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IE University tops our list of 11 PhD universities in Spain at #438 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It is followed by Universidad de Zaragoza (QS World #544) and Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (#58 in Spain). The universities on this list offer 306 matching courses between them.
11 universities · ranked best first
how we rankPrivate University · 2 courses in PhD
Public University · 5 courses in PhD
Public University · 4 courses in PhD
Public University · 1 course in PhD
Public University · 1 course in PhD
Public University · 2 courses in PhD
Public University · 1 course in PhD
Public University · 2 courses in PhD
Public University · 285 courses in PhD
Public University · 1 course in PhD
Public University · 2 courses in PhD
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2 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #438 (IE University) to #544 (Universidad de Zaragoza); they are listed first, in that order. Below them, universities follow their research output: Universidad de Zaragoza is cited most (4,770,254 citations). 2 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".
10 are public and 1 private (91% public). By location, Community of Madrid (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is IESE Business School, founded in 1958. IE University is the largest, with 8,000 students.
The most common subjects are Business & Management (46), Engineering (31), Social Sciences & Psychology (19) and Life Sciences (12). The usual length is Average Duration: 24 months. and 24 months. 100% are full-time. Start dates lean to Fall (26% of courses with a stated intake) and Summer (3% of courses with a stated intake). Bircham International University offers the widest choice, with 285 of these courses.
IE University (QS World #438), Universidad de Zaragoza (QS World #544) and Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (#58 in Spain) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.
10 public and 1 private universities are on this list.
Most listed courses run Average Duration: 24 months., with 24 months the next most common.
Fall is the main intake — 26% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Summer is the second.
Bircham International University, with 285, ahead of Universidad de Zaragoza (5).
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