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10 Best Universities in Spain

Spain has some of the best and leading Universities in Europe. This has attracted several international students who also love the beach, local festivals, architecture and lively cities.

Spain has the third-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

More than 50 Universities in Spain appeared in the Times Higher Education World University ranking in 2020.

The popular universities are found in Madrid, Barcelona, Granada and Seville. Each of these regions offers different experiences. While most of the programs are offered in Spanish, some are done in English to cater to international students.

The advantage of studying abroad is that one gets to learn and appreciate new cultures. You may also learn a new language since Spanish is the national language.

If you have been thinking about studying in Spain, here are the top 10 best universities.

1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM)

This university was founded in 1968 and was ranked at 159th in the QS World University Rankings 2019. It also featured in the top 50 under 50 by the same system.

There are at least 39,000 students both in their undergraduate and graduate studies. The university has 8 schools and the school of Law is what UAM is well known for. UAM has three campuses with the main one in Canto Blanco at least 15 kilometres from Madrid. This university is the alma mater of King Felipe VI of Spain.

There are recreation facilities and cafés for students and staff. It has indoor and outdoor pools, a medical centre, pitches for games and beach volleyball courts.

To get to the main campus one can use a commuter train or shuttle buses available on campus.

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2. Autonomous University of Barcelona

By Iván Melenchón Serrano-Wikimedia

The Autonomous University of Barcelona is located in central Barcelona. It was founded in 1968 and has been among the top 200 best Universities in the world from a 2019 ranking. It is the best university to go to if you are looking to experience the Catalan culture.

The main campus is located in Bellaterra, an industrial and technological area in Mediterranean Europe.

This university is well known for research and brilliant teaching staff. With 13 schools, the university has 87 undergraduate programs, 300 postgraduate programs and 60 Doctorate programs.

The programs here are offered in Spanish, English and Catalan. Students have the opportunity to learn new languages.

While not in class or during school breaks, you can go to the beach or admire the famous Gaudi’s architecture.

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3. University of Barcelona- Barcelona

The University of Barcelona was ranked 166^th in a world ranking done in 2019. It was the second-highest ranked Spanish university in the world.

This university was established in 1450 and one of the oldest universities in the world. It has some of the richest traditions that date back to medieval times. It has a population of about 63,000 students in both the undergraduates and postgraduate programs.

The university has 16 faculties with 106 departments. Most of the programs from this university rank among the top 100 in the world ranking done by QS world university ranking.

Two of its programs are offered in English; international business and English studies. while five others are taught partially in English.

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4. Complutense University of Madrid- Madrid

The Complutense University of Madrid has always been among the best universities in Spain. It was established in 1293 and is believed o be one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the world.

It is one that excels both in sports and academics. Several of the alumni have excelled in their respective fields after graduation and are prize winners.

The first female student was awarded a doctorate from this university in 1785.

It has one of the best research fellows and excellent professors that will guide you in your field of study. This university has one of the highest numbers of students in Spain.

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5. University of Navarra- Pamplona

This is a private non-profit university that was established in 1952 by Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer. It started as a Law school and slowly grew to have 14 faculties, two campuses and 17 institutes.

Its main campus is in Pamplona and San Sebastian. There are other campuses in Barcelona, Madrid, New York, Munich and Sao Paulo.

There are more than 120 programs offered in both undergraduate and postgraduate.

The university has a museum of contemporary arts that was designed by Rafael Moneo, a well-known architect.

The University of Navarra has collaborated with other international universities such as; the University of Washington, University of Hong Kong, and the University of Edinburgh. This allows international exchange programs for their students.

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6. University of Valencia- Valencia

By Felivet – Wikimedia

The University of Valencia is located in Spain’s third-largest city close to the beautiful Mediterranean coast. It is also known as the historical University of Valencia.

Its genesis goes back to 1499 and is among the oldest learning institutions in Valencia and Spain. There are three campuses in the city and close enough to the beach. Although the locals speak Valencian and Catalan, most of them speak Spanish as well.

It has a student population of about 55,000 and most of the programs are done in Spanish. Some other programs are offered in English and Valencian.

One can always enjoy some time by the beach or a stroll to relax.

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7. Pablo de Olavide University-Seville

Pablo de Olavide University is located outside the city centre of Seville and is spaciously set across many acres.  One can catch the bus from the university to the heart of Seville.

The city centre is lively and the streets are safe as there is less car traffic, Seville is famously known for Flamenco.

This university is one of the youngest, having been established in 1997. It has modern facilities both for learning and recreation. There student resident halls, games fields, and a well-stocked library that one can access online too.

The university has a student population of about 10,000. It is a public university that offers traditional majors in undergraduate and postgraduate.

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8. Pompeu Fabra University-Barcelona

Universitat Pompeu Fabra- Wikimedia

Pompeu Fabra University was established in 1990 and is located in Barcelona. It is known for social sciences, humanities, health, life sciences, communication and ICT programs.

It has been named after Pompeu Fabra who was a Catalan language expert. He is credited to have defined language as it is today. Catalan is the official language of the university.

If you are hoping to learn a new language and Catalan specifically, this is the best place to learn it.

The university has 3 campuses in Barcelona city. The campuses offer different programs; Social and human sciences are offered at Ciutadella, health and life sciences are offered at Mar, while communication and IT are offered at Poblenou.

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9. University of Granada

This is a public university located in the city of Granada, Spain. It was founded in 1531 by Emperor Charles V and has about 80,000 students.

It is the fourth-largest university in Spain. This university has campuses in Granada, Ceuta and Melilla.

It has the highest number of European students in Spain. The Erasmus program has attracted several international students to this university. It was voted the best University in Spain by international students in 2014.

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10. The University of Salamanca

By Victoria Rachitzky – Wikimedia

This university is located in a historic city that is not crowded and has plenty of space for its small student population. It was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX.

The Spanish culture is very present in this university. This feature has attracted students from all over the world.

It has one of the largest learning centres for students of the Spanish language. Cursos Internacionales is well known in Spain and Europe. It has been leading in teaching Spanish for more than 80 years.

It starts offering the Spanish language program in 1929.

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