If you’re moving to Spain with children, you will have to find a school to enroll them in, as Education for minors is compulsory in the country.
There are a range of different schools, curriculums and requirements under the Spanish schooling system. In this page you will be able to find all the key information about it.
Can I enroll my kid in School half-way through the school year?
Yes, of course. with education being compulsory in Spain until the age of 16, your local authority will have to find a school place for your child if you are taking them to a public School.If you are enrolling them into a Private School, you’ll need to contact the different schools to check on availability and application process.
Is Education in Spain free?
Spain provides the right to Public School to all residents, meaning that compulsory education is free of cost.
What are the timelines for enrolling children into a school year?
For Public Education, applications normally start in March, ahead of the next school year, with official enrolment happening in June. For private however, this is much different and depends on the school. Normally applications and enrolments happen much earlier such as January, with the most popular school getting filled up fast.
🏫 School Years in Spain
Education is compulsory in Spain from the age of 6 to 16, with the core education curriculum broken down into four key stages. Only two of them, primary and secondary School, are compulsory.
The school calendar in Spain normally starts early to mid-September and ends late June. It’s broken down into three terms; 1-September to December; 2-January to March/April and 3-April to June, providing a Summer, Christmas and Easter break.
Early Childhood Education (Educación Infantil) - Not compulsory
a) First Cycle (0-3 years): Not compulsory b) Nursery (Guardería)
Second Cycle (3-6 years): Not compulsory but widely attended
a)3-4 years: 1st year of Infantil b) 4-5 years: 2nd year of Infantil c) 5-6 years: 3rd year of Infantil
a) 12-13 years: 1st year of ESO (Primero de ESO) b) 13-14 years: 2nd year of ESO (Segundo de ESO) c) 14-15 years: 3rd year of ESO (Tercero de ESO) d) 15-16 years: 4th year of ESO (Cuarto de ESO)
Bachillerato (Upper Secondary Education) - Not Compulsory, prep. for University
a)16-17 years: 1st year of Bachillerato (Primero de Bachillerato) b) 17-18 years: 2nd year of Bachillerato (Segundo de Bachillerato)
👉 Types of Schools in Spain
Enrolling children between the ages of 6 and 16 in school is compulsory in Spain. There are free options of Education as well as private schools who offer curriculums in both Spanish and English. Below are the main 4 types of schooling options for Parents who move to Spain with children.
Nurseries
Centers designed specifically for the care of young children who typically haven't reached the age of schooling.
Public Schools
Spain has a great network of Public Schools all accross the country which are free for children to attend.
Public Schools
There are a range of Private and International Schools with their own curriculums. These have a cost to attend.
Concerted
There are also Private Schools which are partly subsidized by the government. Enrollment varies from school to school.
📑 Documents needed to enrol children in school in Spain
While the actual documents requested to enrolling kids may vary from school to school, the following ones are the most common for most schools across Spain.
Proof of Identity
The first and most important document you will be asked to provide is your child’s birth certificate or passport, your Passport or NIE/TIE, and your Family Book.
This is to prove your identity and custody of the child.
Passport sized pictures
Children will most likely be asked to provide 2 passport sized pictures as part of the enrollment process.
These are used for School Documentation and for the Student’s ID Card.
Proof of Residence
If you’re enrolling your kids in Public School, you will have to be Empadronado in the local municipality. When you do your Padron, you will get a certificate, and you can use that document as your official proof of residence.
Proof of Vaccination
This typically depends on the age of the child, and it may depend as well on the country of origin, but in Spain there are a number of compulsory vaccines for children.
Schools often ask for proof of vaccination for new students.
School Transcripts
You may be asked for Transcripts or report cards from the previous school. Someones, a transfer certificate is also necessary.
Documents may need to be translated into Spanish and may need to be certified or apostilled.
📑 Public School Enrollment Process (Step-by-Step)
Every Comunidad Autónoma has a slightly different process for applying for Public School. But generally, you can follow these steps:
Get “Empadronado”
If you haven’t done so already, you will need to get “Empadronado” as proof your home address in Spain. This is a step you cannot skip!
