Schools in Valencia 2026: A Complete Guide for International Families

Relocating with children raises questions that no property search can answer on its own. Which school system will suit your family? How does Spanish public education compare to what you know? What does it cost? And when, exactly, do you need to apply? This guide walks you through the 2026-2027 school year in Valencia — the structure, the options, the deadlines, and the practical realities — so you can make an informed decision before you arrive.

Every figure, date, and official source in this article has been verified against the Generalitat Valenciana (the regional government) and the Spanish Ministry of Education. Where data is provisional or subject to annual revision, we say so.

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Your right to education in Spain

Before the practicalities, one foundational point: under Spanish law, every child resident in Spain has the right to education, regardless of nationality or the legal status of their parents. This is anchored in Article 27 of the Spanish Constitution and reinforced by the Immigration Act (Organic Law 4/2000, Article 9), which guarantees free and compulsory basic education for all minors under 16 and access to post-compulsory education up to 18.

In practice, this means that no public school in Valencia can refuse admission to your child while your residency paperwork is being processed. For families arriving on non-lucrative visas, digital nomad permits, or in the transition phase of an EU Blue Card or work authorization, school enrollment is never contingent on having your residence card in hand.

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The Spanish education system at a glance

Compulsory education in Spain runs from age 6 to 16. The structure below shows each stage alongside its age range and whether it is free in public centers.

|---|---|---|---|---|

| Primary Education | 6-12 | 6 years | Yes | Yes |

| Secondary Education (ESO) | 12-16 | 4 years | Yes | Yes |

| Bachillerato | 16-18 | 2 years | No | Yes |

A note on terminology that often confuses international families: in Spain, Bachillerato refers to the two years of upper-secondary education that precede university (ages 16-18), not the full secondary cycle. It is roughly equivalent to UK A-levels or the final two years of a US high school diploma, and it offers four tracks — Sciences and Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences, Arts, and General — that shape university access.

Spanish Vocational Training (Formación Profesional, FP) has been substantially reformed in recent years and now operates on a dual model that combines classroom learning with paid work placements in companies. It is increasingly viewed as a high-quality alternative to the traditional university track, particularly for STEM and technical fields.

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Public, concertado, or private: understanding the three models

Spain has a distinctive three-tier system that does not map directly onto the public/private dichotomy common in many countries.

Public schools (colegios públicos) are fully funded by the state. Tuition is free. Families pay for optional services such as lunch, materials, and extracurricular activities. Public schools in Valencia serve the majority of children — including a substantial share of expat families, particularly those whose children are young enough to acquire Spanish naturally.

Concertado schools (colegios concertados) are privately run but receive public funding to deliver the compulsory curriculum for free. Most have a religious affiliation, typically Catholic, though some are secular cooperatives. Legally, tuition in compulsory stages must be free; in practice, the great majority charge so-called "voluntary" monthly fees averaging around 83 € per month in the Valencia region, along with costs for uniforms, meals, and materials.

Private schools (colegios privados) are fully privately funded. This category includes Spanish private schools and, most relevant for international families, international schools offering foreign curricula — British, American, French, German, Swiss, and IB programs — with instruction primarily or entirely in a foreign language.

Indicative annual costs in Valencia

|---|---|---|---|---|

| Enrollment fee | — | 0-500 € | 500-2,000 € | 1,000-3,500 € |

| Estimated annual total | 1,200-2,200 € | 2,500-5,000 € | 5,000-12,000 € | 8,000-20,000 €+ |

Xarxa Llibres: free textbooks

The Generalitat Valenciana operates Xarxa Llibres, a textbook lending program that provides free textbooks to all students in Primary, ESO, and basic vocational training attending public and concertado schools. The program is funded at roughly 46 million euros for the 2025-2026 academic year and continues for 2026-2027. For 1st and 2nd Primary, where books are not reusable, families receive a book voucher of 160 € per student.

International schools in the Valencia area

Valencia and its metropolitan area host a range of international schools accredited to deliver British (IGCSE and A-levels), American (AP), French (Ministry of National Education), German (DAS), Swiss, and International Baccalaureate curricula. Most are located in residential suburbs such as Rocafort, La Cañada, Betera, L'Eliana, Puçol, and El Plantío — the traditional corridors for international families, well connected by metro line 1 and the CV-35 highway.

International schools typically run on term-based enrollment calendars that differ from the Spanish public system, with applications opening as early as the autumn of the preceding year. If you are targeting a specific international school, contact the admissions office directly; do not rely on the Conselleria calendar described below.

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Applying to public and concertado schools: the 2026-2027 calendar

If your family is considering public or concertado education — whether for bilingual immersion, cost, proximity, or preference — this is the official timeline published by the Generalitat Valenciana in the regional gazette (DOGV) on 2 March 2026.

|---|---|---|---|---|

Applications are submitted exclusively through the ADMINOVA platform (portal.edu.gva.es/adminova). The process requires a digital ID (Cl@ve, electronic certificate, or DNI/NIE) for the parent or legal guardian. If you do not yet have one, you can submit the application in person at the school listed as your first choice, where staff will process it on your behalf.

What you will need

Unlike many systems, Spain does not require full documentation at the application stage — only a responsible declaration. Documents are presented at the enrollment stage and include:

Parent or guardian identification (NIE, passport, or residence card)
Child's birth certificate (an apostilled foreign document is valid)
Proof of address (municipal registration certificate, known as empadronamiento, or a valid rental contract if registration is still pending)
Spanish health card (SIP) for the child, if already issued
For Bachillerato: academic record with ESO grade average

Admissions priority and the points system

When applications to a given school exceed available places, priority is determined by a points-based ranking. Since 2024, Valencia operates on a single-district model that allows families to apply to any school in the city, regardless of their address, though living within a school's catchment area still carries weight.

The main criteria are:

Sibling already enrolled at the school: 15 points
Residence within the school's area of influence: 10 points
Place of employment within the area: 5 points
Family income below regional thresholds: up to 7 points
Large family status: 5-7 points
Single-parent family: 5 points
Disability of student or close family member: 3-7 points

In the event of a tie, a public lottery determines final placement.

No homologation required for Primary or ESO

For Primary and any year of ESO, Spanish authorities do not require formal homologation of foreign studies. The school places the student in the grade corresponding to their age, and academic integration happens internally. Homologation is only necessary for students entering Bachillerato with completed foreign secondary studies, and is managed by the Ministry of Education through its dedicated portal. While the homologation is being processed, students can request a conditional enrollment certificate that permits provisional registration so the child can begin school on time.

If you arrive outside the standard window

International families often finalize their move in the autumn, well after the May application window has closed. For these cases, the late enrollment process (escolarización sobrevenida) is handled by the Municipal School Office (OME) of the Valencia City Council.

Applications are submitted through PortES, a module within the AppValència mobile app. The system typically opens in mid-September for Primary places and in October for ESO. For guidance, the OME can be reached at +34 962 082 108.

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Language policy: Spanish and Valencian in the classroom

This is the single most frequently misunderstood aspect of education in the Valencia region, and it deserves careful attention.

The Valencian language (a variant of Catalan) is co-official with Spanish in the Comunitat Valenciana and has historically been a significant component of the school curriculum. Under Law 1/2024 on Educational Freedom, which took effect in June 2024, families now choose the primary language of instruction — Spanish or Valencian — for their children through a consultation held at each public and concertado school.

In the first round of consultations for the 2025-2026 academic year, more than 60% of families in the city of Valencia chose Spanish as the primary language. Under current rules, Early Years students receive approximately 65% of instruction in the chosen primary language, 25% in the other co-official language, and 10% in English. From 3rd Primary onward, both co-official languages must be present, with a maximum difference of 20% between them.

Students may complete exams in either Spanish or Valencian, regardless of the language of instruction of a given subject.

Exemption from Valencian assessment for new arrivals

Crucially for international families, the law provides an exemption from Valencian language assessment for students arriving from abroad. The exemption applies during the year of arrival and the following academic year — two full years of adaptation during which the student attends Valencian classes but is not formally evaluated in the subject. The request is submitted to the school administration, usually before 30 November of the school year.

For families with older children who may leave Spain in the medium term, this policy significantly reduces the academic friction of choosing a Spanish public or concertado school.

Support programs for international students

Schools in the Valencia region operate the PASE program (School System Welcome Program), a temporary support measure of up to one academic year that combines language reinforcement with curricular content to facilitate integration. The program is integrated into each school's internal improvement plan. Additional compensatory education resources are available for schools with higher proportions of international students.

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How to choose: a framework for international families

The decision is ultimately yours, but a few patterns hold for families we work with at Raíces Valencia.

Choose public or concertado if your time horizon in Spain is medium to long-term, your children are young enough to acquire Spanish and Valencian naturally (generally under 10), and you value integration with the local community. Valencia's public schools are well-resourced by European standards, and the Xarxa Llibres program substantially reduces the financial burden.

Choose a Spanish private school if you want smaller class sizes, extended hours, or a specific educational philosophy (Montessori, Waldorf, bilingual English-Spanish) while still following the Spanish curriculum and preparing your child for Spanish university access.

Choose an international school if your stay in Valencia is likely to be temporary, if your children are older and already mid-way through a national curriculum (particularly British, French, German, or IB), or if you plan to continue their education in the same system after leaving Spain. International schools also offer the smoothest path for families who are not sure about the length of their stay and want to preserve optionality.

A mixed approach is also common: some families enroll younger children in Spanish public schools for language immersion and older children in international schools to protect their academic track record for university applications.

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Official resources and contacts

| Resource | Link |

|---|---|

| ADMINOVA application portal | portal.edu.gva.es/adminova/es/inicio/ |

| Admissions information (Conselleria) | ceice.gva.es/es/web/admision-alumnado |

| Official calendar and regulations | ceice.gva.es/es/web/admision-alumnado/normativa |

| School finder (Guide to Schools) | ceice.gva.es/es/web/centros-docentes/guia-de-centros-docentes |

| Regional school map | icv.gva.es/es/mapes-escolars |

| GVA electronic office (for procedures) | sede.gva.es |

| Homologation of foreign studies (Ministry) | educacionfpydeportes.gob.es/mc/convalidacion-homologacion/portada.html |

| Late enrollment (Valencia city) | educacio-valencia.es/es/escolarizacion/ |

In-person offices in Valencia

Territorial Directorate of Education — Calle Gregorio Gea, 14 (PROP II Building), 46009 Valencia. Phone: 012 (within the Valencian Community) or +34 963 866 000.
Conselleria of Education, Culture and Universities — Avenida de Campanar, 32, 46015 Valencia. Free line: 900 202 122.
Municipal School Office (OME) — for late enrollment inquiries: +34 962 082 108.

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How we can help

At Raíces Valencia, we advise international families relocating to the Valencia region on the full arc of their move — property search, neighborhood selection, residency paperwork, and the school question that ties it all together. Schools often determine where you live, not the other way around, and we build that logic into every relocation plan we develop.

If you are considering a move to Valencia and want to talk through the educational options for your family before you commit to a neighborhood or a property, get in touch at ernesto@raicesvalencia.com or via WhatsApp at +34 625 900 339. A 30-minute conversation often saves months of uncertainty.

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Sources

Spanish Constitution, Article 27 — congreso.es
Organic Law 4/2000 on the Rights of Foreigners, Article 9 — boe.es (BOE-A-2000-544)
Organic Law 2/2006 on Education (LOE), as amended by LOMLOE (OL 3/2020) — boe.es
Resolution of 25 February 2026, Directorate-General of Schools (2026-2027 admissions calendar) — DOGV no. 10313, 02/03/2026
Decree 48/2024, of 23 April, of the Consell (student admissions) — dogv.gva.es
Law 1/2024, of 27 June, on Educational Freedom — boe.es (BOE-A-2024-16511)
ADMINOVA Portal — portal.edu.gva.es/adminova/es/inicio/
Conselleria of Education, Culture and Universities — ceice.gva.es
Xarxa Llibres Program — ceice.gva.es
Foreign studies homologation — educacionfpydeportes.gob.es/mc/convalidacion-homologacion/portada.html
Late enrollment Valencia — educacio-valencia.es/es/escolarizacion/