Quitting or changing degree without losing money

Terms used

• Convocatoria — A convocatoria is one official exam attempt at a subject; you have a limited number of them.
• Anulación parcial — Anulación parcial is cancelling enrolment in individual subjects while keeping the rest of your enrolment.
• Anulación total — Anulación total is cancelling your whole enrolment for the academic year.
• Beca — A beca is a scholarship or grant that helps pay study costs.
• Devolución de precios públicos — Devolución de precios públicos is the refund of tuition fees paid to a public university.
• Cambio de estudios — Cambio de estudios is the route for moving to a different degree at the same university.

Key rules

• Early deadline: Cancelling inside your university's early deadline means the subject counts as never enrolled and uses no convocatoria.
• Refunds: Tuition is generally not refunded after you cancel, except in specific cases such as early cancellation or a later-granted beca.
• Late cancellation: After the deadline, only a justified reason with proof, approved by the faculty, can get a cancellation accepted.
• Changing degree: Wait for the written credit recognition decision before you enrol in the new degree.

The short version

Act before your university's early cancellation deadline. Inside it, a cancelled subject is treated as never enrolled. After it, you usually lose both the money and the exam attempt. The exact dates are set by your university, so find its academic calendar first.

Cancel before the deadline

Typical windows look like this, but your university may differ:

• Single subjects (anulación parcial): first-semester and full-year subjects until around October or November. Second-semester subjects until about February or March.
• Whole enrolment (anulación total): often a later deadline, commonly late October to December. Some universities allow it later in the year for justified reasons such as illness.

A subject cancelled in time does not use up a convocatoria and does not appear in your academic record. Each convocatoria is one official exam attempt.

Cancelling after the deadline

Late cancellation is possible only for exceptional, justified reasons, such as illness or work. The dean or rector decides. Apply in writing to your faculty and attach proof of the reason.

If you cancel after sitting an exam, or after the deadline without approval, the convocatoria you used normally stays used.

Will you get your money back?

Usually not. Public prices are generally not refunded after you cancel, because they cover the enrolment service. Refunds (devolución de precios públicos) normally arise only when:

• you cancel within the early deadline, often before classes start or a few weeks after;
• the university does not offer the course;
• you are admitted to another degree or to a place you preferred more;
• a fee waiver, beca or family discount is granted after you paid;
• you paid in error.

Ask for the refund in writing and state which reason applies. Payment is usually made by bank transfer within a few months. Each region's price decree sets the exact rules, so check yours before you pay or cancel. Private universities follow their own contracts, so read yours.

Changing degree at the same university

Apply through the change-of-studies route (cambio de estudios). The window is set by the university. It is often in June to July, sometimes with a second window in September.

• You must meet the transfer requirements, such as credits passed and available places.
• Where places are limited, applicants are ranked by academic record.
• Ask your faculty to recognise your credits. Credits in the same branch of basic training are recognised. Other credits are recognised where skills and knowledge match.
• Wait for the faculty's written decision before you enrol in the new degree.

Use the timeline, decision guide and checklist below to plan the order of steps.

Choosing between options

Should you cancel the subject now, or keep it and sit the exam?

• Cancel within the deadline: The deadline has not passed and you have not sat the exam. The subject then counts as not enrolled, uses no convocatoria and does not appear in your academic record.

• Ask for a late cancellation: The deadline has passed but you have a justified reason such as illness or work. Your centre decides, so send proof with your request.

• Keep the subject and sit the exam: You have already sat the exam or the deadline has passed without approval. Cancelling then generally does not erase the convocatoria you used.

Cancel only if the university's deadline has not passed and you have not sat the exam; after that, only an approved late cancellation removes the subject from your record.

Timeline and deadlines

• Cancel the enrolment of the whole degree or of subjects, if you want the cancellation to count as never enrolled and have a chance of a refund: before classes start or in the first few weeks, which is when the early deadline usually falls

• Cancel individual second-semester subjects: until about February or March

• Ask for a late cancellation for a justified reason such as illness or work: after the normal deadline, decided by the rector or dean

• Apply to change degree through the change-of-studies route: usually in June to July, with a possible second window in September

Checklist

• Find your university's cancellation deadlines for subjects and for the whole enrolment in its academic calendar.

• Cancel the subjects or the whole enrolment before the early deadline if you want them treated as not enrolled.

• Ask the faculty for a late cancellation, with proof of your reason such as illness or work, if the deadline has passed.

• Request any refund (devolución de precios públicos) in writing and say which reason applies, such as early cancellation or admission to another degree.

• Check the change-of-studies window and the transfer requirements, including credits passed and available places, before you apply to change degree.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get my tuition back if I cancel my enrolment?

Usually no, because public prices are not refunded once you cancel, unless an exception applies. Refunds mainly arise if you cancel within the university's early deadline, the university does not offer the course, you are admitted to another degree or a higher-preference place, or you paid in error. You must ask for the refund in writing, and payment normally comes by bank transfer within a few months.

Can I still get a refund if a beca or fee waiver is granted after I paid?

Yes, a refund can arise if a beca, fee waiver or family discount is granted after you paid. Ask for it in writing as a devolución de precios públicos. The regional price decree sets the exact rules, so check it with your university's administration office.

Does cancelling a subject after I have sat the exam remove my used convocatoria?

No, cancelling after you sit an exam generally does not erase the convocatoria you used. The same applies if you cancel after the deadline without approval. Cancelling within the deadline is different: the subject counts as not enrolled.

When can I apply to change degree at the same university?

Most universities open the change-of-studies window in summer, from June to July, with a possible second window in September. You must meet the transfer requirements, and where places are limited you are ranked by academic record. Ask your faculty to recognise your credits before you enrol.