Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

About the university

The University of Santiago de Compostela (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, USC) is a historic public university in Galicia, Spain. Founded in 1495, it is one of the oldest universities in the world. USC has two main campuses: Santiago de Compostela and Lugo. It offers a broad range of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs across humanities, social sciences, law, economics and business, sciences, engineering, health sciences and veterinary science. With around 26,000 students, USC is a major academic and research center in northwestern Spain, ranking around 500th globally and 12th nationally in CWUR. Teaching is primarily in Spanish and Galician, with some international programs in English.

Key information

Location: Santiago de Compostela, ES
Ranking #21
QS #456
THE #401
National ranking #9
Institution type: public

Popular faculties

Humanities
Social Sciences
Law
Economics and Business
Science
Engineering
Medicine
Nursing
Pharmacy
Veterinary Science

Programs (36)

Law
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
History
Philosophy
Philology and Languages
Nursing
Pharmacy
Dentistry
Mechanical Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Architecture
Telecommunications
Business Administration
Economics
Medicine
Veterinary Science
Psychology
Computer Science
Civil Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Engineering
Finance and Accounting
Marketing
Tourism and Hospitality
Political Science
International Relations
Linguistics
Mathematics
Environmental Science
Sociology
Anthropology
Education
Fine Arts
Music

Student body

Total students: 26,000
Undergraduate: 20,000
Graduate: 6,000
International students: 12%

Campus life

USC’s main campus in Santiago de Compostela offers a historic setting in a UNESCO World Heritage city, with a compact university environment, cultural events, sports and student associations. The Lugo campus focuses strongly on veterinary and agricultural sciences. The university’s Virtual Employment Fair connects students and graduates with companies via online stands, job offers and live chats.

Housing & accommodation

Housing cost: €280 - €700 / per month

Housing options

University residences
shared student apartments
private studios
homestay with local families
off-campus rented apartments

Student clubs and organizations

Faculty and degree student associations
cultural and language clubs
sports clubs
volunteering and social initiatives

Sports

University football teams
basketball teams
athletics teams
other sports teams organized through USC sports services

Career & internships

Employment rate: 82%

Internships: USC’s Employment and Career Guidance services organize a Virtual Employment Fair where companies and institutions publish job and internship offers, present their activities and interact with students via chat and video calls. Alumni USC also promotes a talent portal (“Laboricia”) to connect recent graduates with Galician SMEs, helping retain talent in the region.

Admission requirements

Required documents

Spanish secondary school certificate or equivalent
university entrance exams (EBAU) or recognized international qualification
ID or passport
regional pre-enrolment; for international students: UNEDasiss accreditation and required subject exams
Spanish language proficiency as needed

Tuition costs

€800 - €4,000 / per year
Acceptance rate: 55.00%
Scholarships available: USC students can apply for national Spanish grants and Galician regional scholarships to cover tuition and living expenses. The university also offers its own aid schemes and supports Erasmus+ and other mobility programs. Specific scholarship calls, criteria and amounts are available on USC’s financial aid and international offices’ webpages.
Additional costs: Books €100-200/year, Laboratory materials €50-100/year

Quick facts

Founded: 1495
Teaching languages: Spanish, Galician, English, spanish, galician
Study formats: offline

Contact

Website: https://www.usc.gal
mailto:[email protected]
+34 881 811 000