If you are proficient in Spanish, or willing to study the language, you may want to consider studying Medicine in Spain. Spanish medical degrees are offered by long-established public and private universities, with training linked to university hospitals and health centers. Costs, admissions rules, and teaching languages vary by university, so applicants should always check each school’s current requirements before applying.
If you’re thinking about studying medicine in Spain, here are the things you need to know before you apply:
1. What are the requirements to be enrolled in Spanish medical schools?
Applicants normally need an upper-secondary school qualification equivalent to the Spanish Bachillerato, academic transcripts, and access to the Spanish university admissions route that applies to their background. Requirements differ for Spanish, EU/EEA, and non-EU applicants, and private universities may also require internal tests, interviews, and language proof.
Applicants should check each university’s current admissions process. For example, the University of Navarra uses its own admissions routes, including the #MedUNAV test and, for some international applicants, ISAT plus the School of Medicine’s online test. CEU Universidad Cardenal Herrera uses its EPAM/EPOAM medicine admissions tests, while Universidad Europea uses its own admissions process, which includes an online test phase and additional selection steps.
Public university admission grades in Spain are usually assessed on a 14-point scale and change each year depending on demand and available places. Medicine is highly competitive, but there is no single national cutoff of 12.5. Applicants should check the latest cutoff grade for the specific university and campus they are targeting.
Spanish public universities also reserve a percentage of places for specific applicant groups. Current rules include reserved places for applicants with a previous university degree, applicants aged 25 or older who pass the entrance exam, applicants over 40 with relevant professional experience, applicants over 45, students with a recognized disability, and high-level or high-performance athletes.
Private universities usually have additional requirements. At CEU Universidad Cardenal Herrera, international applicants may need a personal interview by Microsoft Teams, language proof, and the EPAM or EPOAM medicine admissions test. At Universidad Europea, applicants to Medicine must follow the university’s specific admissions process and non-native Spanish speakers must demonstrate at least B2-level Spanish.
Since most medical programs in Spain are taught mainly in Spanish, or in Spanish together with a regional language such as Catalan, Spanish proficiency is important. Some universities offer bilingual pathways or a limited number of credits in English, but students should expect to need strong Spanish for clinical training and patient communication.
2. In what language do you study medicine in Spain?
Most medical schools in Spain teach primarily in Spanish, although the language of instruction can vary by region and university. In Catalonia, for example, Medicine may include Catalan, Spanish, and some English-taught coursework.
Some universities offer bilingual options. CEU Universidad Cardenal Herrera’s bilingual Medicine pathway includes English-taught credits in the first part of the degree, with the rest taught in Spanish. At the University of Barcelona, the Medicine degree includes Catalan, Spanish, and a smaller share of English-taught hours.
3. Can you study medicine in Spain as an international student?
Yes. International students can apply to study Medicine in Spain, but they must meet the admission, academic-recognition, entrance-test, interview, and language requirements set by the university and by the Spanish admissions route that applies to them.
4. What are the components of the medical curriculum in this country?
The Spanish medical degree normally lasts 6 academic years and carries 360 ECTS credits. Under the European credit system used in Spain, 1 ECTS credit represents 25 to 30 hours of student work, including classes, practical work, independent study, and assessment.
The curriculum includes basic biomedical sciences, social medicine and research methods, clinical training, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, supervised clinical rotations, and a final degree project.
The first part of the degree usually focuses on basic and pre-clinical subjects such as Anatomy, Biology, Biochemistry, Physiology, Bioethics, Biophysics, Histology, and Genetics.
The middle years focus increasingly on compulsory clinical subjects such as Pathology, Pharmacology, Radiology, Surgery, Cardiology, and other medical and surgical specialties. Elective subjects are also usually taken during the degree, depending on the university’s study plan.
The final year focuses heavily on supervised clinical rotations in hospitals, clinics, and community health settings. A final degree project is also required before graduation.
5. How many medical schools are in Spain?
The number of medical faculties and schools in Spain has increased over time. The current list published by Spain’s National Conference of Deans of Medical Schools includes 52 medical schools with faculties and schools located across Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, Cantabria, Extremadura, the Valencian Community, the Basque Country, Galicia, Castile and León, Castile-La Mancha, Murcia, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, and other regions.
6. How difficult is it to study medicine in Spain?
Spanish medical schools can be difficult to enter because Medicine has limited places and high admission grades. The number of places has increased in recent years, especially in public universities, but demand remains strong.
Students who are not yet proficient in Spanish may also find medical studies in Spain challenging. This is especially true during clinical rotations, because patients, doctors, nurses, and hospital staff usually communicate in Spanish, and in some regions a co-official language may also be used.
After graduation, students who want specialist training in Spain must compete through the national FSE/MIR process. The number of Medicine residency places has increased, but competition remains significant because new graduates, repeat candidates, and eligible international medical graduates may all apply.
7. What do you need to become a doctor in this country?
After graduation, physicians who want specialist training in Spain normally apply through the national FSE/MIR process. In the 2025/2026 call for access in 2026, Medicine offered 9,276 places. The exam consisted of 200 questions plus 10 reserve questions, with four answer options and a duration of 4.5 hours. The general exam fee was €31.10.
Doctors who want to practice in Spain must meet the legal and professional requirements that apply to their qualification route. In general, this includes holding a Spanish medical degree or having a foreign medical qualification officially recognized or homologated, registering with the appropriate provincial Colegio Oficial de Médicos, not being suspended or disqualified from practice, and meeting professional liability insurance requirements.
EU, EEA, and Swiss graduates should check the Ministry of Health’s professional recognition procedures for regulated health professions. Non-EU graduates may need homologation or recognition through the appropriate Spanish authority before they can practice or enter specialist training. Because fees and documents vary by province and by the applicant’s situation, applicants should not rely on a fixed registration cost.
I hope that this article was helpful. If you are interested, check out the Available Courses in Europe and the Europe Scholarships Page.
