Spain attracts the majority of applicants with the immemorial customs of universities, worthy qualifications of professionals in their field and a fairly low level of tuition. Students can enter a master's program in Spain both at a state or a commercial university. However, it must be borne in mind that education will be paid both in the first and in the second case. At the same time, the cost of training in a public institution will be lower than at a commercial university.
Features of the magistracy
The procedure for obtaining higher education is a rather labor-intensive process, which consists of several stages or levels, which are formed according to the degree of orientation to the subject. The more highly qualified specialist you want to become, the more you need to advance in your training. Thus, if the initial stage of higher education is a bachelor's degree, after which you acquire general knowledge of the chosen profession, then the second stage will be the master's degree in Spain.
On the basis of master's training, you develop your horizons in a specific field and expand it thanks to the research work, which is emphasized at this stage of training. The EU countries have their own designations for these stages. For example, in Spain there are two types of master's programs: official (master official) and special. But chasing a master's degree is not worth it, because you already have a diploma of higher education in your hands. But if you want to delve into the bowels of your profession and engage in research activities in the future, get a doctorate, then all roads are open to you.
A completely different situation in the post-Soviet market. Circumstances force incoming students or graduates with a bachelor's degree to think about getting a master's degree. Since the presence of a general higher education (as the bachelor's degree is called) is practically not quoted on the labor market, and only those with a master's degree are ready to take it off with their hands. Therefore, the reason many students are eager to learn how to enter a master's program in Spain or in another European country.
Procedure for submitting documents
Admission to a master's program in a country of the European Union for students with a bachelor's degree from CIS universities does not present any special difficulties. Of course, each university can set its own requirements for admission of applicants to study, but the result of the admission committee is almost the same everywhere:
- Submission of application. The form itself can be pre-downloaded on the website or sent a request to the university for a printed version, but it will take more time.
- Providing a bachelor's diploma to a university. In advance, you need to carry out the apostille (legalization) of the diploma, which can be done in any legal organization. It is also worth providing a copy of the grades for the entire training period. In addition, all documents must be in Spanish. Therefore, you will have to use the services of translators at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain. At the same time, it is not necessary to provide a certificate that you know Spanish. They may also be asked to send a curriculum from a previous place of study, but this aspect will need to be clarified in advance with the chairmen of the selection committee.
- Motivation letter. It is necessary to indicate in it all the arguments and reasons, on the basis of which the members of the commission should pay attention to you and invite you to a magistracy in Spain (in English).
- Obtaining a visa based on a preliminary document of admission.
- And finally, the simplest. It is enough to contact the representatives of this university, where you are lucky to get to, who work with foreign students, and the next work will be carried out on their part. It remains only to find a place in the hostel.
List of required documents
Based on the procedure for admission to universities in Spain, the following documents will be required:
- Valid passport (required to enter the country).
- Higher education diploma (bachelor’s diploma, without which they will not be accepted to study for a master’s degree).
- Extract from the gradebook for all training courses.
- Motivation letter. It is necessary to talk about why you are close to the kind of activity with which the receipt is connected. Remember that any useful skills, abilities, hobbies, participation in various contests and competitions are worth describing. Sometimes the 7th place out of 30 participants in a swimming competition can lead the admissions committee to add a little rating to you. We must not forget about the indication in the letter of the work that you plan to do when you enter university. The motivational text for studying in the magistracy of Spain should be about 500-1000 characters. And most importantly - write yourself without using templates. This will give you an advantage over other applicants.
- DELE test results (to confirm how you know Spanish). Rarely required.
In addition to the diploma and other documents, try attaching copies of all kinds of certificates and diplomas that you have for participating in various contests and competitions. Indeed, in Spain, as in any other European country, they love initiative students.
Motivation letter recommendations
When designing a motivational text, it is better to familiarize yourself with the following list of recommendations for writing it:
- Do not include unnecessary letters in the body.
- Do not explain how you like animals if you enroll in a linguist or other specialty not related to animals.
- When filling out a motivation letter, do not pour water. For this you can win the status of idle talk at the selection committee.
- Try to express your thoughts as briefly and as possible as possible.
- Be sure to indicate what you want to do after admission. Describe what education in Spain means to you, what it means to you.
- In the letter, indicate that you want to work specifically in this specialty, and select your company from the list of nearest as a target. This will also add a plus to your rating in the eyes of the commission.
- An important point is your scientific achievements, hobbies. But if they do not relate to the specialty, write briefly. If they are directly related to the chosen specialization - slightly expand the description, describe some points.
- It is recommended to list all contests in which you participated and send a copy of the certificate of participation.
Popular universities in Spain
Spain has private and public universities. The private ones include business schools of the MBA standard (Master of Business Administration). Below is a list of public and private universities available for foreign citizens.
State universities
The University of Salamanca is the oldest in Spain and one of the four oldest in Europe. The doors of this university will be open to you if you successfully pass the DELE test for admission to a master's program in Spain, as there is a single verification center here. The quality of education is inferior to metropolitan universities, but low tuition prices compensate for this inconvenience. If you want to study linguistics and legal affairs, then you are definitely here. By the way, the first mention of this institution dates back to 1130, when it was a school, and in 1218 he was awarded the title of universal school, which in those days was considered a higher educational institution in Spain.
Complutense University of Madrid. This university is one of the three oldest educational institutions in Spain and is one of the most popular in the country. He prepares masters in many specialties. When applying for a master's program in Spain at this institution, it is better not to make mistakes in the documents. Since fixing blots in the documentation will cost money.
The University of Barcelona was founded half a century earlier than Madrid. Now this university is the center of Spanish research and scientific work. It is here that the "official" master's programs and training programs for graduate students and doctors are concentrated. The only problem is that training in Barcelona is conducted entirely in Catalan.
Private schools
Of the private institutions, it is worth noting 2 business schools - the European University and the school of the Entrepreneurship Development Fund. The first institution is international, and the Spanish school is just a branch. The second business school is Spanish, where students from all over Europe come. In private schools in Spain for Russians, master's programs can also be completed in English.
Cost of education
The cost of a Spanish magistracy compared to studying in other countries is considered low:
- At the University of Barcelona, ​​a year of study will cost 1500-1800 euros.
- In private universities and business schools, training starts from 3000-4000 euros per year.
- The most expensive are programs in English - up to 15,000 euros per year.
There is no official free master's program in Spain.
Each student has the opportunity to receive a scholarship from the government or a private foundation. Also, every student in Spain has the opportunity to receive a research grant. At the same time, masters are given more opportunities to receive cash bonuses than bachelors.
Opportunities for a Spanish graduate
Masters educated in Spain will certainly not remain without work. It is worth noting that the unemployment rate in Spain is 16%, while it is gradually decreasing. Young specialists with a master's degree are quite in demand in the labor market of this country. It is they who have a high chance of getting a prestigious and well-paid job.
Students of official magistracy have the right to continue their studies in doctoral studies (postgraduate studies) if they have proven themselves well during their studies. But it is necessary to find a topic for a research project. For students who write doctoral works, many grants and scholarships are allocated. However, this requires the selection of an interesting topic for research. After completing doctoral studies, you can become a teacher in Spanish or any other university in Europe.
Conclusion
Many dream to continue their studies in Europe, but Europeans are only interested in those who have “fire in the soul and mind in the head”. If you want to get an education in Spain, for foreigners the doors of any educational institution are open. All that is required of you is zeal, determination, curiosity and a desire to learn. Be non-standard, show that you are a truly promising student. After all, work in Europe is a dream accessible to the elite.