Vocational upper secondary education comprises basic vocational training (FP básica) and intermediate vocational training (FP de grado medio).

Types of institutions

Vocational training in the education system can be provided in the following institutions:

• public and private institutions authorised by the relevant education authority (secondary schools [IES] if offered alongside compulsory secondary education [ESO] and bachillerato);
• national reference institutions, under the conditions and for the purposes established in Royal Decree 229/2008;
• integrated vocational training institutions, according to the provisions in Article 11 of Organic Law 5/2002, of 19 June, on qualifications and vocational training and in Royal Decree 1558/2005, as amended by Royal Decree 564/2010.

With respect to basic VT, it is most often offered in secondary schools (IES). Although they are organised independently, they may share human and material resources. However, it can also be offered in institutions that exclusively provide vocational training. In any case, it is the education authorities that determine the institutions in which it is provided.

As for intermediate vocational training (VT), it is often taught in the same institutions that provide ESO and bachillerato education. When they are publicly owned, they are called secondary education institutes (IES) and VT is organised independently, although it may have human and material resources common to the rest of the educational programmes. 

As established in Article 13.5 educational institutions providing vocational training programmes must meet a series of minimum requirements in terms of their facilities:

• those established in Article 3 of the aforementioned royal decree, which are compulsory for all institutions in the state, regardless of their ownership and source of funding;
• those included in Article 46 of Royal Decree 1147/2011;
• those set out in the regulations for each of the vocational training qualifications which describe the minimum spaces and equipment required for each of the training cycles.

In the 2019/20 school year, there were 2,081 schools in the whole country providing basic vocational training programmes, of which 1,695 were public schools, 381 publicly-funded private schools, and 5 private schools. Source: Statistics from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training on the number of institutions that provide each type of education.

At the same time, there were 2,870 institutions providing on-site intermediate vocational training programmes, of which 2,003 were public institutions, 555 publicly-funded private institutions and 312 private institutions. The number of schools varies substantially from one autonomous community to another. Source: Statistics from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training on the number of institutions that provide each type of education.

The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP) allows the study of distance learning vocational training programmes. This modality is especially targeted at adults who, for various reasons, cannot attend courses at educational institutions and during regular school hours. Each module has a minimum number of activities that must be carried out in an on-site manner in a school and with the teacher. In the school year 2019/2020, the number of institutions in Spain providing intermediate vocational training in the distance modality was 212, of which 136 were public and 76 were private. Source: Statistics from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training on the number of institutions that provide each type of education.

Dual vocational training

The Spanish education system's dual vocational training is the set of training actions and initiatives that, in joint responsibility with companies, are aimed at the professional qualification of people, harmonising the teaching and learning processes between educational institutions and workplaces.

It is the Government's responsibility to regulate the basic conditions and requirements that allow the education authorities to develop dual vocational training within the education system. This regulation is contained in Title III of Royal Decree 1529/2012. This establishes the framework for the development of dual vocational training projects in the education system by the education authorities, with the co-participation of educational institutions and companies, when there is no contract for training and apprenticeship.

Participating institutions in dual VT

Teaching institutions authorised to provide vocational training cycles and which establish collaboration agreements with companies in the corresponding sector may participate in these projects, as established in each regional regulation.

The dual vocational training projects are carried out in educational institutions with productive environments that meet the appropriate requirements for their application, in accordance with the following characteristics:

• the professional activity to which the training cycle responds;
• the enterprises surrounding the school;
• the training activity involved in each training cycle.

The agreement between the school and the company stipulates, in addition to the training programme, the following aspects:

• the number of participating students;
• the grant system;
• the working day and hours in the institution and in the company;
• the requirements to be met by companies, students, teachers and tutors;
• the necessary insurance policies to cover the training of students and teachers.

One of the characteristics of dual vocational training is that student training must include a minimum of 33 per cent of the hours established in the corresponding degree with the participation of the company. This percentage can be increased depending on the characteristics of each professional module and the participating company.

Geographical accessibility

It is the responsibility of the State to promote actions that allow for the choice of any educational option desired, regardless of the place of residence, as long as the established academic requirements are met.

Along that same line, the education authorities, based on the principle of collaboration, must facilitate access both to education with a limited offer and to institutions in neighbouring areas for students who have no such educational offer in institutions close to or in their own autonomous community. This circumstance shall be taken into account in the student admission processes.

Furthermore and once again based on the principle of collaboration, the education authoritiesmust facilitate access to their facilities with educational value and the use of their resources by students and teachers from other autonomous communities.

Basic vocational training

Special attention must be paid to schools in rural areas, considering the peculiarities of their educational environment and the need to encourage students from rural areas to remain in the education system beyond basic education. To this end, the specific nature of rural schools should be taken into account, providing them with the necessary means and organisational systems to meet their particular needs and guarantee equal opportunities. In those rural areas where it is considered advisable, schooling can be provided in a municipality close to the student's place of residence in order to guarantee the quality of education.

In order to achieve all of the above, in those cases in which schooling is required in schools further away from the place of residence (due to the absence of closer institutions), the existence of residences (boarding schools) is available, which allows pupils to return home at weekends. This service is provided free of charge in these cases, together with transport and meal services.

It is the responsibility of the education authorities, within the scope of their competences, to programme the provision of vocational training programmes. To this end, the autonomous communities establish the procedures for identifying vocational training needs in the productive sectors existing in their respective territorial areas. In this way, this programming takes into account the socio-economic reality of the territory in which it is developed, the expectations and interests of citizens, the demand for training, as well as the perspective of economic and social development.

The provision of vocational training education can be flexible, allowing people the possibility of combining study and training with work or other activities, including those activities arising from a disability situation, thus responding to personal needs and interests.

Furthermore, these programmes can be offered either as a whole or partially and, in those professional modules in which it is possible, they can be followed in face-to-face or distance learning modalities.

Intermediate vocational training

As this is a post-compulsory education stage, intermediate vocational training does not benefit from free residence, transport and meal services. However, these studies are provided free of charge in public schools. In turn, Article 82.3 of Organic Law 2/2006 on Education (LOE) stipulates that the education administrations shall encourage the increase of enrolment of students from rural areas in non-compulsory education. Likewise, they will seek a diversified offer of these studies, related to the needs of the environment, adopting the appropriate measures so that this offer provides quality training, especially with vocational training programmes linked to the activities and resources of the environment, in secondary education and vocational training institutions in rural areas.

Admission requirements and choice of school

Basic vocational training

Access to basic vocational training cycles requires the simultaneous fulfilment of the following conditions:

• to be fifteen years of age, or to reach the age of fifteen during the current calendar year;
• to have completed the third year of compulsory secondary education or, exceptionally, the second year;
• to have been proposed by the teaching team to the parents or legal guardians, in accordance with what each education administration may determine.

Intermediate vocational training

Access to intermediate vocational training cycles is voluntary, provided students comply at least  with one of the following requirements:

• to hold at least one of the following qualifications:
  • Compulsory Secondary Education certificate;
  • Technician certificate;
  • Bachillerato certificate;
  • a university degree;
  • Technician or Advanced technician certificate;
• to have completed a specific training course in order to gain access to intermediate vocational training in public or private educational institutions authorised by the relevant education authority, and being over 17 years of age in the year they complete the course;
• to have passed an entrance examination organised by the education authorities and to be seventeen years of age in the year in which the examination is held.

The entrance examinations must allow accreditation of the competences acquired in compulsory secondary education. These tests are carried out adopting the necessary measures to ensure equal opportunities, non-discrimination of students with specific educational support needs and universal accessibility for people with disabilities, including the implementation of reasonable adjustments.

In the case of students who, having completed basic vocational training, have not passed the cycle in its entirety, but have passed all the modules within the professional field, the education authorities may establish an access test of a specific nature adapted to the professional profile of the training cycle.

The education authorities organise these entrance examinations at least once a year. The qualification obtained is valid throughout the country. A candidate cannot sit the entrance examinations in more than one autonomous community in the same school year. Whenever the number of candidates applying exceeds the number of places available, the education authorities can establish certain admission criteria. It is also the responsibility of the education authorities to regulate the exemption of the parties to the examinations on the basis of pre-existing training accredited by the student body.

The final grade of the entrance exam, between zero and ten points, is calculated as long as at least four points are obtained in each section, and is the resulting average expressed with two decimal places, being positive the grade of five points or higher.

With regard to specific training courses, they are aimed at people who do not meet the access requirements, respecting the principles of accessibility and non-discrimination. The successful completion of all or part of these courses has the effect of total or partial exemptions from the entrance exam. Likewise, being in possession of a certificate of professional experience related to the training cycle to be studied or accrediting a certain qualification or work experience is also taken into account for the purposes of exemption.

Both in the entrance examinations and in the specific training courses, the most appropriate measures must be established so that the conditions in which the assessment tests are carried out are adapted to the needs of students with specific educational support needs.

The application for admission is submitted to the institution providing the chosen studies by means of an application form. In addition to stating the training cycle and the institution of preference in the first place, it is possible to apply, in order of priority, to other institutions or even to apply for other training cycles.

As for new admissions, the educational institutions offer, for each training cycle, all the authorised vacant places they have, with the exception of those which are reserved for those students who are going to repeat. If the number of places reserved for students repeating the year is greater than the percentage established by the education authority of each autonomous community, the institutions have to apply for authorisation from the unit in charge of the admission process.

When there are not enough places in the requested institution, given that there are different access routes to intermediate vocational training cycles, the education authorities establish certain reserved places according to these criteria:

• of the total number of places offered, the following must be reserved:
  • a minimum of 5 per cent for athletes who accredit, in accordance with the provisions of articles 2 and 3 of Royal Decree 971/2007, the status of high-level or high-performance athletes (in compliance with the provisions of article 9.3.a of this Royal Decree).
  • a percentage for applicants with disabilities (in compliance with the provisions in section 4 of article 75 of the LOE, as amended by the LOMLOE);
• after deduction of the above reserves, the remaining school places are distributed according to the following criteria:
  • between 60 and 70 per cent of the places for students holding the Lower Compulsory Secondary Education certificate;
  • between 20 and 30 per cent of the places for students holding the Basic Vocational Training certificate;
  • between 10 and 20 per cent of the places for students applying for admission through the other aforementioned channels.

Whenever a reserved space in any of these options is not filled, vacant spaces shall be allocated proportionally to the rest of the reserved spaces. The education authorities regulate the priority given to each of the students’ previous studies within the reserves described above.

The agreements and decisions on student admission, adopted by the School Council and schooling commissions in public schools and by the owners of the institution in the case of publicly-funded private schools, may give rise to a claim before the education authority, whose final decision can be appealed against. Private schools (with no public funding) have autonomy for establishing their own admission procedures

Age levels and grouping of pupils/students

Basic vocational training

The organisation of this type of provision is flexible in order to adapt to the different situations of students. However, they are generally attended between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. Exceptionally, the education administrations may authorise specific basic level training cycles for those who have reached the age of seventeen when circumstances of school records make this advisable.

The number of teachers imparting teaching to the same group of students is kept as reduced as possible, respecting the educational elements and observing the schedule of all the different vocational modules included in the Basic Vocational Training certificate. In any case, each group is assigned a member of the teaching staff who tutors the group. The modules associated with the fields of communication and social sciences and the field of applied sciences are taught by the same teaching staff who are authorised to teach any of the subjects included in the corresponding field throughout ESO. With regard to the professional field, each of the basic VT qualifications establishes its own specialisations required for the teaching staff.

The education authorities are responsible for establishing the number of students per group in each training cycle, depending on its characteristics, the location of the educational institution and the organisation of specific groups. The teacher/student ratio per unit is regulated by the MEFP in Article 22.2 of Royal Decree 127/2014, establishing a maximum of 30 students per unit. However, the education authorities may authorise an increase of up to ten per cent in the maximum number of students per classroom in public and publicly-funded private schools in the same schooling area for various reasons:

• to address immediate schooling needs of late starters;
• needs arising from the transfer of the family unit during an extraordinary schooling period, either due to forced mobility of either parent or legal guardian, or as a result of the initiation of a family placement measure for the person attending school.

Intermediate vocational training

Intermediate vocational training can be taken as long as students meet some of the admission requirements mentioned. Consequently, the age of access will be sixteen or seventeen, depending on the established requirement.

The duration of these courses varies between one and two years. It is quite common to have different aged-students in the same group.

A form teacher is assigned to each group, but specialist teachers are responsible for teaching the different subjects.

The education authorities are responsible for establishing the number of students per group in each training cycle, depending on its characteristics, the location of the educational institution and the organisation of specific groups. The teacher/student ratio per unit is regulated by the MEFP in Article 46.6 of Royal Decree 1147/2011, establishing a maximum of 30 students per unit. However, the education authorities may authorise an increase of up to ten per cent in the maximum number of students per classroom in public and publicly-funded private schools in the same schooling area for various reasons:

• to address immediate schooling needs of late starters;
• needs arising from the transfer of the family unit during an extraordinary schooling period, either due to forced mobility of either parent or legal guardian, or as a result of the initiation of a family placement measure for the person attending school.

Organisation of the school year

The education authorities within their jurisdiction, are responsible for annually establishing the school year calendar. In basic vocational education, the minimum of 175 teaching days applies for basic courses. In intermediate vocational training, the timetable is adjusted to the number of hours in the training cycles.

Activity in schools starts on September 1st and ends at least on June 30th. For students the teaching activity begins during the month of September and ends in June in the first year in bachillerato, and is established depending on the dates of the exam for access to university in the second year of bachillerato. The exact dates are set by the education authorities in each autonomous community. The teaching activity is organised taking into account the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays, giving rise to terms of varying length. However, some autonomous communities have also tried to divide the year in two-month periods.

School holidays for students are spread out over the whole year in the following manner:

• approximately eleven weeks of summer holidays;
• about fifteen days at Christmas;
• between eight and eleven days in late March or early April, corresponding to Easter;
• between two and three days for Carnival, depending on each autonomous community;
• around twelve days declared as public holidays or non-school days by the MEFP or the local or regional authorities.

This distribution of holidays, public holidays and non-school days can vary significantly from one autonomous community to another.

During the summer holidays, educational institutions may remain open until the end of July for administrative purposes. Depending on the organisation of each educational institution, the same may occur on non-holiday days during the Christmas and Easter breaks.

Organisation of the school day and week

Schools establish the weekly and daily timetable, respecting the minimum number of teaching days established by law and in the guidelines on school day set by each autonomous community.

The school general timetable, in the school development plan, must specify the following aspects:

• school opening time and conditions;
• teaching hours;
• availability of school services and facilities out of school hours.

The weekly timetable tin both basic and intermediate vocational training is organised from Monday to Friday, except holidays, according to the school calendar. 

In general, it comprises 30 to 32 lessons lasting 55 minutes each, i.e., 6 or 7 lessons daily lessons.

During the school day, there is a 30-40 minute break divided into two periods, usually either after every two or three lessons or as a single period by mid-morning. It is quite common to have vocational training cycles scheduled in the afternoon.

The weekly and daily timetable, as proposed by the management team, must be approved by the school council and ratified by the education administration. If it does not include the scheduled teaching activities, the relevant education authority returns it to the school so that it can be revised and corrected.