The top 61 best universities in Spain: 2025 rankings

Top ranked universities in Spain

University	QS Ranking 2026	THE Ranking 2026	ARWU Ranking 2025
University of Barcelona	160	145	151
Autonomous University of Barcelona	172	183	301
Complutense University of Madrid	187	501	301
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid	206	351	301
University of Navarra	262	251	501
Pompeu Fabra University	265	187	301
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid	301	801	901
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid	334	1001	601
Polytechnic University of Catalonia	392	601	701
University of Granada	401	601	301
Universitat Politècnica de València	422	601	401
University of Valencia	430	501	201
Ramon Llull University	436	801	–
IE University	438	–	–
University of Seville	469	801	401
University of Salamanca	526	801	501
Comillas Pontifical University	581	–	–
University of the Basque Country	624	601	301
University of Santiago de Compostela	628	601	501
University of Zaragoza	638	1001	501
University of Alcalá	697	801	701
Rovira i Virgili University	771	601	601
University of Alicante	781	1001	601
University of Vigo	851	801	801
European University of Madrid	901	1001	–
University of Valladolid	901	1201	–
University of Oviedo	901	1001	601
University of Córdoba	951	801	901
Jaume I University	1001	1001	901
University of Deusto	1001	1201	–
University of Murcia	1001	1001	601
University of Lleida	1001	801	801
University of A Coruña	1001	1201	–
King Juan Carlos University	1001	1201	–
University of León	1001	1201	–
University of Castilla–La Mancha	1001	1001	901
CEU San Pablo University	1001	1501	–
Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM)	1201	1201	–
University of Huelva	–	1501	–
Universidad Loyola	–	1501	–
Universidad Francisco de Vitoria	–	1501	–
International University of La Rioja	–	1501	–
Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena	–	1501	–
University of Burgos	–	1201	–
Public University of Navarre	–	1201	–
National University of Distance Education (UNED)	–	1201	–
Miguel Hernández University of Elche	–	1201	–
University of Almería	–	1001	–
UIC Barcelona	–	1001	–
University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia	–	801	–
Pablo de Olavide University	–	801	–
Open University of Catalonia	–	801	–
University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria	–	1201	901
University of Girona	–	1001	901
University of Cádiz	–	1201	901
University of Málaga	–	1201	801
University of Jaén	–	801	801
University of the Balearic Islands	–	801	701
University of La Laguna	–	1001	701
University of Extremadura	–	–	701
University of Cantabria	–	–	701

Explained: How do the university rankings work?

The QS World University Rankings are among the most important, most-referenced rankings. The QS ranking relies heavily on its academic survey, asking thousands of academics worldwide about the reputation of universities.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings (or the THE Rankings for short) compile a wide range of statistics. Equal weight is put on teaching quality, research excellence, and research impact through citations (meaning how often a university’s research is referenced elsewhere).

The Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University (often just Shanghai Ranking, or ARWU) focuses on research output and quality, for example measured by the number of published and cited scientific papers and the number of staff or alumni winning the Nobel Prize or Fields Medal.

Study in Spain

It's not just the great weather and the beautiful beaches: Spain attracts students with world-class universities and offers high-quality education at modest tuition fees.