Spain attracts the majority of applicants with the immemorial customs of universities, decent qualifications of professionals in their industry and a fairly low level of tuition fees. Students can enroll in a master's program in Spain both in a state and in a commercial university. However, it must be taken into account that education will be paid both in the first and in the second case. At the same time, the cost of education in a state institution will be lower than in a commercial university.
Features of the Master's program
The procedure for obtaining higher education is a rather laborious process, which consists of several stages or levels, which are formed according to the degree of orientation to the subject. The more highly qualified 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 in your chosen profession, then the second stage will be a master's degree in Spain.
On the basis of the master's degree, you develop your horizons in a particular area and expand it through 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 and in the future, get a Ph. D., then all roads are open to you.
The situation in the post-Soviet market is quite different. Circumstances force incoming students or already graduates with a bachelor's degree to think about obtaining a master's degree. Since the presence of a general higher education (as a bachelor's degree is called) is practically not quoted on the labor market, and only those who have completed a master's degree are ready to tear off with their hands. Therefore, the reason many students are eager to learn how to enroll in 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 is not particularly difficult. Of course, each university can set its own requirements for the admission of applicants to study, but the result of the selection committee is almost the same everywhere:
- Applying. The form itselfyou can pre-download on the site or send a request to the university for a printed version, but this will take longer.
- Providing a bachelor's degree to the university. In advance, you need to carry out the procedure of 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 time of training. 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 must indicate all the arguments and reasons, based on which the members of the commission should pay attention to you and invite you to a master's program in Spain (in English).
- Obtaining a visa based on a preliminary document of enrollment.
- And finally, the simplest thing. It is enough to contact the representatives of this university, where you are lucky to get, who work with foreign students, and the next work will be carried out by them. 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).
- Diploma of higher education (bachelor's degree, without which they will not be accepted to study at a master's program).
- Gradebook statement for all courses of study.
- Motivational letter. It is necessary to talk about why the type of activity with which the admission is associated is close to you. Remember that any useful skills, abilities, hobbies, participation in various contests and competitions should be described. Sometimes finishing 7th out of 30 in a swimming competition can tempt the admissions committee to give you a little rating. You should not forget to indicate in the letter the work that you plan to do when you enter the university. The motivational text for studying in the Master's program in 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 test your knowledge of Spanish). Rarely needed.
In addition to the diploma and other documents, try to attach copies of all kinds of certificates and diplomas that you have for participating in various competitions and competitions. Indeed, in Spain, as in any other European country, they love initiative students.
Recommendations for a motivation letter
When designing a motivational text, it is better to read the following list of recommendations for writing it:
- Don't include too much in the body of the email.
- Don't explain how much you love animals if you are applying for a linguist or othernon-animal speci alty.
- When filling out a motivation letter, do not pour water. For this, you can win the status of idle talk at the admissions committee.
- Try to express your thoughts as concisely and as original 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 speci alty, and select a company from the list of the nearest as a goal. This will also add a plus to your rating in the eyes of the commission.
- The important point is your scientific achievements, hobbies. But if they have nothing to do with the speci alty, write briefly. If they are directly related to the chosen specialization - expand the description a little, describe some points.
- It is recommended to list all competitions in which you participated and send a copy of the certificate of participation.
Popular universities in Spain
Spain has private and public universities. Private business schools include the MBA standard (Master of Business Administration). Below is a list of public and private universities available for admission to 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 cordially open in front of you if for admission to a master's program inIn Spain, you will pass the DELE test as the only test center is located 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 law, then this is the place for you. By the way, the first mention of this institution dates back to 1130, when it was a school, and in 1218 it was awarded the title of a general 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. It prepares masters in a variety of speci alties. When applying for a master's degree 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 before Madrid. Now this university is the center of Spanish research and scientific work. It is here that the "official" master's programs and programs for the preparation of graduate students and doctors are concentrated. The only problem is that education in Barcelona is conducted entirely in Catalan.
Private schools
Of private institutions, it is worth noting 2 business schools - the European University and the school of the Enterprise Development Fund. The first institution is international, and the Spanish school is just a branch. The second business school is Spanish, where students come from all over Europe. In private schools in Spain forRussian master's programs can also be taken in English.
Tuition fees
The cost of a Spanish master's degree is considered low compared to studying in other countries:
- At the University of Barcelona, a year of study will cost 1500-1800 euros.
- In private universities and business schools, education 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.
Every 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 prizes than bachelors.
Spanish Graduate Opportunities
Masters educated in Spain will definitely not be left 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 the official magistracy have the right to continue their studies in doctoral studies (postgraduate studies) if they have proven themselves well during their studies. But at the same time, it is necessary to find a topic for a research project. There are many grants and scholarships available for students who write doctoral theses. However, this requires selectioninteresting topic for research. After completing your doctoral studies, you can become a teacher in Spanish or any other university in Europe.
Conclusion
Many dream of continuing their studies in Europe, but Europeans are only interested in those who have "fire in their souls and brains in their heads." If you want to get an education in Spain, the doors of any educational institution are open here for foreigners. All you need is diligence, determination, curiosity and a desire to learn. Be non-standard, show that you are a really promising student. After all, working in Europe is a dream available to the elite.
