Spain is a country with an advanced and greatly improved education system. On top of that, the cost of education in comparison with other developed European countries is much lower.
The structure of the country educational system
All the Spanish educational system is divided into following stages:
- Kindergarten (Guarderia) – 0-3 yrs;
- Preschool (Escuela infantil) – 3-6 yrs;
- Elementary school (Primary) – 6-12 yrs;
- Compulsory secondary education (middle school) (ESO) – 12-16 yrs;
- Upper secondary education (Bachillerato) – 16-18 yrs.
University structure deserves more close attention. Studying in Spain includes three consecutive stages:
- Grado (bachelor’s program). The total duration is 3-4 yrs.
- Masters (magistracy) – 12-24 month.
- Doctorado (university post degree) – 3-6 yrs.
After Bachillerato graduation students can enter the university. Higher education is provided on a paid basis, which is approximately from 2,000 euros per year. Students are motivated with the help of a flexible scholarship system. Spanish diplomas are recognized and valued all around the world. Specialized programs of art, engineering and linguistics are also available.
Details of the cost and schedule
If you plan to teach your children in Spain, you can make your choice both in favor of a completely free and paid education. There are public, semi-private, private, English-British, European, American and Russian educational institutions. Accordingly, the cost varies from their level:
- Public schools are free and completely on state support.
- In semi-private schools tuition fee starts from 1000 euros per year, plus expenses for food (about 4-7 euros per day), books (200-250 euros per year), uniform (about 300 euros for set of daily and sport uniforms) and guided tours.
- In private and famous British schools cost varies and starts from 5,000 euros per year. You should also add the cost of the uniform and educational materials. Payments for additional expenses are individual and depend from the level of the educational institution.
In general, the schedule is designed so that it is not compulsory to pay for meals in schools. School day lasts:
- in elementary school from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
- At the same time, from 00:30 pm to 3:00 pm – the so-called free hours, when you can take your child home and so don’t need to pay for food. Those who stay at school have a full-fledged lunch and rest in the school yard.
- in the middle school and bachilerato – from 8:00 to 15:00
Registration and documents
The document submission (matricula) for public school starts in April-May and is carried out by residence area. But this doesn’t mean you will not be able to get to the school in the middle of the school year. In this case, the child will be registered in the school where there is a free position.
For registration you need:
- confirmation of the child and parent’s identity. These can be documents – passports, birth certificate of a child, etc. – either of your country and of Spain;
- Marriage certificate, Spanish Libro de Familia (if available) or other proof of parenthood (for example, Child’s Birth Certificate);
- SIP of the child (local medical card, which is issued in the clinic at the place of residence) or insurance offered by school (from 15 euros per year);
- An application in a specific form that must be completed directly at the school.
Important! The set of documents may vary depending on the particular school.
Private and semi-private schools don’t impose strict requirements for binding to the place of residence.
School year starts in September 7-15 and lasts until June 18-22. The school year is divided into three trimesters and includes Christmas and Easter holidays for 2 weeks each.
In general, registration in a kindergarten and school in Spain is quite easy. The child has the right to study in schools regardless of the parent’s status in the country.
Choosing a school in Alicante
Alicante is a little paradise in the Mediterranean. This place is an ideal for the life and children upbringing. Private schools for quality education are:
- King’s College – British. Education is provided in English and Spanish languages. You can learn more about it here: https://alicante.kingscollegeschools.org/
- Liceo Frances – French and Spanish are the main languages of education process. Also, the emphasis is on English and other European languages. Website: http://www.lfalicante.org/
- European School of Alicante. The emphasis in education is on 4 linguistic sections. The study program is 100% compliant with the requirements of the European Union. Website: https://www.escuelaeuropea.org
- Newton College – multi-lingual education of students in the international framework. In addition to the excellent study of English and Spanish, Valencian and German are taught, which allows students to function easily in any international and intercultural environment. Website: https://www.laudenewtoncollege.com
Also we can highlight:
- The Russian educational center – a general educational, accredited school of the Russian Federation in Spain, which takes examinations of the Unified State Exam and OGE. Website: https://russchspain.com/
- Universidad de Alicante – a large state university. Here you can get an education in the field of law, social, humanitarian and pedagogical sciences of technology, etc. Website: https://www.ua.es/
For children there are a large number of sports clubs, dance and creative clubs. Football (from the age of 3), tennis and handball are developed very well. In addition, Alicante has the opportunity to enter the Conservatory of Music – the entrance is carried out with 12 years.
Adults, in turn, can take Spanish (castellano) and Valencian (valenciano) language courses on a paid and even free basis. (Valenciano is the second official language of the entire province of Alicante and almost every school and university conducts instruction in its main disciplines).
The main advantages of studying in Spain
Many European and people from other countries in the world prefer to study in Spain. What does the country offer people in terms of education? The key benefits of studying in a European country are:
- affordable cost of education (in comparison with Britain, USA);
- guaranteed learning of several foreign languages;
- obtaining a personal diploma at the end of the course that is recognized in most countries in the world;
- education takes place in comfortable conditions.
The Mediterranean climate, rich culture and traditional Spanish cuisine attract a large number of people to this country. A key reason for the popularity of Spain among young people of course is high-quality education.