Quick Summary
Situated in Barcelona, Spain, Universitat Pompeu Fabra is a public established in 1990. Ranked #265 globally by QS World University Rankings 2026, it enrolls 15500 students including 21% from outside Spain. Known for strengths in Economics & Econometrics, Linguistics, Law, it maintains an acceptance rate of 20%.
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Institutional Profile
Who they are
It is consistently ranked as the best university in Spain and a top 'young' university globally, offering a high-performance environment in the heart of Barcelona.
Subject Strengths
Economics & EconometricsLinguisticsLawCommunication & Media StudiesPolitical ScienceSociology
Founded1990
TypePublic
Total Students15500
Intl Students21%
Faculty Ratio13.5
CampusUrban/Multicampus
Campus SizeUrban
Affiliated HospitalsHospital del Mar, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
AccreditationSpanish Ministry of Education, AQU Catalunya, AMBA, AACSB (BSM), EQUIS (BSM)
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Global Standing
Three independent ranking systems
QS World 2026
#265
Quacquarelli Symonds
Times Higher Ed
#176
THE World University
ARWU Shanghai
#301-400
Academic Ranking
03
Academics & Research
What you can study
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, Executive Education
Programs
9
PhD Programs
Limited (mostly hybrid through UPF Barcelona School of Management)
Online Programs
CREI (Centre de Recerca en Economia Internacional), CRG (Centre for Genomic Regulation), IBE (Institute of Evolutionary Biology)
Research Centers
Very High
Research Output
Spanish Ministry of Education, AQU Catalunya, AMBA, AACSB (BSM), EQUIS (BSM)
Accreditation
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Admissions Brief
What it takes to get in
Entry Requirements
Acceptance Rate20%
IELTS6.5
TOEFL90
Min GPA7.0/10 (Spanish Scale) or equivalent
GRERequired for Master's in Economics and Finance (typically >160 Quant)
GMATRecommended for Business programs
SATNot required (standardized by Spanish EVAU)
ACTNot required
Key Dates
FALLApplication Deadline · Late May (EU/Local), Early March (International)
SPRINGApplication Deadline · Not applicable for most degrees
MAR-APRDecisions Released
Required Documents
TranscriptsSOPEnglish ScoresLORsPassport
Insider Tip
Focus heavily on the GPA and motivation letter for postgrad; Undergrads must pass the EVAU (Selectividad) with high scores, especially for double degrees.
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Cost Ledger
Amounts in Euro
UG Tuition
€2,200/yr
per year · EUR
Living Cost
€12,500/yr
per year · EUR
PG Tuition
€5,000/yr
per year · EUR
Application Fee
$35
one time · USD
Total Estimated Annual Cost
€16,500/yr
tuition + living + essentials · EUR
Scholarships AvailableMAEC-AECID, Erasmus+, Santander Scholarships, UPF Foundation Scholarships
Avg Scholarship$3,000
Financial AidAvailable through Spanish government (MEC) and Catalan government (AGAUR)
Work-StudyAvailable (Student collaboration grants)
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Featured & Popular Programs
A sample from Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, Executive Education programs total
| Program | Level | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
| International Business | MASTER | 1-2 YRS |
| Law | PHD | 3-5 YRS |
| Biomedical Engineering | MBA | 12-24 MO |
| Political Science | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
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Career Outcomes
Where graduates land
$38,000
Average Salary After Graduation
88%
Employment Rate
Internship PlacementHighly active; mandatory in many degrees via the Career Services department
Industry Connections
Strong links with the 22@ innovation districtBarcelona Health BioClusterand major law firms
Notable Alumni
Gabriel Rufián, Meritxell Batet, Oliver Laxe, Sandra Sabatés
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Campus & Student Life
Life beyond lectures
Housing
Yes (via partner residences like Resa)
Sports Facilities
UPF Sports, access to municipal facilities in Barcelona
Student Clubs
Over 50 clubs including Debate Society, Choir, Castellers (human towers)
Library Resources
Dipòsit de les Aigües (Iconic library), 24/7 access during exams
Exchange Programs
Erasmus+, SEMP, Global Mobility Program (over 300 partner universities)
Summer Programs
Barcelona International Summer School (BISS)