In this guide
Fast answer
A Learning Agreement for Spain uses the standard EU template, and Spanish universities already count in ECTS by law, so there is no credit conversion to do. What decides whether your plan works is local: most bachelor courses are taught in Spanish, each faculty confirms your course list, a one-semester stay limits you to that semester’s courses, and grades come on a 0–10 scale where 5 is a pass.
- Want it prepared for you? Odisea builds your Learning Agreement draft with the evidence your coordinator asks for.
- Still choosing where to go? See the Spain country guide.
Spain is one of the easiest countries for credits and one of the trickiest for language. The typical rejection is not a wrong number: it is a course that turns out to be taught only in Spanish, or one that runs in the other semester.
What is the same everywhere, and what is Spanish
| Topic | EU-wide rule | What it looks like in Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Credits | ECTS, about 60 per full-time year | ECTS by law: 60 per year, 25–30 hours per credit (Royal Decree 1125/2003) |
| Grades | Converted by your home university | 0–10 with one decimal; 5 is a pass, 9–10 is Sobresaliente |
| Top grade | — | Matrícula de Honor, for grades of 9 or more, capped at 5% of the class |
| Language | Agreed level in the language of instruction | Most bachelor courses in Spanish; B1 is often recommended |
| Approval | Student, sending and receiving institution | The host faculty confirms your proposed course list |
| Changes | Start within 5 weeks of the semester start | Same rule; faculties also run welcome sessions on choosing subjects |
Credits and grades: no conversion, but a different scale
Spanish degrees are built in ECTS: Royal Decree 1125/2003 sets 60 credits per academic year and between 25 and 30 hours of student work per credit. A 6-credit Spanish subject is 6 ECTS in your Table A, full stop.
Grades are where students get surprised. The scale is 0 to 10 with one decimal: 5.0–6.9 is Aprobado, 7.0–8.9 Notable and 9.0–10 Sobresaliente. The Matrícula de Honor distinction can only go to 5% of the students in a subject, so a 9 in Spain is a strong grade, not an average one. Your home university converts it, so ask how before you assume a 7 looks bad.
Language: check it before anything else
At the University of Granada, one of Europe’s biggest Erasmus hosts, Spanish is the language of instruction in most bachelor’s degrees; a B1 level is highly recommended and it is compulsory for the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting. Some faculties — Health Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry, Psychology, Fine Arts — restrict access or require prior knowledge or a portfolio.
In practice: filter your list for courses you can really follow. A course in Spanish only belongs in your Learning Agreement if your agreed language level covers it.
Who approves your list, and when
In Granada your proposed curriculum is sent through the university’s online application and must be confirmed by the relevant faculty or school. For one-semester students, the information sheet is explicit: you can take up to 30 ECTS and only courses from that semester. Each faculty also runs an information meeting in the first week to explain how to choose subjects and build a timetable — that is the moment to fix clashes.
For exchanges under bilateral agreements (common for students from Latin America), Granada’s applications open 1 April–15 May for the first semester or full year and in October for the second semester. The EU Online Learning Agreement is an Erasmus+ tool; outside Erasmus+ you normally use your home university’s own form, but the content is the same.
Changing it after you arrive
The EU guidelines let you start changes within five weeks after the start of each semester, and all parties should agree within two weeks of your request. New courses go in the “During the mobility” tables and must be approved again by all three parties. Keep every approval in writing.
Before your coordinator signs: a five-point check
1. Every course is taught in a language your agreed level allows. 2. Every course runs in your semester — for one-semester stays, only that semester’s courses count. 3. Credits add up to what your home university requires (Spanish credits are already ECTS). 4. No faculty restriction applies to you (Health Sciences, Fine Arts and similar). 5. Each pairing in Table B has a syllabus link and a one-line reason your coordinator can check.
Point five is what our Learning Agreement service prepares: every equivalence with its course code, ECTS, syllabus link and justification, in a PDF ready for your coordinator.
Where to go next
- Spain: cost of living, cities and universities
- Madrid for exchange students
- Barcelona for exchange students
- Granada for exchange students
- ECTS credits explained
- Learning Agreement for Italy
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Spanish universities use ECTS?
Yes. Royal Decree 1125/2003 builds every official degree in ECTS: 60 credits per academic year and 25–30 hours of work per credit.
What is a passing grade in Spain?
5 out of 10. From 7 it is Notable and from 9 Sobresaliente; the Matrícula de Honor distinction is limited to 5% of the students in each subject.
Do I need to speak Spanish to study in Spain?
For most bachelor courses, yes. The University of Granada, for example, highly recommends B1 and requires it in its Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Translation and Interpreting.
Can I change my Learning Agreement after arriving in Spain?
Yes, within five weeks of the start of the semester under the EU guidelines, with the new courses approved by you, your home university and the Spanish faculty.