Spain has 98 universities, with Madrid and Barcelona among the main student cities. Daily life can run in Spanish or English, depending on the university and city.
The academic year is shaped by a large university network, with examples including Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Complutense University of Madrid, University of Barcelona, Autonomous University of Madrid, IE University, and Bircham International University.
International students often begin by focusing on the Student Visa (Visa de Estudiante), then looking at the university city and housing. Madrid and Barcelona are the main student cities named here, and many students build their first-term routine around campus life in one of them.
Language in daily life can be Spanish or English. That mix matters when choosing where to live and study, especially if you want a university where some services or classes may be available in English.
Spain uses the euro, and its price level was 70% of the US level in 2023. For students deciding whether to move, that gives a basic sense of everyday costs while studying in a country with a GDP per capita of USD 44,252 PPP.
