Higher arts education (enseñanzas artísticas superiores) outside universities

Key rules

• Two requirements: You need the Bachillerato or an equivalent, or the mature-student access test, and you must also pass the entry test for your discipline.
• Dates and details: Your region and each school set the test calendar and content, so ask both.
• Fees: Public arts schools cost about the same as, or somewhat less than, a public university degree; private schools cost much more.
• Foreign students: State scholarships generally require legal residence in Spain.

Arts degrees sit outside universities

Higher arts education (enseñanzas artísticas superiores) is a separate track from university. It covers music, dance, drama, design, conservation-restoration and plastic arts. You study at a conservatoire or an arts school, not at a university. Entry tests, fees and aid all work differently from a university degree.

Entry: Bachillerato plus a test for your discipline

You normally need the Bachillerato or an equivalent, and you must also pass an entry test for your discipline. The test is what decides whether you get a place. What it asks depends on the field:

• Music and dance usually test performance and theory.
• Drama usually tests interpretation and aptitude.
• Design and plastic arts usually ask for artistic exercises.

If you do not have the Bachillerato, you can sit an access test for mature students. You must be 19 or older, or 25 or older where the school requires it. You would still need to pass the discipline test afterwards.

Each region and each school sets its own calendar and details. Ask the school you want, and your region's education department, for the dates and the test content well before you plan to apply.

What it costs

Public arts schools usually charge about the same as a public university degree, or somewhat less. Your region sets the fees, charged per credit or per year. Private arts schools charge much more. Ask the school or your region's education department for the current fees, then compare them with a public university degree.

Aid and scholarships

You have several options:

• State scholarships. The Ministry of Education's general scholarships (becas generales) are open to higher arts students. They can cover a fee waiver, a fixed amount linked to residence and income, and a variable amount based on income and grades.
• Regional help. Regions add their own grants, fee reductions and exemptions, for example for large families or disability.
• Foreign students. You can apply for state scholarships if you are a legal resident in Spain. Foreign students who do not live in Spain generally cannot.
• Other options. Spanish cooperation grants, Erasmus+ mobility grants and merit awards from some schools.

Amounts, income limits and deadlines are set in each year's call, so read the current call before you plan your budget. The checklist and FAQ below help you keep track of the steps.

Checklist

• Check that you hold the Bachillerato or equivalent, or plan to sit the mature-student access test.

• Ask the school for the entry test for your discipline, such as performance and theory for music and dance, interpretation for drama, or artistic exercises for design and plastic arts.

• Check the current call for the Ministry of Education's general scholarships and whether you qualify, including the legal residence rule for foreign students.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply to a conservatoire without Bachillerato?

Yes, you can apply without Bachillerato if you pass a mature-student access test, open from age 19, or from 25 where the school requires it. You still sit the entry test for your discipline. Ask the school which age applies.

Are public arts studies cheaper than a university degree?

Public higher arts studies usually cost about the same as a public university degree, or somewhat less.

Can a foreign student get a state scholarship for arts studies?

Yes, a foreign student can apply for the Ministry of Education's general scholarships if they are a legal resident in Spain. Non-resident foreigners generally cannot. The yearly call sets the requirements, and regions add their own grants and fee reductions.

Are there grants for studying abroad from an arts school?

Yes, Erasmus+ mobility grants and Spanish cooperation grants (AECID) are options. Some conservatories and schools also give their own merit awards, so ask your school.