University of Santiago de Compostela
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
Galicia's oldest university, founded in 1495, teaching in Galician and Spanish at some of Spain's lowest public fees.
- Students
- 25,396
- Tuition
- €591
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1495
- QS World Ranking
- #629
- 2027 edition
About USC
The University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) traces its origins to 1495, when a grammar school was founded in the pilgrimage city of Santiago; popes endorsed university studies in 1504 and 1526, and it was recognised as a royal university in 1555. It was Galicia's only university until the 1980s, when its campuses in A Coruña and Vigo became independent. Today it has 25,396 bachelor's, master's and PhD students, a main campus in Santiago and a second campus in Lugo.
USC runs 23 faculties and two engineering schools. The Santiago campus offers 37 bachelor's degrees and 7 double degrees, and Lugo 18 bachelor's degrees, 2 double degrees and an open engineering degree; most bachelor's degrees last four years (240 ECTS). Teaching is in Galician and Spanish, and USC requires a certified level in one of them to enrol; bachelor's programmes are not offered in English. Its research base includes 31 institutes and centres and 280 research groups, which attracted 106 million euros in external research funding in 2025.
Places are allocated through the Galician universities' joint admission system run by CIUG, using your university entrance score. Popular degrees fill up at high cut-offs, such as Medicine and the double degree in Mathematics and Physics. USC suits students with good Spanish or Galician who want a historic university town with low public fees.
Why students choose USC
Galicia's public fees are among the lowest in Spain: 9.85 to 13.93 euros per credit for a first enrolment in 2026/27, and a regional 99% fee rebate for eligible students.
A long list of double degrees, including Mathematics and Physics, Computer Engineering and Mathematics, and Pharmacy with Optics and Optometry.
Strong demand for its sciences: in 2025/26 the cut-off grades (out of 14) were 12.742 for Medicine, 12.339 for Biotechnology and 13.314 for the Mathematics and Physics double degree.
Historic buildings such as the Colexio de Fonseca, now home to exhibitions and the university library, sit in the old town at the end of the Camino de Santiago.
Admissions
2027/28 entry (2026 dates shown for reference)
Selectivity
Spanish public universities do not publish admit rates. Places in limited-enrolment degrees go in order of the university entrance score (up to 14 points). 2025/26 cut-offs at the Santiago campus included 12.742 for Medicine, 12.254 for Mathematics, 11.710 for Physics, 11.306 for Psychology and 13.314 for the Mathematics and Physics double degree.
Typical entry requirements
| Spanish Bachillerato + PAU | Degree-specific cut-offs out of 14 (Santiago campus, 2025/26), e.g. Medicine 12.742, Mathematics 12.254, Biotechnology 12.339, Physics 11.710, Psychology 11.306 |
|---|---|
| EU / international-agreement school-leaving certificates | UNEDasiss credential with the grade converted to a scale of 10; optional UNED PCE subject exams add up to 4 points |
| Other international qualifications | Official validation (homologación) of your school studies to the Spanish Bachillerato; you can pre-register while validation is pending with a provisional score of 5 |
| English language | Bachelor's degrees are taught in Galician and Spanish, not English. USC's Governing Council requires a certified level of Galician or Spanish to enrol in official degrees. |
Deadlines
- CIUG ordinary pre-enrolment (2026 cycle, past) Non-binding Passed25 June 2026, 14:00
Ran from 12 to 25 June 2026. UNEDasiss applicants without their credential could register with a provisional grade of 5 and send it later (by 7 July). Ordinary-round applicants have priority.
- CIUG extraordinary pre-enrolment (2026 cycle, past) Non-binding Passed20 July 2026, 14:00
Ran from 16 to 20 July 2026 for students who passed the PAU later or did not apply in June.
- Admission with partial validation of foreign university studies (2027/28 start) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~5 months1–28 February 2027
For students transferring from foreign universities with partially validated studies.
CIUG had not published the 2027 pre-enrolment dates by 29 September 2026. In 2026 the ordinary round ran from 12 to 25 June, so expect a similar window for 2027/28 entry; request the UNEDasiss credential or start homologación well before.
How to apply
Pre-register through CIUG's NERTA online system, which handles admission to all three Galician public universities. List degrees in strict order of preference (the order is binding), upload your credentials (PAU, UNEDasiss credential or validation receipt), then enrol at USC once you are allocated a place.
What admissions looks for
- A high admission score: places are allocated strictly by score within each degree's quota.
- Good grades in the subjects weighted for your degree, which can add up to 4 points.
- A valid access credential: PAU, UNEDasiss for EU and agreement-country students, or homologación for others.
- Certified Galician or Spanish language level before enrolment.
Tips for applying to USC
- 1 Take the UNED specific-subject exams (PCE) if you are aiming for Medicine, Biotechnology or double degrees, since cut-offs are above 12 out of 14.
- 2 Order your NERTA choices carefully: the ranking is binding once the pre-enrolment period ends.
- 3 Non-EU applicants should start homologación early; you can pre-register with the application receipt and a provisional score of 5.
- 4 Check whether you qualify for the Xunta de Galicia's 99% fee rebate: for new students it depends on passing the compulsory PAU in Galicia in 2026.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
The Xunta de Galicia applies a 99% rebate on tuition for students enrolling in at least 60 credits: new students qualify if they passed the compulsory PAU in Galicia in 2026, continuing students if they passed enough credits the year before. Spanish Ministry of Education grants are the main means-tested aid, and USC offers grants to Science Olympiad winners. Prices for non-resident non-EU students are set separately, for 2026/27 by a USC rectoral resolution of 10 July 2026 published on the university's e-notice board.
- 99% of tuition for eligible students
- Xunta de Galicia fee rebate (2026/27)
- 9.85 to 13.93 euros
- Price per credit, first enrolment
- 750 to 900 euros
- Monthly budget suggested by USC
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (September to June)
Medicine
One of USC's most competitive degrees, with a 2025/26 cut-off of 12.742 out of 14.
Double degree in Mathematics and Physics
USC's highest cut-off in 2025/26, at 13.314 out of 14.
Biotechnology
A science degree with a 2025/26 cut-off of 12.339.
Veterinary Medicine (Lugo campus)
Taught at the Lugo campus, where USC concentrates its agriculture, veterinary and engineering programmes.
Pharmacy and Pharmacy with Optics and Optometry
USC's pharmacy school is home to research such as María José Alonso's nanomedicine lab; the double degree had a 2025/26 cut-off of 10.974.
Research
- 31 research institutes and centres and 280 research groups (2026).
- 106 million euros of external research funding and 308 R&D projects in 2025, with 3,547 articles and 313 PhD theses published.
- Recognised as a Campus of International Excellence by the Spanish Ministry of Education in 2009.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Mathematics
- Faculty of Chemistry
- Faculty of Biology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Economics and Business Studies
- Faculty of Philology
- Faculty of Geography and History
- Faculty of Veterinary Science (Lugo)
- Higher Technical Engineering School
Student life
Santiago is a small city where students are a visible part of daily life, spread through the old town and the North and South campuses. USC has 1,151 places in three residences and three halls of residence, and many students share flats. Food is cheap: university canteens serve meals from around 6 euros and city menus of the day cost 10 to 15 euros. The Lugo campus is smaller and quieter, with its own agriculture, veterinary and engineering focus.
- Historic buildings in daily use, such as the Colexio de Fonseca and the Faculty of Geography and History.
- 1,675 students on mobility exchanges in 2025-26.
- Two campuses: Santiago de Compostela and Lugo.
- USC's university residence hall dates to 1930.
Housing. USC offers 1,151 places in 3 residences and 3 halls of residence; average private rent is about 440 euros a month in Santiago and 369 in Lugo.
Location
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of Galicia in north-west Spain and the end point of the Camino de Santiago pilgrim routes, so the old town is busy with visitors year round. USC describes it as one of Spain's most affordable university cities, with a monthly student budget of 750 to 900 euros, though rent is higher than elsewhere in Galicia because of tourism. The centre is compact and walkable.
Nearest airport: Santiago–Rosalía de Castro Airport (SCQ)
Notable alumni
- MR Mariano RajoyPrime Minister of Spain (2011–2018); law graduate (1977)
- YD Yolanda DíazSecond Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour of Spain; law graduate
- AN Alberto Núñez FeijóoLeader of the People's Party and former President of Galicia; law graduate (1984)
- MJ María José AlonsoNanomedicine researcher and USC professor; pharmacy degree and PhD from USC
- SR Susana RodríguezDoctor and two-time Paralympic paratriathlon champion; medicine graduate (2015)
- AC Alberto CairoInformation designer and Knight Chair in Visual Journalism at the University of Miami; BA in journalism
- BV Begoña VilaAstrophysicist and NASA Goddard systems engineer; studied astrophysics at USC
Frequently asked questions
Can I study a bachelor's at USC in English?
No. Bachelor's degrees are taught in Galician and Spanish, and USC requires a certified level in one of those languages to enrol.
How much does USC cost per year?
For Spanish and EU students, a first enrolment of 60 credits costs about 591 to 836 euros in 2026/27 (9.85 to 13.93 euros per credit). Eligible students can get a 99% rebate from the Xunta de Galicia; non-resident non-EU students pay prices set by a separate rectoral resolution.
How do international students apply to USC?
EU and agreement-country students get a UNEDasiss credential; others validate their school diploma through homologación. Everyone then pre-registers through CIUG's NERTA system for the Galician public universities.
What grade do I need for Medicine at USC?
The 2025/26 cut-off at the Santiago campus was 12.742 out of 14, so you need both a strong access grade and good specific-subject exam results.
When is the USC application deadline for 2027?
The 2027 dates were not published by late September 2026. In 2026 the CIUG ordinary pre-enrolment ran from 12 to 25 June and the extraordinary round from 16 to 20 July.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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