Study in Spain

Spain is a country with a well-developed and detailed education system. At the same time, the cost of education, compared to other developed European countries, is significantly lower.

The structure of the educational system in the state

The whole educational system in Spain is divided into such stages:

• Kindergarten (Guarderia) – 0-3 years;
• Preparatory group (Escuela infantil) – 3-6 years old;
• Primary school (Primary) – 6-12 years;
• Elementary basic education (ESO) – 12-16 years old;
• Additional basic education (ESO) – 12-16 years old;
• Full Basic Education (Bachillerato) – 16-18 years old;
• Full Basic Education (Bachillerato) – 16-18 years old.

The university structure deserves a close look. Studying in Spain involves three successive stages, viz:

1. Grado (Baccalaureate level). The total duration of study is 3-4 years.
2. Masters (Master’s degree) – 12-24 months.
3. Doctorado (postgraduate) – 3-6 years.

After graduation from high school, the teenager is eligible for admission to higher education. Higher education is provided on a fee basis and is approximately from 2000 euros per year. With the help of a flexible scholarship system, students are motivated. Spanish diplomas are recognized and valued worldwide. Also available are specialized programs in art, applied arts and languages.

Cost and Schedule Details

When planning to educate your children in Spain, you can make your choice in favor of both completely free education and paid. There are public, semi-private, private, English-British, European, American and Russian educational institutions. Accordingly, the cost varies with their level:

• Public ones are free and are entirely on public provision.
• In semi-private ones the price of tuition is from 1000 euros per year, plus the cost of food (about 4-7 euros per day), books (200-250 euros per year), uniforms (about 300 euros for sets of daily and sports uniforms) and excursions.
• In private and famous British ones, the cost varies and ranges from 5000 euros per year. Add to this also the cost of uniforms and study materials. Prices for additional costs are individual and vary according to the level of the institution.

In general, the school schedule is structured in such a way that it is not necessary to pay for meals in schools. The school day lasts:

• in elementary school from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

At the same time, from 12:30 to 15:00 – the so-called free hours, when you can take your child home and not pay for meals. Those who stay in school during this time period have a full lunch and recreation in the school yard.

• In middle school and bachilerato – 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Enrollment and documents

The filing of documents (matricula) for training starts in April-May and is done according to residency. But this does not mean that starting in the middle of the school year you will not be able to get into school. In this case, the child will be enrolled in the school where there is a vacant place.

Required for design:

• documents proving the identity of the child and the parents. These can be documents of your country – passports, birth certificate of the child, etc., or of Spanish origin;
• Marriage certificate, Spanish Libro de Familia (if available) or other document proving parenthood (e.g. Child’s Birth Certificate);
• SIP of the child (local health card, which is obtained from the health center in the place of residence) or the insurance offered by the school (from 15 euros per year);
• A specific application form to be filled out directly at the school.

Important! The set of documents may vary depending on the school.

Private and semi-private institutions do not have strict residency requirements.

Schooling begins between September 7-15 and runs through June 18-22. The school year is divided into three trimesters and includes Christmas and Easter vacations of 2 weeks each.

In general, registration for kindergarten and school in Spain is not a difficult task. The child has the right to study in educational institutions regardless of the status of the parents in the country.

Selecting a school in Alicante

Alicante is a paradise in the Mediterranean. This place is ideal for living and raising children. Private schools for quality education are:

• King’s College – British. The education is conducted in English and Spanish. You can learn more information about it here: https://alicante.kingscollegeschools.org/
• Liceo Frances – The primary languages of instruction are French and Spanish. English and other European languages are also emphasized. Website: http://www.lfalicante.org/
• European School of Alicante. Emphasis in education is placed on 4 linguistic sections. The curriculum is 100% EU compliant. Website: https://www.escuelaeuropea.org
• Newton Newton College is multilingual training for students in an international framework. In addition to excellent English and Spanish, Valencian and German are taught, allowing students to function easily in any international and intercultural environment. Website: https://www.laudenewtoncollege.com

Also, you can highlight:

• Russian Education Center is a general education, accredited school of the Russian Federation in Spain, accepting USE and OGE exams. Website: https://russchspain.com/
• Universidad de Alicante is a large public university. Here you can get education in law, social sciences, humanities and pedagogical sciences of technology, etc. Website: https://www.ua.es/

For children there is a large number of sports sections, dance and creative circles. Very developed soccer (from 3 years old), tennis, handball. In addition, in Alicante there is an opportunity to enter the music conservatory – admission is carried out from the age of 12 years.

Adults, on the other hand, can take courses in Spanish (castellano) and Valencian (valenciano) for a fee or even for free. (Valenciano is the second official language of the entire province of Alicante and virtually every school and university teaches basic subjects in it).

The main advantages of studying in Spain

A large number of Russian-speaking population prefer to study in Spain. What does the country offers people in terms of education? The key advantages of studying in a European country are:

• affordable cost of education (compared to Britain, the United States);
• guaranteed learning of several foreign languages;
• receipt of a personal diploma at the end of the course, which is recognized in most countries of the world;
• learning takes place in comfortable conditions.

Mediterranean climate, rich culture and Spanish cuisine attract a large number of people to this country. The key reason for the popularity of Spain among young people, of course, is quality education.