Are you thinking about studying in Spain in 2026? It’s a very good moment to start planning it. Spain is one of the most attractive destinations in Europe for international students, thanks to its universities, lifestyle, and growing job and entrepreneurship opportunities.
At Academia Guiu in Barcelona, we’ve been preparing students for university entrance exams for more than 130 years. Every year we help hundreds of international students turn their plans into a real study project in Spain. In this article you’ll find a clear roadmap to understand your options in 2026 and what you can start doing now to arrive ready.
Spain on the international mobility map in 2026
Spain is firmly positioned as one of the top European destinations for international mobility. Each year, hundreds of thousands of students choose Spanish universities and language schools to continue their education. Cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia or Granada concentrate a large part of this international community.
Why Spain is so attractive for international students
If you are thinking long term, Spain offers you:
- A recognised university system with public and private universities and a wide variety of degrees in Spanish, and increasingly in English.
- A vibrant student life, especially in big cities, with cultural events, sports, festivals and an international atmosphere.
- A high quality of life, with Mediterranean climate, good public transport and a relatively affordable cost of living compared to other European destinations.
- The possibility of combining studies with part-time work (always respecting the conditions of the student residence permit).
In short, Spain gives you a complete academic, personal and cultural experience.
Accessing Spanish universities: what you need before you arrive
To start a degree at a Spanish university in 2026, you’ll need to organise your high school studies and the university entrance exams. The most common route for students with a Spanish or homologable high school diploma is the EBAU/Selectivity.
EBAU: the standard route for national baccalaureates
If you are completing or have completed a Spanish Bachillerato, or a national system that can be easily homologated, the usual path is to sit the EBAU in one of Spain’s regions.
To prepare it properly, you need to:
- Know which subjects weigh more for the degree you want to study.
- Understand how the final admission grade is calculated.
- Practise with real exam papers so you’re not surprised on the day.
A specialised preparation like the Selectivity Nationals EBAU course in Barcelona helps you plan the whole year, work on the content from zero if necessary and simulate real exam conditions to arrive in 2026 with maximum confidence.
If you have an international or foreign high school diploma
If you come from an International Baccalaureate, A-Levels, Latin American or other foreign system, your route to university in Spain is usually through the UNED PCE (Specific Competency Tests).
UNED PCE exams: adapting your profile to Spain
The UNED PCE exams allow Spanish universities to compare your profile with local students. Depending on the region and degree you choose, you will need to sit exams in specific subjects (for example Mathematics, History of Spain, Economics, Chemistry, etc.).
That’s why it’s so important to:
- Identify which PCE subjects you need for your chosen degree and university.
- Align your preparation with the weighting system of each region.
- Work on exam techniques, which are often different from those in your home country.
With a programme like the Selectivity Internationals UNED course in Barcelona you focus on exactly the subjects you need, with teachers who know the format of the exams and the reality of international students.
Spanish language: your key to studying and living in Spain
The better your Spanish, the easier everything becomes: classes, exams, administrative procedures, finding accommodation, working, making friends… Even if your degree is partly in English, you will live in Spanish every day.
Improving your Spanish before 2026
To arrive prepared, it’s a great idea to combine your entrance exam preparation with intensive Spanish courses. This allows you to:
- Understand teachers in class and participate without fear.
- Study notes, books and materials in Spanish.
- Enjoy your social and cultural life from the very first month.
In Barcelona you can attend Spanish classes for international students that adapt to your starting level and your academic objectives (university, work, official exams, etc.).
Before choosing your course, it’s very useful to take an online test to know your starting point. At Academia Guiu you can do this quickly and from home with our online Spanish level test, and from there design your roadmap to 2026.
Student visa and your roadmap to 2026
If you are from outside the European Union, you will need a Spanish study visa to complete a long-term course and then continue at university.
In general, consulates will ask you for:
- Proof of enrolment in a full-time course at an authorised centre.
- Medical insurance valid in Spain.
- Proof of sufficient financial means to support yourself.
- A clean criminal record (for stays over a certain length).
It’s important to check the specific requirements of the Spanish consulate in your country, because details and documents may vary.
A simple timeline for your 2026 plan
To make it more manageable, you can think of your project in phases:
- 2024–2025: Decide what you want to study at university and in which city. Find out if you need EBAU or UNED PCE.
- Academic year 2025–2026: Enrol in a preparation course for EBAU or PCE and, if necessary, in Spanish courses to reach the level you need.
- Spring 2026: Take the entrance exams.
- Summer 2026: University pre-enrolment, confirmation of admission and final move to Spain.
Planning with this perspective helps you reduce stress and make better academic and personal decisions.
How Academia Guiu supports your international project
An international move is much more than buying a plane ticket. It involves choosing the right exams, understanding how the Spanish system works, dealing with paperwork, and adapting to a new city.
At Academia Guiu we help you throughout the process:
- We are pioneers in Selectivity preparation courses in Spain.
- We have a team of more than 40 specialised teachers, used to working with international students.
- We advise you on documentation for your studies and on practical aspects of living in Barcelona (accommodation, transport, costs, etc.).
- We design a personalised study plan based on your previous education, your level of Spanish and the degree you want to access.
If you’d like us to help you build your personalised plan to study in Spain in 2026, you can write to us via our contact form. Tell us which country you are coming from, what you are studying now and what you’d like to do at university, and we’ll propose a clear roadmap so you can turn your international project into reality.
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