Summer and short courses at Spanish universities

Key rules

• Credit: Your home university decides whether a course counts, so get its written approval before you enrol.
• Language level: Expect to need B1 to B2 for Spanish-taught courses and B2 for English-taught ones.
• Extra costs: Accommodation and credit fees are often not included in the course price.
• Certificate only: Non-credit language and culture courses often give only a certificate of attendance.

Pick the type of course first

Spanish universities offer three kinds of short programme. Choosing the type settles most of the other questions.

• Spanish-language and culture courses for foreigners. University language centres run these, often at several levels. Pick this if you want to learn Spanish or improve it.
• Thematic summer schools. These are intensive courses in English or Spanish on subjects such as law, business, art, history and science.
• "Cursos de verano". These are the summer programmes of universities such as Complutense (in El Escorial), UIMP in Santander, Granada, Salamanca and Barcelona. Granada's language courses run through its Centro de Lenguas Modernas.

Some courses carry credit and some do not. Check this before you pay.

Where to find them

Start with the international office or language-centre website of the university you like. The UIMP and regional summer-course pages list many programmes. The Instituto Cervantes and the Study in Spain portals are also good places to search.

What they cost and how long they last

The price depends on the university, the course type and the number of hours. More hours cost more.

• Spanish-language summer courses usually run one to four weeks. Some last a month or longer.
• Thematic summer schools usually last from a few days to two weeks.
• Accommodation and credit fees are often extra.

Ask the organising university for the current price and the hours before you compare options.

Language level

For courses taught in Spanish, most universities recommend or require B1 to B2. For English-taught courses they usually ask for B2 English. The exact level varies by university and programme, so check each course page.

English-taught options are limited. You will find more in business, engineering and some humanities programmes. Many universities also offer Spanish classes to exchange students.

You can prove your level with any of these:

• a language certificate (DELE, SIELE, Cambridge, IELTS or TOEFL)
• a letter or declaration from your home language teacher
• your online language assessment result

Credit

Many credit-bearing summer courses award ECTS credits. A typical rate is 1 ECTS per 25 to 30 hours of student work. Non-credit language and culture courses often give only a certificate of attendance.

Your home university decides whether to accept the credit, not the Spanish host. To protect yourself:

1. Get your home university's written approval of the course before you enrol.
2. Ask the host for the syllabus and the number of hours.
3. Collect the official transcript or certificate when the course ends.

The timeline, checklist and common questions below cover the rest.

Timeline and deadlines

• Thematic summer school: a few days to 2 weeks

• Spanish-language summer course: usually 1 to 4 weeks, and some run a month or longer

Check the current course length and price with the organising university.

Checklist

• Check whether the course is taught in Spanish or English and which level it asks for.

• Get a language certificate, a letter from your home language teacher, or your online language assessment result as proof of level.

• Ask whether accommodation and credit fees are extra.

Frequently asked questions

What language level do I need for a summer course in Spain?

Most universities recommend B1 to B2 Spanish for courses taught in Spanish, and B2 English for English-taught courses. You can prove it with a certificate such as DELE, SIELE, Cambridge, IELTS or TOEFL, or with a letter from your home language teacher. English-taught options are more common in business, engineering and some humanities programmes.

Will a summer course give me ECTS credits my home university accepts?

Only some do: credit-bearing courses typically award about 1 ECTS per 25 to 30 hours of student work, while many language and culture courses give just a certificate of attendance. Your home university decides on recognition, so get its written approval before you enrol. Afterwards, ask the host for the syllabus, hours and an official transcript or certificate.