The Autonomous University of Barcelona (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB), founded in 1968, has a large green campus at Bellaterra, about 20 kilometres from the centre of Barcelona. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 211th in the world and the third-highest-ranked university in Spain. It’s known for veterinary science, the life sciences, economics, translation and the social sciences.
UAB charges low fees to all bachelor’s students and doesn’t require language tests for admission, but most of its degrees are taught in Catalan and Spanish. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on UAB’s own guidance and official Spanish government information.
1. Choose your language of study
Most UAB bachelor’s degrees are taught in Catalan and Spanish. UAB doesn’t ask you to take a test to prove your Catalan or Spanish for admission, but you’ll need to follow classes in them. Some degrees in economics and business are also offered in English, such as Business Administration and Economics in English.
2. Get your school qualification accredited
Spanish public universities admit students by an admission mark. If your school qualification is from an EU country, the International Baccalaureate, the European Baccalaureate or a country with a reciprocity agreement (such as the UK, China, Switzerland or Norway), you apply to UNEDasiss, run by Spain’s national distance university, for an accreditation that converts your grades to a mark of 5 to 10. If your qualification is from another country, such as the US or India, you usually need to have it officially recognised (homologated) by Spain’s Ministry of Education or go through UNEDasiss. You then apply through the Catalan government’s pre-enrolment system. UNEDasiss.
3. Raise your admission mark with the PCE
Popular degrees have high cut-off marks (notas de corte), and the maximum admission mark is 14. You can add up to 4 points by taking UNEDasiss’s subject exams, the Pruebas de Competencias Específicas (PCE), or the optional phase of Spain’s university entrance exam, in subjects that count extra for your chosen degree. PCE results stay valid for three academic years, so you can take them a year early.
4. Pre-enrol through the Catalan system
Once you have your UNEDasiss credential, you apply for a place through the Catalan government’s university admissions office, usually in June for courses starting in September, listing your degrees in order of preference. If you’ve already gained access to a Spanish university through another route, you can’t use this one.
5. Take aptitude tests if your degree needs them
Some degrees require personal aptitude tests in addition to your admission mark. Check your degree’s admission page and the weighting tables, which show the subjects that count most towards your mark.
6. Prove your English for English-taught degrees
If you choose a degree taught in English, you’ll need to show your level of English. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
7. Understand the fees
For 2026-27, UAB’s bachelor’s degrees cost €17.69 per credit for first enrolment, so a full year of 60 credits costs about €1,060, plus administrative charges such as €69.80 for your academic record and €70 for support services. UAB’s 2026-27 price list shows the same first-enrolment bachelor’s rate for all students. UAB study prices.
8. Plan your housing and transport
The Bellaterra campus has its own student residence, Vila Universitària, and good train links to Barcelona. Living near campus or in nearby towns can be cheaper than central Barcelona, but start looking for accommodation as soon as you have a place.
9. Get your student visa
EU citizens don’t need a visa to study in Spain, but they must register as residents if they stay more than three months. If you’re from outside the EU, you apply for a student visa (a long-term stay for studies) at the Spanish consulate in your country once the UAB has admitted you. You’ll need to show that you can support yourself, normally 100% of Spain’s IPREM indicator for each month of your stay (€600 a month in 2025), or half that if your accommodation is already paid, plus health insurance. If your course lasts more than six months, you must apply for a foreigner identity card (TIE) within a month of arriving. Spanish consulate: student visa.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
Since Spain’s new immigration regulation came into force in May 2025, a long-term study authorisation for higher education automatically lets you work up to 30 hours a week, as long as the job is compatible with your studies, with no separate work permit. After you graduate with a bachelor’s degree or higher, you can apply for a residence permit to look for a job or start a business. The Ministry of Inclusion’s information sheet says this permit lasts up to 24 months, but you can’t work while you hold it, so you’ll need to switch to a work permit once you find a job. Rules change, so check the latest guidance with the UAB’s international office.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at UAB?
UAB offers many official master’s degrees, some taught in English, and each sets its own requirements and deadlines. If your degree is from outside the EU, you may need an equivalence study, which costs €218.15. For a PhD, apply through UAB’s doctoral school. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Popular degrees have high cut-off marks, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to the University of Barcelona, Complutense University of Madrid, the Autonomous University of Madrid and Pompeu Fabra University. Our guide to studying in Spain explains how the Spanish system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from the Autonomous University of Barcelona’s official admissions and fee pages, UNEDasiss, Spanish government sources and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on UAB’s admissions website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with the Autonomous University of Barcelona.