Spain has four main school types: state schools (público — free, taught in Spanish/the regional language), concertado (state-subsidised semi-private, low fees, often religious), private Spanish schools, and international schools (British, American or IB curricula, taught largely in English, with fees). State and concertado places are allocated on a points system heavily weighted to your home address — which is why padrón registration matters for school admission. Enrolment timing follows the Spanish school year (September start, with an application window usually in spring). Younger children generally integrate quickly into Spanish-language schooling; older teens often suit international or bilingual options. The schooling choice also influences where you settle and your residency steps, so it's worth planning alongside the move.
How the System Works
Spanish education is free and compulsory from age 6 to 16, structured as primary (primaria, 6–12), compulsory secondary (ESO, 12–16), then optional bachillerato or vocational training (16–18). Pre-school (infantil) from age 3 is widely available and effectively universal, though technically non-compulsory. Education is also devolved to the regions, so the system varies by autonomous community — most importantly in the language of instruction: in regions like Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearics, Galicia and the Basque Country, the co-official regional language plays a significant or primary role in state schools alongside Castilian Spanish.
That regional variation is one of the first things expat families should understand, because it directly affects state schooling: a child in a Valencian or Catalan state school will learn substantially in the regional language, not only Castilian. It's a major reason some families choose international or private schools, and a reason others deliberately choose regions where Castilian dominates. The school year runs roughly September to June, with the main admission application window typically in spring for the following September — timing that shapes when you need to move and apply.
The Four School Types
State (público)
Free, government-run, taught in Spanish and/or the regional language. Good quality in many areas. Places allocated by a points system based heavily on home address (catchment). The route most integrated into Spanish life.
Concertado
State-subsidised semi-private schools — modest fees, often religious (frequently Catholic). A popular middle ground: more resources than some state schools, far cheaper than private, but still taught mainly in Spanish.
Private Spanish
Fully private, fee-paying Spanish-curriculum schools, with smaller classes and more facilities. Taught in Spanish, sometimes bilingual. Chosen for resources and class size rather than language.
International
British, American, IB or other curricula, taught largely in English, with fees (the highest of the four). Concentrated in expat areas. The usual choice for families wanting English-medium education or continuity with a home curriculum.
Each suits different families and budgets. International schools cluster in the established expat regions (the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Madrid, Barcelona), which is itself a factor in where families settle — if English-medium schooling is essential, your location options narrow to where those schools exist.
School Types Side by Side
| Type | Cost | Language | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| State (público) | Free | Spanish / regional | Integration, younger children, budget |
| Concertado | Low fees | Spanish / regional | Middle ground; resources at low cost |
| Private Spanish | Fees | Spanish (sometimes bilingual) | Smaller classes, facilities |
| International | Higher fees | Mainly English | English-medium, home curriculum, older teens |
The headline: state and concertado offer free or low-cost integration into Spanish-language education; private and especially international schools offer English-medium teaching and curriculum continuity at a cost. Language of instruction and budget are the two biggest deciding factors.
Choosing for Your Child
The right choice depends heavily on your child's age and how long you're staying. Younger children (infantil and early primary) typically absorb Spanish remarkably fast and integrate well into state or concertado schooling — many families find immersion is the best gift for a young child, producing genuine bilingualism within a year or two. Older children and teenagers, especially those mid-way through important exam years, often suit international schools, where they can continue a familiar curriculum in English without the disruption of switching language and system at a critical stage.
Other factors weigh in too: how long you plan to stay (a short stint may favour curriculum continuity; a permanent move may favour integration), your budget (international fees are significant), your location options, and your child's temperament. There's no universally right answer — a bilingual seven-year-old thriving in a local school and a fifteen-year-old finishing IGCSEs at an international school can both be exactly right. The key is matching the school to the child and your circumstances, which is part of the wider planning of where to live. Our regional guides and relocation services help families weigh schools against areas.
Age is the biggest factor
Young children usually integrate into Spanish-language schooling quickly and emerge bilingual; teenagers mid-curriculum often do better in an international school continuing in English. Match the school type to your child's stage, not just your budget.
How Enrolment Works
For state and concertado schools, places are allocated through a regional points system (baremo). Points are awarded for factors like proximity of your home to the school (catchment area — usually the heaviest weighting), siblings already at the school, family circumstances and sometimes income. The main application window is typically in spring for places starting the following September, so families moving need to align their timing with it — arriving after the window can mean limited availability and a scramble for places, sometimes only at schools with spare capacity.
For private and international schools, admission is direct with the school rather than through the regional system — you apply to the school, which has its own process, assessments and (often) waiting lists for popular years. International schools in sought-after areas can fill up, so early application matters. Mid-year moves are more feasible with private and international schools than with the state system, but popular schools may still have no space. Whichever route, the practical lesson is to research and apply early, and to factor school availability into your choice of area and your move timing.
The Padrón & Residency Link
Here's the connection expat families often miss: for state and concertado school admission, your padrón registration is central, because the points system is weighted heavily to your registered home address. Being on the padrón at an address within a school's catchment area is, in practice, often what secures a state place. So the bureaucratic step of registering at the town hall isn't just a formality — for families, it directly affects which schools your children can get into.
This ties school choice into your wider residency and move planning. To register on the padrón you need somewhere to live (a rental or owned home), which means your housing decision, your area, and your school options are all interlinked and best planned together. For non-EU families, your TIE and the children's residency also factor in; for everyone, the sequence of arriving, securing accommodation, registering on the padrón, and applying for school places needs to line up with the spring admission window. This is exactly the kind of interlocking sequence our relocation services are built to coordinate — so the family's move and the children's schooling don't end up working against each other.
Documents You'll Need
Enrolling children in Spanish school typically requires a set of documents, which for state and concertado schools must usually be in order before or during the spring application window:
- Padrón certificate — proving your home address for the catchment points.
- Children's passports and, often, NIE — identification for each child.
- Birth certificates — frequently required, apostilled and officially translated where issued abroad.
- Vaccination records — schools usually ask for the child's immunisation history.
- Previous school records / reports — for placement in the right year, sometimes needing translation; for older students, prior qualifications may need homologación (official recognition) to slot into the Spanish system.
- Family book / proof of relationship — in some cases.
Foreign documents commonly need apostille and sworn translation to be accepted — the same legalisation step that runs through every part of an international move — and qualification recognition (homologación) for older students can take time, so it's worth starting early. We handle the document legalisation and can advise on the residency side that underpins school admission. See our apostille and legalisation and sworn translations guides.
Common Mistakes
- Missing the spring application window. State and concertado places are allocated on a yearly cycle — arriving after it limits your options.
- Underestimating the regional language. In regions like Catalonia or Valencia, state schooling is substantially in the regional language, not just Castilian.
- Forgetting the padrón–school link. Your registered address drives state-school catchment points — register promptly at the right address.
- Choosing an area without checking schools. If you need English-medium schooling, your location options narrow to where international schools exist.
- Leaving document legalisation late. Birth certificates, school records and older students' qualifications often need apostille, translation or homologación.
- Assuming a teen will switch language easily. Older children mid-curriculum often do better in an international school than thrown into Spanish-medium secondary.
How We Help
We don't run schools — but the parts of getting your children into school that depend on residency and legal steps are exactly what we handle. We coordinate the padrón registration that underpins state-school admission, sort the family's residency (NIE, TIE and the children's status), and handle the document legalisation — apostille and sworn translation of birth certificates and school records, plus guidance on homologación for older students' qualifications. Because schooling, housing, area and residency all interlock, we plan them together as part of your family's move, so the sequence lines up with the school admission window. It's part of our relocation services and wider expat legal services. Your consultation maps your family's move, including the schooling-linked steps, with a clear quote.
Related Guides
Moving to Spain (Pillar)
The complete overview of relocating to Spain with a family.
Moving to Spain →Relocation Services Spain
Coordinating housing, residency and schooling together.
Relocation services →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. State (público) education is free and open to resident children regardless of nationality. Places are allocated on a regional points system weighted heavily to your home address, so being registered on the padrón within a school's catchment is usually key to securing a place. Concertado (semi-private) schools charge only modest fees.
State and concertado schools teach in Castilian Spanish and, in several regions (Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearics, Galicia, the Basque Country), substantially in the co-official regional language. International schools teach largely in English. The regional language is an important factor for expat families and a common reason some choose international or private schools.
International schools are the most expensive of the four types, charging annual fees that vary by school, location and year group, plus enrolment and extras. They're concentrated in established expat areas like the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Madrid and Barcelona. Concertado schools, by contrast, charge only low fees, and state schools are free.
For state and concertado schools, the points system that allocates places is weighted heavily to your registered home address, so being on the padrón at an address within a school's catchment area is often what secures a place. That makes the padrón registration directly relevant to which schools your children can attend — not just a formality.
The main admission window for state and concertado schools is typically in spring for places starting the following September. Arriving after the window can limit availability. Private and international schools admit directly and can be more flexible on timing, but popular schools fill up, so apply early. Align your move timing with the admission cycle.
Younger children usually absorb Spanish remarkably quickly and integrate well, often becoming bilingual within a year or two — many families see immersion as a real gift for a young child. Older children and teenagers, especially mid-curriculum, often do better in an international school continuing in English. Age and stage are the biggest factors.
Typically a padrón certificate, the children's passports and often NIE, birth certificates, vaccination records and previous school reports — with foreign documents usually needing apostille and sworn translation. Older students' qualifications may need homologación (official recognition) to slot into the Spanish system, which can take time, so start early.
We handle the residency and legal steps behind it — the padrón registration that underpins state-school catchment, the family's NIE and TIE, and the apostille and sworn translation of birth certificates and school records, plus guidance on homologación. We coordinate these alongside your housing and area choice so the sequence lines up with the admission window.