Colegio Público, Concertado or Privado: Spain's School System Explained
Spain has three broad school categories that surprise many newly arrived families: público, concertado and privado. Understanding the difference is the first step to choosing the right path for your child.
Quick answer
Público, concertado or privado: a plain-English explanation of Spain's three school categories and how expat families typically weigh them up.
At a glance
- Country: Spain
- Sections: 6
- Questions answered: 9
- Schools listed: 5
- Read time: 13 min read
The three categories, in plain English
Spain's school system is built around three broad categories that every family, expat or Spanish, encounters when choosing a school. Colegios públicos are state schools: fully funded by public money, free to attend (beyond incidental costs like some materials or trips), and run according to the standard Spanish national and regional curriculum. Colegios concertados are privately run but receive public subsidy in exchange for accepting the same admissions rules as state schools and charging little to no tuition, though they may charge for certain extras. Colegios privados are fully private schools funded through fees, with more freedom to set their own admissions criteria, curriculum emphasis, and fee levels, and this is the category almost all international schools fall into.
This three-way split is a genuinely Spanish structural feature that does not map neatly onto categories familiar to families from, say, the UK or US, where the private-versus-state distinction is more binary. Understanding concertado as a distinct middle category, rather than a variant of either public or private, is one of the most useful things a newly arrived family can grasp early.
Público: Spain's state school system
State schools in Spain are funded and largely administered by the relevant autonomous community's education authority, following the Spanish national curriculum framework with regional variation, particularly around co-official languages in bilingual regions. Admission to a specific state school is generally governed by a points-based system that gives priority to factors such as catchment-area residence, having a sibling already at the school, and certain family circumstances, rather than by a first-come, first-served or purely academic process. The exact criteria and how heavily each factor is weighted are set at regional level and can change, so check the current rules with your local education authority (or ayuntamiento) rather than relying on general descriptions.
For expat families, the main appeal of the state system is that it is free at the point of use and offers full immersion in Spanish (and, in some regions, a co-official language), which can be a strong long-term integration advantage for children who will grow up in Spain. The main challenge is usually the language transition itself, particularly for children joining at secondary age with little prior Spanish, and the fact that curriculum continuity with a child's previous school system, if the family expects to move again, is not guaranteed.
Concertado: the middle ground many newcomers don't expect
Concertado schools sit between the state and private systems and are one of the least understood parts of Spain's system by newly arrived families. These schools are privately owned and run, often by religious orders or foundations, but receive a government subsidy (the concierto) in return for following largely the same curriculum and admissions framework as state schools, and charging no or minimal tuition. Many concertado schools do charge for extras such as materials, some activities, or a voluntary parents' association fee, and the boundary between what is genuinely voluntary and what is expected in practice can be unclear from outside the system, so ask the specific school directly.
Because concertado schools follow broadly the same admissions rules as state schools (points-based, prioritising catchment area and other regional criteria), places at popular concertado schools can be competitive, and being newly arrived in an area can be a disadvantage in a catchment-based points system. If a concertado school interests you, contact it and your regional education authority early to understand the current admissions timeline and criteria.
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Privado: fully private and international schools
Privado schools are funded through fees and have considerably more freedom than público or concertado schools to set their own curriculum emphasis, admissions process, and fee levels, within the bounds of Spain's general regulatory requirements for schools. This is the category that contains almost every school that would be described as an "international school" in the sense used elsewhere on this site: British, American, IB, French, German curriculum schools, and Spanish-curriculum private schools that are not part of the concertado system.
Admissions at privado schools are set individually by each school rather than by a regional points system, which generally makes them more accessible to newly arrived families without an established local catchment history, though popular schools can still have limited space in specific year groups. Our guide to how to enrol a child in a Spanish school covers the practical steps for both the private and the state and concertado routes.
How expat families typically weigh up the options
Families relocating to Spain for a fixed or uncertain period, especially those who may move again, often lean toward privado international schools for curriculum continuity and English (or another familiar language) instruction, even though this comes at a fee that público and, generally, concertado schools do not. Families planning a longer-term or permanent move to Spain, particularly with younger children, sometimes choose the state or concertado route specifically for the language immersion and deeper local integration it offers, accepting a steeper initial adjustment.
There is no universally right answer, and the right choice depends heavily on your child's age, current language ability, how long you expect to stay in Spain, your budget, and what is realistically available within a reasonable commute of your home. Older children joining partway through secondary education, in particular, often find a curriculum-continuous international school considerably less disruptive than a same-language switch into an unfamiliar national curriculum at a critical exam stage.
Why this varies by autonomous community
Because school administration, admissions criteria, and even some curriculum content are managed at the level of Spain's autonomous communities, both the state and concertado systems look somewhat different depending on where in Spain you live. Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, the Valencian Community and other regions each set their own detailed admissions rules, points criteria and, in some cases, language-of-instruction policy. Nothing in this guide should be read as describing a single uniform national process; always confirm the specific rules for your autonomous community and municipality with the relevant regional education authority before making decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between concertado and privado schools?
Concertado schools receive government subsidy and follow broadly the same curriculum and admissions rules as state schools, generally charging little to no tuition. Privado schools are fully fee-funded and set their own admissions and curriculum approach.
Are público schools free?
State (público) schools are free at the point of use, though families may still face incidental costs for some materials, trips or activities. Check with the specific school for current expectations.
Can expat children attend público or concertado schools?
Yes, in principle these schools are open to all resident children, subject to the same admissions criteria as Spanish families. Check current eligibility and any residency requirements with your regional education authority.
Do concertado schools charge any fees at all?
Many charge for extras such as materials, certain activities, or a parents' association contribution, even though core tuition is subsidised. Ask the specific school what is compulsory versus voluntary.
Are international schools always privado?
In practice, almost all schools that would be called international schools fall into the privado category, since they are fee-funded and set their own curriculum and admissions.
Is admission to a state school guaranteed near my home?
Not automatically. State school admission generally uses a points-based system considering factors like catchment area and siblings already enrolled, and places are not guaranteed. Check current rules with your local authority.
Do admissions rules differ between regions of Spain?
Yes. Because education is substantially devolved to Spain's autonomous communities, admissions criteria, timelines and points systems vary by region. Always check the rules for your specific area.
Which option is best for a child who may move countries again soon?
Families expecting to move again often find a privado international school with a widely recognised curriculum (such as the IB or a British or American curriculum) offers the smoothest continuity, though this depends on individual circumstances.
Can my child switch from a privado school to the state system later?
It is often possible but not always straightforward, particularly for older children, given differences in curriculum content and language of instruction. Discuss the specific transition with schools and your regional authority in advance.
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