Enrolling your child in nursery or school in Spain: places, calendar and municipal registration (padrón)
Education in Spain is a right for every child — regardless of the parents' immigration status. This guide explains the system (guardería, infantil, colegio), the admission calendar, how the padrón gives you points (baremo), what documents you need and what to do if you arrive mid-year.
How the school system is organised
0–3 (primer ciclo / guardería, escuela infantil): usually paid (often subsidised), limited places, high demand.
3–6 (segundo ciclo de infantil): free in public/concertado centres, though not compulsory.
6–16 (Primaria + ESO): compulsory and free. Centres are público, concertado (semi-private, publicly funded) or privado.
Who has the right (and who must enrol)
- Every child resident in Spain has the right to education — regardless of the parents' immigration status.
- Education is compulsory from 6 to 16; not enrolling a child of that age is a serious problem.
- Access works from municipal registration (padrón): the registered address sets your zone and the proximity points.
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Your rights
- A school place for every minor, even without papers or mid-year — through the comisión de escolarización if needed.
- Free public education 6–16 (and free public infantil 3–6).
- You cannot be refused schooling because of your immigration status; if it happens, escalate.
Documents you need
- Municipal registration (padrón) of the child (proximity points depend on it) and proof of address.
- Birth certificate (or an older libro de familia if you have one), and the child's and parents' ID (NIE/TIE/passport).
- Cartilla de vacunación (vaccination record).
- Previous school records — for ESO/Bachillerato foreign studies usually need homologación/convalidación.
From municipal registration (padrón) to a school place
- Register the child with the town hall (empadronar) — the registered address sets your zone and scoring-scale points (baremo).
- Check your autonomous community's admission calendar (periodo de admisión, usually in spring).
- Gather the documents: municipal registration (padrón), birth certificate or older libro de familia, IDs, vaccination card.
- Submit the solicitud — online with a certificado digital, or in person at the centre.
- The admission scoring scale (baremo: proximity, siblings, income…) decides the place assignment (adjudicación de plaza).
- Formalise the matrícula at the assigned centre. Arrived mid-year? Go through the comisión de escolarización.
Common mistakes
- Missing the periodo de admisión and having to wait for a free place.
- No municipal registration (padrón) — losing the proximity points that decide the place.
- Thinking you cannot enrol a child without papers — you can; education is a right.
- Not homologating foreign records for ESO/Bachillerato.
No place or you arrive mid-year
- No place in your first choice? The comisión de escolarización assigns one elsewhere — you are not left without a school.
- Arrived mid-year (fuera de plazo)? The comisión de escolarización handles out-of-period placement.
Not sure where to start? Ask NAVI
Tell NAVI your child's age and your situation — it explains the calendar, the documents, the municipal-registration points (padrón) and the next step.
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Related guides
Key terms in this guide
School enrolment FAQ
Can I enrol my child without residence papers?
Yes. Education is a right for every minor in Spain regardless of the parents' status; municipal registration (padrón) is the practical key.
Is school free?
Public and concertado education is free for 3–16 (infantil 3–6 and the compulsory 6–16). 0–3 nurseries are usually paid/subsidised.
Why does municipal registration (padrón) matter?
The registered address is what normally proves where you live, and proximity is one of the statutory admission criteria. How many points it is worth, and what counts as proof, are set by your autonomous community for each admission call — so check this year’s rules for your region.
When do I apply?
In the admission period (periodo de admisión), usually in spring for the next course. Each comunidad has its own calendar.
I arrived mid-year — what now?
The comisión de escolarización handles out-of-period placement so your child gets a school.
Do foreign school records count?
For ESO/Bachillerato they usually need homologación/convalidación; primary is more flexible.
Público, concertado or privado?
Público and concertado are free (concertado is publicly funded but privately run); privado is paid.
What if a school refuses over our status?
Schooling cannot be refused on immigration grounds — escalate to the comisión / education authority.
Official sources
- LOE/LOMLOE (educación, admisión y gratuidad)
- LO 4/2000 Extranjería (art. 9)
- Ministerio de Educación — convalidación/homologación no universitaria
Informational guide; admission is managed by each autonomous community, so calendars and rules vary. Check your case with NAVI.
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- Legal basis, deadlines and figures re-checked against official sources.
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This guide is general information about Spanish law, not a legal opinion on your case. Rules change and outcomes depend on your own facts and documents — check your situation before you act on it.
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