish or the regional language, and Spanish support for newcomers in FP varies by centre.
• Grado Medio: Finishing a Grado Medio does not automatically give you a place in Grado Superior.
• No university: If your teen does not want university, FP is usually the better fit.

The short answer

Choose Bachillerato if your teenager is fairly sure they want university. Choose FP if they want a specific job sooner, or prefer practical learning. FP is not a dead end: there are routes from it to higher studies.

Start with the career goal

Bachillerato lasts 2 years and prepares students for the university entrance exam (EBAU/PAU). It is general, so it suits a teen who wants a degree but has not picked a job.

FP is job-oriented, with practical training. It can lead straight to work or to higher studies. It suits a teen who already knows the field they like, or who does not want university.

FP comes at two levels: Grado Medio and Grado Superior. Check that the FP family your teen wants (for example, health, IT or hospitality) is offered near your home. Availability varies by area.

Think about language

Both routes are taught in Spanish, or in the regional language where there is one. In regions with a co-official language (Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands and part of Navarre), some FP modules may be taught in it. Some centres offer bilingual FP with modules in English.

Spanish support for newcomers, such as aulas de enlace in Madrid, aulas ATAL in Andalusia or aules d'acollida in Catalonia, is mostly aimed at primary school and ESO. In FP, support is less formal and differs by centre. If your teen's Spanish is still weak, ask each centre what help it gives before you choose. Your regional education department can also tell you.

Think about university plans

Bachillerato is the direct route to university. FP has bridges too:

• A Grado Superior graduate can continue to university.
• A Grado Medio graduate does not always go straight to Grado Superior. They need Bachillerato, or a pass in the Grado Superior access test, or a preparation course for access. Some regions let graduates take that course.
• Someone with a Técnico title can also do Bachillerato.
• Adults can use the university access tests for over-25s and over-45s.

Rules are set by each region, so ask your regional education department how the move from Grado Medio to Grado Superior works where you live.

If your teenager does not want university

FP is usually the better fit. It gives a qualification and practical experience, and the later routes stay open if they change their mind.

Decide together

Compare your teen's grades and interests with what each route asks for. The decision tool and checklist below help you work through it.

Choosing between options

Should your teenager choose Bachillerato or vocational training (FP)?

• Bachillerato: Your teenager wants university and is happy with mostly academic study. It lasts two courses and prepares for the university entrance exam.

• Grado Medio vocational training: Your teenager prefers practical, job-oriented learning and may want to work soon. It can still lead to higher studies later.

• Grado Superior vocational training: Your teenager already has Bachillerato or has passed the access test, and wants a practical career with a route to university.

If university is the clear goal, choose Bachillerato. If a job is the goal, choose vocational training and keep the bridges open: Grado Medio graduates can reach Grado Superior with Bachillerato, the access test or a preparation course, and Grado Superior can lead to university. Whichever you choose, check the teaching language and the local courses available.

Checklist

• Ask your teenager what job or field they want to work in, and whether they want to go to university.

• Check which language each centre teaches in, Spanish or the regional language, and whether it offers bilingual courses with modules in English.

• Ask the centre what Spanish support it gives newcomer students in vocational training.

• Check whether the vocational family your teenager wants is offered near your home.

Frequently asked questions

Is vocational training taught in Spanish or in a regional language?

Vocational training is taught mainly in Spanish, but in regions with a co-official language the regional language can also be used for some modules.

Will my teenager get Spanish lessons in vocational training?

Support in vocational training is less formal than in earlier school years and varies by centre. Programmes such as aulas de enlace in Madrid, aulas ATAL in Andalusia and aules d'acollida in Catalonia are mostly aimed at primary school and ESO. Ask the centre what help it offers before you enrol.

Can a Grado Medio graduate go straight on to Grado Superior?

Not always: a Grado Medio graduate needs Bachillerato, a pass in the Grado Superior access test, or a preparation course for that test. Some regions let graduates take the access course. Ask your regional education department which route it allows.

Is there a way to university for someone who did a Grado Medio instead of Bachillerato?

Yes, a holder of the Técnico title can still do Bachillerato, and then sit the university entrance exams. Adults can also use the 25/45 university tests, and there are bridges between vocational levels.