University of the Basque Country
Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea / Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU)
The Basque Country's public university: 43,000 students on three campuses, teaching in Basque, Spanish and English for about 1,000 euros a year.
- Students
- 43,000
- Tuition
- €805
- From · 2025-26
- Founded
- 1980
- QS World Ranking
- #677
- 2027 edition
About EHU
The University of the Basque Country (Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, EHU; Universidad del País Vasco, UPV) was founded in 1980, inspired by the short-lived Basque University of 1936, after centuries of attempts to give the region a public university. Its logo, by the sculptor Eduardo Chillida, carries the line 'Eman ta zabal zazu' from the song Gernikako arbola. Its 20 faculties and schools are spread over three campuses, one in each Basque province: Bizkaia (Leioa and Bilbao), Gipuzkoa (Donostia-San Sebastián) and Araba (Vitoria-Gasteiz).
It is by far the region's largest university, with about 43,000 students, 6,000 teaching and research staff and more than 400,000 graduates, and it carries out 60 percent of the research done in the Basque Country. The EHU has been central to the revival of the Basque language, and most degrees can be studied in Basque or Spanish, with many also offering subjects in English. The Double Bachelor's Degree in Business and Economics at the Sarriko faculty in Bilbao is taught in English.
Admission is centralised and grade-based: Spanish students compete with their PAU score, and international students first obtain an accreditation from UNEDasiss and then pre-register on the EHU's SARBIDEA system in June. Fees are set per credit by the Basque Government, so a full 60-credit year costs roughly 800 to 1,140 euros, and neither the published price table nor the Basque Government's price order sets a separate rate by nationality, although the EHU does not state this explicitly for international students.
Eman ta zabal zazu
“Give and spread [knowledge]” — university motto
Why students choose EHU
Low public fees: 13.42 to 18.92 euros per credit in 2025-26, about 805 to 1,135 euros for a 60-credit year.
An English-taught Double Bachelor's Degree in Business and Economics, and English options in degrees such as Economics, Medicine and Informatics Engineering.
Three campuses in Bilbao/Leioa, Donostia-San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz, with 20 faculties and schools.
The region's research powerhouse, responsible for 60 percent of Basque research.
Admissions
2027-28 entry
Selectivity
The EHU publishes cut-off marks (notas de corte, on a 14-point scale) and places per degree rather than an acceptance rate. For 2026-27 ordinary-call admission, examples were 11.990 for the English-taught Double Degree in Business and Economics (22 places), 8.127 for Economics (105 places) and 7.529 for Informatics Engineering (135 places); Medicine offers 200 places.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign school-leaving qualification | Accreditation from UNEDasiss (UNED) of a qualification giving university access, certified as required for your country of origin, before pre-registering |
|---|---|
| Spanish Bachillerato | PAU (university entrance exam); admission by cut-off mark per degree |
| Double Bachelor's in Business and Economics (English) | Cut-off 11.990 in 2026-27; during the first year students must prove English with at least 8 in the PAU English exam or a B2 certificate |
| English language | For the English-taught Double Degree in Business and Economics, students must prove English during the first year with at least 8/10 in the PAU English exam or a B2 certificate. Degrees that require B2 in a specific language ask for the certificate at pre-registration. |
Deadlines
- Undergraduate pre-registration (preinscripción) - past, 2026 cycle Non-binding Passed11 to 30 June 2026
Pre-registration window for 2026-27 entry on SARBIDEA; the 2027 dates were not yet published but the window is usually in June.
Only the 2026 pre-registration dates (11 to 30 June 2026) were published at the time of writing. Allow time before June to obtain your UNEDasiss accreditation and any certification of your qualifications.
How to apply
International students first use UNEDasiss to accredit their foreign qualification, then pre-register online in the EHU's SARBIDEA system, choosing up to eight degrees in order of preference (the order cannot be changed later) and uploading ID or passport, the UNED accreditation and any required language certificate. After admission lists are published in SARBIDEA, students register online or at EHU offices at their allocated time.
What admissions looks for
- An access mark high enough for the degree's cut-off, based on PAU or the UNEDasiss-accredited grade.
- A qualification that gives access to university in its own system, accredited by UNED.
- For degrees with language requirements, a B2 certificate in the required language.
- A correctly ordered list of up to eight degree choices, since the order cannot be changed once admission starts.
Tips for applying to EHU
- 1 Start with UNEDasiss early: you need its accreditation before the June pre-registration window.
- 2 Rank your eight choices carefully; the EHU will not let you reorder them after the admission process starts.
- 3 Check each degree page for its cut-off mark and number of places, which the EHU publishes every year.
- 4 If you want to study in English, look at the Double Degree in Business and Economics at Sarriko (22 places) and the English groups in other degrees.
Costs & financial aid
2025-26 · figures in EUR
The EHU lists general study grants for bachelor's degrees, repayable grants for academic continuity, activity grants and the Jesús Serra Foundation Occident scholarships, plus fee exemptions and reductions such as for large families.
- 13.42 to 18.92 euros
- Price per credit, first enrolment (2025-26)
- 30.68 euros, plus 27.96 euros to open a new file
- Fixed enrolment fees
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Double Bachelor's Degree in Business and Economics (English)
Five years and 276 ECTS taught in English at Sarriko, Bilbao; 22 places and a 2026-27 cut-off of 11.990.
Medicine
Six years at the Faculty of Medicine and Nursing with 200 places; the EHU highlights its graduates' strong results in the national MIR exam.
Informatics Engineering
Four years in Donostia-San Sebastián with 135 places, taught in Spanish, Basque and English.
Economics
Offered in Spanish, Basque and English at the Faculty of Economics and Business, with 105 places.
Nautical Studies and Maritime Transport
One of the new plans for 2026-27, from a university whose training ship Saltillo supports maritime teaching.
Research
- Responsible for 60 percent of the research carried out in the Basque Country.
- The Korta Centre in Donostia-San Sebastián hosts the European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility and the POLYMAT institute for polymeric materials.
- The Materials Physics Centre is run jointly with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
- EHUrOPE, the international R&D office, and membership of the ENLIGHT European university alliance.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Medicine and Nursing
- Faculty of Economics and Business
- Faculty of Informatics
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Arts (Letras)
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Faculty of Social and Communication Sciences
- Faculty of Education, Philosophy and Anthropology
- Faculty of Education of Bilbao
Student life
EHU students are spread across three very different campuses: the green Leioa campus outside Bilbao, with its arboretum, and city campuses in Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz. The university is bilingual in Basque and Spanish, and its commitment to the Basque language shapes campus culture. Summer Courses in the three cities attract international students, and the International Welcome Centre runs a buddy programme that pairs new international students with local students. About 1,600 international students arrive on mobility each year.
- Buddy programme pairing international students with local students.
- Summer Courses in Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz.
- About 1,600 incoming international mobilities a year.
- Arboretum on the Leioa campus.
Housing. The EHU's International Welcome Centre publishes accommodation guidance for international students in its practical information section.
Location
The Basque Country is a prosperous industrial region on Spain's Atlantic coast with its own language, Basque. The EHU's largest campus is at Leioa, just outside Bilbao, and it also has campuses in Donostia-San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz, so students can choose between the region's three main cities.
Nearest airport: Bilbao Airport (BIO)
Notable alumni
- AA Alberto AbadieMIT econometrician known for synthetic control methods; BA in economics (1992)
- JJ Juan José IbarretxeLehendakari (President) of the Basque Government, 1999-2009; economics graduate
- JJ Josu Jon ImazCEO of Repsol and former Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) politician; doctorate in chemical sciences
- II Itziar ItuñoActress, Inspector Raquel Murillo in Money Heist; sociology graduate
- KU Kirmen UribeBasque novelist and poet; studied Basque Philology in Vitoria-Gasteiz
- EU Enrique UrbizuGoya Award-winning film director; media studies graduate
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study at the University of the Basque Country?
Public prices for 2025-26 were 13.42 to 18.92 euros per credit on first enrolment, about 805 to 1,135 euros for a 60-credit year, plus small fixed fees. The published price table and the Basque Government order set no different rate by nationality, but the EHU does not say so explicitly, so international students should confirm their fee with the EHU. 2026-27 prices had not yet been posted on the EHU's price page.
Does the EHU offer degrees in English?
Yes. The Double Bachelor's Degree in Business and Economics is taught in English, and degrees such as Economics, Medicine and Informatics Engineering list English among their teaching languages alongside Spanish and Basque.
How do international students apply to the University of the Basque Country?
Get your foreign qualification accredited through UNEDasiss, then pre-register on the EHU's SARBIDEA system in June, listing up to eight degrees in order of preference.
What is the cut-off mark for the EHU Business and Economics double degree?
11.990 out of 14 in the 2026-27 ordinary call, for 22 places.
When is the EHU application deadline?
For 2026-27, pre-registration ran from 11 to 30 June 2026. The 2027 dates were not yet published.
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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