Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Madrid's public technical university, built from engineering and architecture schools founded in the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Students
- 42,451
- Tuition
- €6,823
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1971
- QS World Ranking
- #364
- 2027 edition
About UPM
The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) was formed in 1971 by bringing together Madrid's higher technical schools, but most of its schools are far older: teaching in most of them began under King Charles III in the 18th century, and the Civil Engineering school was founded in 1802 on the initiative of Agustín de Betancourt. For generations these schools were almost the only places in Spain to study architecture and engineering, which is why UPM says much of the history of Spanish technology was written in its classrooms.
Today UPM has 15 schools, one faculty and one affiliated centre across four campuses: Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid Ciudad (central Madrid), Campus Sur and Montegancedo. It enrols 40,183 bachelor's and master's students plus 2,268 doctoral candidates, and offers 57 bachelor's degrees, 112 master's degrees and 16 fast-track bachelor's plus master's programmes that lead to Spain's regulated engineering and architecture professions. Beyond engineering and architecture, it teaches sport sciences at INEF and fashion design at an affiliated centre.
UPM is the leading Spanish university for patents granted and one of the top Spanish universities for external R&D funding, with 224 research groups. It suits students who want a rigorous, technical, largely Spanish-taught education in a capital city, and who are ready for demanding entry grades in the most popular programmes.
Technica impendi nationi
University motto
Why students choose UPM
Fast-track bachelor's plus master's programmes lead directly to regulated professions such as Industrial, Aeronautical, Civil or Telecommunication Engineer and Architect.
UPM reports being among the world's top 75 universities for Engineering and Technology in the QS Rankings by Subject 2024.
Public fees are low: a 60-credit year costs 1,165.80 euros for most degrees for Spanish and EU students in 2026-27.
UPM has signed 1,352 agreements with international universities, including 146 double-degree agreements.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (dates below are from the 2026-27 cycle)
Selectivity
UPM publishes no overall acceptance rate. Places are allocated by admission grade out of 14 through the Madrid single district. 2026-27 ordinary-call cut-offs included 13.526 for the Industrial Engineer fast-track programme, 13.468 Aeronautical Engineer, 13.326 Biomedical Engineer, 13.136 Architect, 12.432 Aerospace Engineering, 12.261 Industrial Technologies Engineering, 11.910 Data Science and AI, 11.461 Mathematics and 9.994 Computer Engineering; some agricultural and forestry degrees admitted students from about 5.6.
Typical entry requirements
| Spanish Bachillerato + PAU | Admission grade above the degree's cut-off, e.g. 12.261 for Industrial Technologies Engineering or 13.526 for the Industrial Engineer fast-track programme (2026-27) |
|---|---|
| EU, IB or other foreign qualification | UNEDasiss accreditation of your admission grade; PCE exams in weighted subjects raise it toward 14 |
| Homologated non-EU Bachillerato | PCE exams through UNEDasiss are required to apply in the ordinary call; without them only the extraordinary call (degrees with vacancies) is open |
| English language | Degrees are taught mainly in Spanish. Students from non-Spanish-speaking countries and education systems must certify Spanish at B2 with a certificate from a body recognised by ACLES (UPM's Language Centre is accredited to test B2). UPM publishes a catalogue of individual undergraduate courses taught in English. |
Deadlines
- Madrid pre-enrolment, ordinary call Non-binding Passed26 June 2026 (2026-27 cycle)
Opened 5 June 2026 (11 June for Madrid PAU 2026 students). Admitted lists published 10 July 2026.
- Ordinary call, students from foreign education systems Non-binding Passed6 July 2026, 14:00 (2026-27 cycle)
Opened 5 June 2026.
- Madrid pre-enrolment, extraordinary call Non-binding Passed24 July 2026 (2026-27 cycle)
Opened 20 July 2026; only degrees with vacancies after the ordinary call. Admitted lists published 3 September 2026.
UPM had not published its 2027-28 pre-enrolment calendar when checked; dates shown are from the 2026-27 cycle and are expected to follow a similar June and July pattern. UNEDasiss accreditation and PCE exams take place earlier in the year, so international applicants should plan from the start of their final school year.
How to apply
Apply online in the Madrid single-district pre-enrolment (the shared portal of the six Madrid public universities), listing up to 12 degrees in order of preference, with PAU results or UNEDasiss accreditation and, if needed, a Spanish B2 certificate. Sport Sciences and Fashion Design have extra physical tests or interviews.
What admissions looks for
- An admission grade above the cut-off for the chosen degree: allocation is strictly by grade.
- Strong results in the subjects UPM weights for each degree, typically mathematics, physics and other science subjects, from the PAU or PCE.
- Spanish at B2 for students from non-Spanish-speaking countries and education systems.
- Passing the physical tests for Sport Sciences (INEF) or the interview for Fashion Design (CSDMM).
Tips for applying to UPM
- 1 Check UPM's weighting table (Tabla de Ponderaciones) for your degree and take the PAU or PCE subjects with the highest weighting: they can add up to 4 points.
- 2 If you hold a non-EU Bachillerato, take PCE exams through UNEDasiss; without them you can only compete for leftover places in July.
- 3 Consider the fast-track bachelor's plus master's programmes if you want a regulated engineering title, but note they often have higher cut-offs than the plain bachelor's.
- 4 Book an ACLES-recognised Spanish B2 exam early; UPM's own Language Centre offers one.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Fees are set by the Community of Madrid's public-price decree (Decreto 43/2022). Spanish Ministry of Education and Community of Madrid grants are available to eligible students, and UPM has its own residences (Residencia Lucas Olazábal and Residencia Universitaria Gómez Pardo). A student visa or stay permit does not count as residence for fee purposes.
- 350 euros (unless finishing the degree with fewer credits)
- Minimum annual fee
- 34.77 euros
- New-student file, admin and insurance fee
Academics
Industrial Engineer (fast-track bachelor's + master's)
UPM's highest 2026-27 cut-off at 13.526, taught at the ETS de Ingenieros Industriales.
Aeronautical Engineer (fast-track bachelor's + master's)
A 13.468 cut-off, at the ETS de Ingeniería Aeronáutica y del Espacio, where astronaut Pedro Duque studied.
Architect (fast-track bachelor's + master's)
Taught at ETSAM, the school of Pritzker Prize winner Rafael Moneo; 13.136 cut-off in 2026-27.
Biomedical Engineering
12.588 for the bachelor's and 13.326 for the fast-track Biomedical Engineer programme in 2026-27.
Civil Engineer (fast-track bachelor's + master's)
From the school founded in 1802 by Agustín de Betancourt; 12.136 cut-off in 2026-27.
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Offered at two UPM schools, with 2026-27 cut-offs of 11.610 and 11.910.
Research
- UPM has 224 research groups, 596 patents and 330 technology-based spin-off companies, and says it leads Spanish universities in patents granted.
- Its Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Genomics (CBGP) holds the Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence accreditation.
- Research centres include the Solar Energy Institute (IES), the Ignacio Da Riva Microgravity Institute (IDR) and the Institute of Automobile Research (INSIA).
Schools & faculties
- ETS de Arquitectura
- ETS de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos
- ETS de Ingenieros Industriales
- ETS de Ingeniería Aeronáutica y del Espacio
- ETS de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación
- ETS de Ingenieros Informáticos
- ETS de Ingenieros de Minas y Energía
- ETS de Ingenieros Navales
- ETS de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas
- ETS de Ingeniería de Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural
- ETS de Ingeniería y Diseño Industrial
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte (INEF)
UPM reports that 76% of graduates find a job within two months of graduating, and 93% of master's graduates. Students completed 7,216 internships in 2024/25.
Student life
UPM's schools are spread across Madrid rather than on one campus: most sit in the leafy Ciudad Universitaria, others in central Madrid near Paseo de la Castellana and Retiro, on Campus Sur in the south-east and at Montegancedo to the west. The university runs 16 sports groups, 11 drama clubs and 18 development cooperation groups. UPM students won 121 medals in official university competitions, and the university keeps museums and collections from its long engineering history.
- Four campuses: Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid Ciudad, Campus Sur and Montegancedo.
- 16 sports groups and 121 medals in official university competitions.
- 11 drama clubs, the UPM Choir and a symphonic concert season.
- Historic museums including the Torres Quevedo Museum and the Don Felipe de Borbón y Grecia mining museum.
Housing. UPM has two residences, Residencia Lucas Olazábal and Residencia Universitaria Gómez Pardo; most students rent shared flats in Madrid.
Location
UPM is in Madrid, Spain's capital, with most schools in the Ciudad Universitaria in the north-west of the city. Other schools are in central Madrid, on Campus Sur and at Montegancedo. Students get the museums, culture and nightlife of a major European capital, while choosing where to live around the campus of their school.
Nearest airport: Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Notable alumni
- PD Pedro DuqueESA astronaut and Spain's Minister of Science (2018-2021); aeronautical engineering degree from UPM (1986)
- RM Rafael MoneoArchitect and 1996 Pritzker Prize winner; graduated from ETSAM in 1961
- JE José EchegarayCivil engineer, mathematician and dramatist; 1904 Nobel Prize in Literature; listed by UPM among its illustrious figures
- LC Leopoldo Calvo-SoteloCivil engineer and Prime Minister of Spain (1981-1982)
- PM Práxedes Mateo SagastaCivil engineer and eight-time Prime Minister of Spain between 1870 and 1902
- ET Eduardo TorrojaStructural engineer and pioneer of thin concrete shell structures
Frequently asked questions
Are UPM degrees taught in English?
UPM's bachelor's degrees are taught mainly in Spanish, and applicants from non-Spanish-speaking systems need B2 Spanish. UPM publishes a catalogue of individual undergraduate courses taught in English.
How much does UPM cost?
In 2026-27, a 60-credit year costs 1,165.80 euros for most degrees for Spanish and EU students (1,015.20 to 1,240.80 depending on the degree). Non-EU students without residence pay 6,822.60 to 8,186.40 euros.
What grade do you need for UPM?
It varies widely. 2026-27 cut-offs out of 14 ranged from about 5.6 for some agricultural and forestry degrees to 12.261 for Industrial Technologies Engineering and 13.526 for the Industrial Engineer fast-track programme.
How do international students apply to UPM?
Through the Madrid single-district pre-enrolment, using a UNEDasiss accreditation of your school qualification (plus PCE exams if you hold a non-EU Bachillerato). In 2026-27 students from foreign systems could apply from 5 June to 6 July.
When was UPM founded?
UPM was created in 1971 by merging Madrid's higher technical schools, but many of those schools date back to the 18th and 19th centuries; the civil engineering school was founded in 1802.
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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