The top 60 best universities in Spain: 2025 rankings

Top ranked universities in Spain

University	QS Ranking 2026	THE Ranking 2025	ARWU Ranking 2024
University of Barcelona	160	149	151
Autonomous University of Barcelona	172	199	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	176	301
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid	301	801	901
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid	334	1001	601
Polytechnic University of Catalonia	392	601	801
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	701
University of Alicante	781	1001	601
University of Vigo	851	801	801
European University of Madrid	901	1001	–
University of Oviedo	901	1001	801
University of Valladolid	901	1201	901
University of Córdoba	951	801	901
University of Castilla–La Mancha	1001	801	701
University of Murcia	1001	1001	501
Jaume I University	1001	801	601
University of Lleida	1001	801	701
University of A Coruña	1001	1201	–
University of Deusto	1001	1001	–
University of León	1001	1201	–
King Juan Carlos University	1001	1201	–
CEU San Pablo University	1001	–	–
Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM)	1201	1201	–
University of the Balearic Islands	–	801	601
University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia	–	801	–
University of Almería	–	1001	–
University of La Laguna	–	1001	501
University of Extremadura	–	–	701
University of Jaén	–	801	901
University of Girona	–	801	801
University of Cantabria	–	–	901
Public University of Navarre	–	1001	–
UIC Barcelona	–	801	–
Pablo de Olavide University	–	801	–
Miguel Hernández University of Elche	–	1201	–
Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena	–	1201	–
University of Burgos	–	1201	–
University of Cádiz	–	1201	901
University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria	–	1201	–
Open University of Catalonia	–	601	–
University of Málaga	–	1201	701
International University of La Rioja	–	1501	–
Universidad Francisco de Vitoria	–	1501	–
Universidad Loyola	–	1201	–
National University of Distance Education (UNED)	–	1201	–

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.