Applying, deadlines and enrolling

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain to study a degree. By the end, you should be able to run a full application and enrolment on time, with a realistic idea of your chances and your fallback options.

Start with "The Spanish university admission calendar, month by month". It shows the phases from credential to first class, so you can see which step comes when and where a missed deadline costs you the most. From there, move on to the pre-registration and cut-off marks pages.

Recognition of your qualifications, the student residence route and appeals, how to get an apostille, and fees are covered elsewhere.

Key rules

• Degree options: You can usually list up to 12 degree options in order of preference, though some regions allow a different number.
• Admission mark: The admission mark goes up to 14 points, while the access mark itself is up to 10 points.
• Enrolment window: After each admission list you usually have 3 to 5 working days to enrol, and if you miss it the place is lost.
• Pre-registration window: The ordinary pre-registration round usually opens in mid June and closes in late June or early July.
• Pre-registration: Do not wait for exam results to prepare; the window is short and closes within weeks of opening.
• Enrolment: Each admission list has its own enrolment deadline, and a missed deadline means the place is lost.

Applying, deadlines and enrolling: the whole process, step by step

• Request the UNED credential if you hold a non-EU foreign qualification (see the calendar and documents articles): Usually in a window from roughly February to April, with a second window from roughly May to June for later sessions

• Sit the PAU/EBAU or the UNED PCE exams (see the calendar article): Ordinary session in early to mid June; extraordinary session in early to mid July

• Gather and prepare your documents, with apostille and sworn translation if needed (see the documents article): Before pre-registration opens in mid June

• Submit your pre-registration (preinscripción) with your ordered list of degrees (see the pre-registration article): Opens in mid June and closes in late June or early July; the extraordinary round opens in mid to late July

• Check the first admission list and compare it with the cut-off marks (see the cut-offs article): Early to mid July; the second list comes about a week later and a third in late July

• Enrol (matrícula) after each list in which you are admitted, or reserve a better-ranked option (see the enrolment article): Within 3 to 5 working days of each list

• If you miss your first choice, stay on the waiting list and watch later lists (see the plan B article): Later lists run in late July, then in September, with final calls in late September or October

• Ask the university for your admission letter or proof of enrolment for the student visa: Within weeks of admission; many universities ask for a deposit or first payment first, so apply early

• If the visa is refused, ask in writing for annulment of enrolment and a refund, attaching the refusal (see the visa refusal article): As soon as you receive the refusal; public universities set a deadline, often within the term or by a date in autumn

• Start first-year classes: Between early September and mid October, mostly the second half of September or early October

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Passport or ID — Which documents universities ask international applicants for, Enrolling (matrícula) after you are admitted
• A passport-style photo — Enrolling (matrícula) after you are admitted
• Your visa or residence documents — Enrolling (matrícula) after you are admitted

Guarantees

• Health insurance evidence — Enrolling (matrícula) after you are admitted

Other documents

• Your access credential — What to do if you miss your first-choice degree, Enrolling (matrícula) after you are admitted
• Proof of your foreign qualification — What to do if you miss your first-choice degree
• Secondary-school diploma — Which documents universities ask international applicants for
• Transcript with your grades — Which documents universities ask international applicants for
• UNED accreditation certificate — Which documents universities ask international applicants for
• Proof that you paid the fees — Enrolling (matrícula) after you are admitted

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Applying, deadlines and enrolling: questions that cross several articles

Do I need the UNED credential before I apply to universities?

Yes, if you hold a non-EU qualification without an agreement, you need the UNED credential before you sit the PCE or pre-register. You request it online in a window, usually roughly February to April. Read the calendar article and the documents article next.

Which portal do I use to pre-register for a public university?

Each region has its own pre-registration portal, and in a distrito único one application covers all public universities in that region. Many regions also take part in the national distrito abierto, so you can apply to other regions. Read the pre-registration article next.

What happens if I am admitted but do not enrol on time?

You lose the place and usually have to wait for a later list or the next call. If you were admitted to your first choice, you may also lose higher-ranked options in many systems. Read the enrolment article and the plan B article next.

Can I enrol in a lower choice and still wait for a better one?

Yes, if you are given a lower-ranked option, you can enrol and still wait for a better one, or mark reserve to keep your claim without enrolling. Wording and rules vary by region.