Schools and Childcare in Spain: A Guide for Expat Parents

Moving to Spain with children raises one big question fast: where will they study, and how do you get them a place? The good news is that Spain has a large, mostly free public system, plus semi-private and international options. The system is different from what many families expect, so it helps to learn the vocabulary and the enrolment calendar before you arrive.

This guide walks you through the stages, the school types, the documents you'll need, and how Spanish schools support children who don't yet speak the language.

How the Spanish school system is structured

• Guardería / escuela infantil (ages 0–3): nursery and pre-school. This stage is optional and usually paid, though many regions offer subsidised or free places, especially from age one or two. Demand is high, so places go quickly.
• Second cycle of infantil (ages 3–6): pre-primary. Not compulsory, but nearly universal and free in public schools. Most children start at three.
• Colegio — educación primaria (ages 6–12): primary school, compulsory, six years.
• Instituto — ESO (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, ages 12–16): compulsory secondary education, four years, ending in a school-leaving certificate.
• Bachillerato (ages 16–18): optional two-year track that prepares students for the Selectividad/EBAU university entrance exam. The alternative at this age is vocational training (Formación Profesional, FP).

Public, concertado or private

• Public (colegio público): state-funded and free. You typically apply to schools within your catchment area. Instruction is in Spanish, or in the co-official language of the region (Catalan, Basque, Galician, Valencian).
• Semi-private (concertado): privately run but state-subsidised. Officially low-cost, though most charge voluntary monthly fees for extras. Many are religious schools.
• Private and international (colegio privado / internacional): full fees. International schools teach a British, American, French, German or IB curriculum, often mostly in English. Popular with families who plan to leave again or want continuity, but places and fees are significant — apply early.

Step by step: how to enrol

• Register your address (empadronamiento): go to your town hall (ayuntamiento) and get the certificado de empadronamiento. This proves where you live and largely determines which public schools you can apply to.
• Learn the admission period (periodo de matrícula): ordinary applications for public and concertado schools usually happen in spring for the September start. Dates and rules are set by your comunidad autónoma — check current requirements on its education website.
• Check the catchment area: proximity to home and to your registered address earns points in the scoring system, along with siblings already enrolled and other criteria.
• Submit the application (solicitud de plaza): list schools in order of preference. If you arrive mid-year, ask the regional education office about matrícula fuera de plazo (out-of-period enrolment); they will assign an available place.
• Confirm the place (formalizar matrícula): once assigned, complete final registration with the documents below.

What you'll need

• Child's passport and, where applicable, NIE/TIE.
• Certificado de empadronamiento.
• Vaccination record (cartilla de vacunación) or equivalent from your home country.
• Previous school reports or academic records, ideally translated; older students may need homologación (recognition of foreign qualifications).
• A parent's ID and proof of address; a passport photo of the child is often requested.

Language of instruction and support

Children learn Spanish remarkably fast, and schools expect newcomers. Many regions run reception or language-support programmes (often called aulas de acogida or similar) for pupils who don't yet speak the language of instruction. Be aware that in bilingual regions your child may also study in Catalan, Basque, Galician or Valencian — factor this into your school choice.

The most helpful thing parents can do is start Spanish early, together. A child who arrives with a few hundred words and basic phrases settles in far more confidently, and parents who study too can follow homework, talk to teachers and read the endless circulares (school notices).

Common mistakes / good to know

• Missing the matrícula window: the ordinary period is short and months before term. Don't assume you can just enrol in August.
• Skipping the empadronamiento: without it, public-school admission is much harder — do it first.
• Assuming all schools teach in Spanish: in bilingual regions, the main language may be the co-official one.
• Overlooking hidden costs: even free public schools charge for books, meals (comedor), materials and trips.
• Leaving international-school applications late: waiting lists are real; apply as far ahead as you can.

👉 Read also: Learn Spanish while living in Spain and NIE vs TIE in Spain.

Frequently asked questions

Is public school in Spain really free?

Tuition in public schools is free from pre-primary through secondary, but families still pay for textbooks, materials, the lunchroom (comedor), extracurriculars and excursions. Some regions subsidise books or nursery places, so check what your comunidad autónoma and ayuntamiento offer.

Will my child cope if they don't speak Spanish?

Younger children typically become fluent within a year, and schools are used to receiving non-Spanish speakers, often with dedicated language-support classes. Starting Spanish before the move and continuing at home makes the transition much smoother.

Can we enrol after the school year has started?

Yes. If you arrive mid-year, contact your regional education office about out-of-period enrolment (matrícula fuera de plazo); they will assign a place at a school with availability, which may not be your first choice.