How to choose a degree (grado) in Spain

Terms used

• Grado — The grado is a Spanish official bachelor's degree, normally 240 ECTS over four years.
• ECTS — ECTS are European credits; one credit equals 25 to 30 hours of student work, and a year is normally 60.
• Nota de corte — The nota de corte is the cut-off mark: the lowest admission mark that got a place on that degree in the last call.
• Preinscripción — The preinscripción is the regional or university application where you list your degree choices in order of preference.
• PAU/EBAU — The PAU/EBAU is the university entrance exam whose result, with your school marks, gives your admission mark.
• Trabajo fin de grado — The trabajo fin de grado is the final degree project, worth 6 to 30 ECTS.
• Menciones — Menciones are optional specialisations within a degree, shown on your title or its European supplement.
• Dobles grados — Dobles grados are combined programmes that give two degrees and usually take longer than four years.

Key rules

• Field is fixed: You apply to one specific degree, and your first-year subjects already belong to that field.
• Cut-off mark: Admission depends on the cut-off mark for that degree, so always add fallback choices.
• Regulated professions: If you want a regulated profession, confirm with the university that the degree leads to it in Spain.
• Changing later: A transfer is possible, but deadlines, quotas and credit recognition are set by each university.

Choose the field before you apply

In Spain you apply to one specific degree, usually at one specific university or campus. There is generally no shared "undeclared" first year like in the US. Your first-year subjects already belong to your field, and your admission is judged against that degree's cut-off mark.

So the real work comes before the application: understand how a grado is built, then check that the programme fits you.

How a grado is built

A standard grado is 240 ECTS over four years. Medicine is 360 ECTS over six years. Other regulated degrees, such as Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary and Architecture, run to 300 ECTS over five years.

Each year is normally 60 ECTS. One ECTS credit is 25 to 30 hours of work, including study outside class.

Every grado has the same main parts:

• Basic training: at least 60 ECTS, mostly in your branch of knowledge. This is why the first year is so fixed.
• Compulsory and optional subjects.
• External work placements (prácticas externas). Some degrees require them and some offer them as an option.
• A final degree project, the trabajo fin de grado, worth 6 to 30 ECTS.

Some universities offer menciones, which are specialisations that appear on your title or on the European supplement to it. Double degrees (dobles grados) usually take longer than four years.

What to weigh when choosing

Check these in roughly this order:

1. Your goal. If you want a regulated profession, such as medicine, architecture or teaching, you need the specific degree, and sometimes a master's afterwards. Ask the university before you apply.
2. Interest and aptitude. You cannot easily drift between subjects in year one.
3. Language. Programmes teach in Spanish, a regional language, English, or a mix. Make sure your level matches what the course guide says.
4. Admission chances. Compare the last cut-off mark (nota de corte) with the mark you expect from the university entrance exam (PAU/EBAU). Choose fallback degrees too, and list your choices in order of preference in the application (preinscripción).
5. Content and practice. Look at the curriculum, menciones, work placements and exchange options.
6. Location and cost. Fees and living costs vary a lot between cities and between public and private universities.
7. Employment prospects for the field.

The shortlist checklist below turns these into steps you can follow.

If you are unsure

The decision below sets out your three realistic routes. A few universities run general or combined first-year programmes, but these are still registered as specific degrees. Your other option is to start in a nearby degree and change later.

If you choose wrong

You can change degree by applying for a transfer (traslado or cambio de estudios) to the new degree. Basic-training credits from the same branch of knowledge are recognised automatically. Other credits may be recognised where the skills match. Credits that are not recognised stay on your academic record.

Deadlines, quotas and the minimum credits you need all vary by university and degree, and a recognition commission makes the final call. Transfers usually run in spring and summer. Check the dates with the university's student office before you enrol, so you know the way out exists.

Choosing between options

Which way to pick your degree

How should you choose your degree, given that Spanish grados are fixed to one field from year one?

• Apply to the one degree that fits your goal: You know the field, or the job you want needs a specific degree or master's. You apply to one named degree at one university or campus, so match it to your interest and your career goal.

• Apply to a general or combined first-year programme: You are torn between two close fields, such as engineering or science. A few universities run these tracks, but they are still registered as specific degrees, so check what each one leads to.

• Start in a nearby degree and change later: Your preferred degree needs a cut-off mark (nota de corte) above your expected PAU/EBAU result. You can apply to transfer later, and credits from the same branch of knowledge are usually recognised, but the new degree still has its own quotas and admission.

List your degrees in order of preference, each one a real fit for your interests, your goals and the language you can study in. Put the degree you want most first and add fallbacks whose cut-off marks are within reach of your expected result. Treat switching later as a safety net, not a plan: each university sets its own deadlines and quotas, and its recognition commission decides which credits count.

Programme shortlist checklist before you apply

• Search for the programme in the RUCT, the national register of degrees, and check the centre, title and active status match what you are applying to.

• Check the latest accreditation result for the degree.

• Read the guía docente (course guide) to confirm the language of teaching, as many programmes mix Spanish, English and a regional language.

• Find the last nota de corte (cut-off mark) for the degree, and note which call, phase and access quota it refers to.

• Look up the fee per ECTS credit at a public university, or the yearly tuition at a private one, and check that repeat enrolments cost more than the first.

• Check the structure: total ECTS credits, years of study, whether it is in person or online, external work placements and the final degree project (TFG).

• Write down the application and enrolment deadlines and phases, which differ by region and university.

• Ask the university whether the degree leads to a regulated profession in Spain, if that is your goal.

• If you hold a foreign qualification, ask how it will be recognised for admission.

• If you need a student visa, ask what enrolment letter the university issues and whether the visa requires full-time study.

Quick answers about Spanish degrees

How long does a doble grado take?

A doble grado normally takes five to six years, with a load of about 300-380 ECTS. It leads to two official degrees and shares subjects, so it is shorter than doing both separately.

Can I start university without choosing a specific degree?

No, you apply to a specific degree and usually a specific university or campus, listing your choices in order of preference. There is generally no common undeclared first year. A few universities offer general first-year tracks, but these are still registered as specific degrees.

Are cut-off marks higher for a doble grado?

Yes, a doble grado usually has a higher cut-off mark than either single degree, and fewer places. Popular combinations at public universities often have cut-offs close to 12-13.5 out of 14.

Does a máster propio give me access to a doctorate?

No, a máster propio does not give access to a doctorate or to an official master. Those need an official grado or equivalent. It is not an official qualification for public-sector exams, though it may count as merit.