Key Takeaways
- The solicitudes window in Andalucía 2026/27 is 1–31 March. Miss this window and you go to the back of the queue — applications submitted late lose priority entirely. Definitive lists are published 14 May; matriculation for primary is 1–8 June.
- Zona de influencia is the biggest single factor — worth 7–10 points out of a possible ~16. This proximity score is based on your empadronamiento address, not where you happen to live. You must be empadronado at your address before the application deadline.
- Concertado schools use the same points system as state schools (público) but are privately managed. They’re free but heavily oversubscribed in popular expat areas. Don’t assume concertado is easier to get into than the local state school.
- If your child doesn’t get into your first-choice school, the comisión de escolarización will assign them a place. You have appeal rights and can join waiting lists. This is not the end of the road.
- Documentation needs to be in order before you apply — padrón certificate, birth certificate (apostilled + officially translated into Spanish), vaccination record. Getting an apostille takes weeks; don’t leave it until March.
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Every March, thousands of expat parents on the Costa del Sol enter a mild panic as the school admissions window opens. The process is entirely manageable once you understand how it works — but the Spanish system has specific rules that catch out newcomers repeatedly: the points system, the zone boundaries, the padrón dependency, and the difference between state, concertado, and private.
This guide covers the full process for Andalucía, with specific notes on the Costa del Sol where the dynamics are different from most of Spain.
The Andalucía Admissions Calendar for 2026/27
Dates are set by the Junta de Andalucía under Decreto 21/2020 (the current framework governing admissions) and published annually. For the 2026/27 academic year, the official calendar is:
| Stage | Dates |
|---|---|
| Presentación de solicitudes (applications) | 1–31 March 2026 |
| Relación baremada (provisional scored lists published) | 17–20 April 2026 |
| Trámite de audiencia (claims/corrections period) | From 21 April 2026 (10 school days) |
| Sorteo público (lottery to break ties) | 13 May 2026 |
| Publicación de resolución de admisión (definitive results) | 14 May 2026 |
| Resolución de reubicación (placement for unplaced pupils) | 25 May 2026 |
| Recursos y reclamaciones (appeals) | 26 May – 26 June 2026 |
| Matriculación infantil y primaria | 1–8 June 2026 |
| Matriculación ESO and Bachillerato | 1–10 July 2026 |
Source: Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Desarrollo Educativo y Formación Profesional (published 2026)
The key dates to burn into your calendar: 1 March opens, 31 March closes for applications. Late applications are processed after the main round, which effectively means you lose all priority points from the zona de influencia and sibling criteria — even if your application would have scored highly.
The Points System: How Baremación Works
Spanish state school admissions aren’t first-come-first-served. They’re points-based (baremación). When a school is oversubscribed, every applicant gets scored, and places are allocated from highest to lowest score.
Under Decreto 21/2020, the criteria and maximum points for Andalucía are:
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Zona de influencia (address in the school’s catchment zone) | Up to 10 points |
| Zona limítrofe (adjacent catchment zone) | Up to 5 points |
| Hermanos matriculados (siblings already enrolled) | Up to 8 points |
| Renta familiar (family income — lower income = more points) | Up to 1 point |
| Discapacidad (disability — child or parent) | Up to 4 points |
| Familia numerosa o monoparental (large or single-parent family) | Up to 1 point |
| Padre/madre trabajando en el centro (parent works at the school) | Up to 1 point |
| Víctima de violencia de género o terrorismo | Up to 1 point |
What This Means in Practice
The zona de influencia plus sibling criteria together represent up to 18 points — the vast majority of the scoring. An applicant living in the school’s catchment zone with siblings already there is almost certain to get a place. An applicant from outside the zone with no siblings starts from a very low base.
For first-time applicants (no siblings in the system yet), getting the zona de influencia right is everything. It’s worth 10 points. The next highest criterion — disability — is 4 points. There is no way to compensate for being outside the zone except living in the zone.
Why Your Padrón Address Is Everything
The zona de influencia is determined by your empadronamiento address — the address on your padrón (municipal census) registration certificate — not the address on your TIE, not where you tell the school you live, not your rental agreement.
This catches out a surprisingly large number of expat families every year. Common mistakes:
- Living at one address but registered at another (perhaps a previous rental or a friend’s address)
- Not yet registered on the padrón at all
- Registered on the padrón but at the wrong address for the school’s catchment zone
You must be correctly empadronado at your current address before the application opens on 1 March. If you update your padrón after applications are submitted, the school may not accept the updated address for that admissions round.
Getting Your Padrón Certificate
The padrón certificate (certificado de empadronamiento) is issued by your local ayuntamiento (town hall). It must be recent — typically issued within 3 months of your application. See our guide to padrón registration and getting your empadronamiento certificate for the full process.
Zona de Influencia Boundaries
Each school has a defined catchment zone. These are set by the Junta de Andalucía and don’t always correspond to obvious neighbourhood boundaries. Before you apply, verify your address falls within the zona de influencia of your preferred school using the Junta’s online tool (available at the Junta de Andalucía education portal) or by calling the school directly.
On the Costa del Sol, where many families live in urbanisations that straddle multiple catchment zones, this matters enormously. An urbanisation on the edge of Marbella might be in the zone for a school in Ojén rather than the more accessible school in Marbella centro.
State (Público), Concertado, or Private: What You’re Actually Choosing Between
The Spanish school system has three types of school, and the difference matters for admissions:
Centros Públicos (State Schools)
Fully funded by the government, free for families, staffed by public employees. Admissions follow the baremación system above. Quality varies significantly by area — on the Costa del Sol, some state schools have strong reputations; others less so. Many state schools in Málaga province now have bilingual programmes (teaching some subjects in English) which makes them increasingly attractive to expat families.
Centros Concertados
This is the Spanish category most expats don’t immediately understand. Concertado schools are privately managed but publicly funded. They use public money to operate, which means:
- They are largely free (families typically pay small fees for materials, extracurriculars, and canteen)
- They use the same baremación admissions process as state schools
- They are often associated with religious organisations (historically Catholic, though this varies)
- They can be more oversubscribed than local state schools in popular areas
Concertado does not mean easier to get into. In Marbella centro, Fuengirola, and Benalmádena, popular concertado schools can be as competitive as good state schools.
Colegios Privados
Fully private, fully fee-paying. International schools on the Costa del Sol fall into this category — they set their own admissions criteria and fees, and are not subject to the baremación system. For international schools, see our guides to international schools on the Costa del Sol, international schools in Marbella, and international schools in Málaga.
How to Apply: The Solicitud Process
Applications are submitted through the Secretaría Virtual de la Junta de Andalucía (online portal) or in person at the school. Online is generally easier and faster.
Step-by-Step
- Check catchment zones for your preferred schools before applying. List up to 6 schools in order of preference on your application.
- Gather documents (see below) and ensure they’re ready before the window opens.
- Submit the solicitud between 1–31 March via the Junta portal or at your first-choice school. If applying in person, go to the first-choice school — not any school on your list.
- Receive confirmation. You’ll get a reference number. Keep it.
- Check the provisional baremada list (17–20 April) on the Junta portal or school noticeboards. Verify your score is calculated correctly.
- Submit claims if needed during the audiencia period (from 21 April) if your score is wrong or if documents weren’t properly considered.
- Check the definitive resolution (14 May) to find out if your child has a place.
- Complete matriculación within the specified window once you have a place confirmed.
Documents Required
Have these ready before applications open:
- Certificado de empadronamiento — issued within the last 3 months
- DNI/NIE/TIE of the parent/guardian submitting the application
- Birth certificate of the child — if issued outside Spain, must have the Apostille of the Hague and an official Spanish translation (sworn translation by a sworn translator/traductor jurado)
- Libro de familia — if you have one; this is a Spanish family record book. If you don’t have one (most expats don’t), the apostilled + translated birth certificate serves the same purpose
- Cartilla de vacunaciones (vaccination record) — Spanish health system records or a translated foreign vaccination history
- Previous school reports (if your child has attended school previously) — translated if in another language
- Documentation for any additional points you’re claiming (disability certificate, large family certificate, etc.)
Important on apostilles: Getting an apostille from the UK, US, Australia, etc. takes time — sometimes several weeks. Don’t leave this until February. If you’re reading this in January or early February, start the apostille process now.
Costa del Sol Specifics: Where It’s Hard and Where It’s Easier
The Costa del Sol has particular dynamics worth knowing:
Most Oversubscribed Areas
- Marbella centro and Golden Mile — both state and concertado schools are heavily oversubscribed. Zona de influencia scores here are often the only thing that separates applicants.
- Fuengirola centro — large expat population combined with limited school capacity means competition is fierce.
- Benalmádena pueblo and costa — popular areas with similar dynamics.
- San Pedro Alcántara — growing population with significant pressure on school places.
Where It’s Easier
- Inland municipalities — Alhaurín el Grande, Coín, Casares, Estepona inland areas — tend to have less pressure on places and more predictable admissions.
- Newer urbanisations on the western Costa del Sol (Casares Costa, Sabinillas area) — lower density means schools are less oversubscribed.
- Newly built schools — when the Junta opens a new school, it initially has capacity to spare.
If you have flexibility in where you register your padrón address, the school availability map should be part of your calculation before signing a rental agreement.
If Your Child Doesn’t Get a Place
This happens, and it’s not the end of the world. Here’s what happens next:
The Comisión de Escolarización
Once the main admissions round is complete (14 May), any child without a school place goes into the care of the comisión de escolarización — a committee at the Delegación Provincial de Educación. Their job is to assign places to children who weren’t placed in their preferred schools.
The commission assigns you a place in a school that has available capacity. It may not be your first choice. It may not be in your neighbourhood. But your child will get a place.
Waiting Lists
You can join the waiting list (lista de espera) for any school you preferred. As places open up (families move away, choose a different school, etc.), children move up the waiting list in score order. Movement is unpredictable — sometimes significant, sometimes none at all. If you’re on a waiting list, check in regularly with the school.
Appeals (Recursos de Alzada)
If you believe an error was made in calculating your score, or that a procedural rule was violated, you can submit a formal appeal (recurso de alzada) between 26 May and 26 June 2026. These go to the Delegación Provincial de Educación. The grounds need to be specific — “we really wanted that school” is not grounds for appeal; “our zona de influencia was calculated incorrectly” is.
Mid-Year Enrollment
If you arrive in Spain outside the main admissions window — say, your family relocates in October — mid-year enrollment is possible but works differently.
You contact the Delegación Provincial de Educación in Málaga directly (not the school). They assess available places and assign your child to a school with capacity. You don’t go through the baremación process for mid-year placements — it’s purely based on available capacity.
In practice, this can mean your child ends up in a school that wasn’t your preference. Once enrolled, you can apply in the next main admissions round to transfer to your preferred school — and as a resident with the correct padrón address, you’ll score the zona de influencia points you need.
A Note on Language
Spanish state schools teach in Spanish. If your child doesn’t speak Spanish, most schools on the Costa del Sol have experience with this and will support integration — especially if they have bilingual or English-assisted programmes. Younger children adapt remarkably quickly. Secondary-age children face a steeper curve but schools do provide Spanish language support.
If full Spanish immersion isn’t right for your family’s situation, see our guide to international schools on the Costa del Sol for English-medium and IB alternatives, and our overview of the Spanish school system for expats for the broader picture of how education here works.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do school applications open in Andalucía for 2026/27?
Applications (solicitudes) for state and concertado schools in Andalucía for the 2026/27 academic year open on 1 March 2026 and close 31 March 2026. This is a hard deadline — late applications lose all priority and are processed only after the main round. Definitive admission results are published 14 May 2026.
How does the school points system (baremación) work in Spain?
Places at oversubscribed state and concertado schools are allocated by a points system. The biggest factors are: living in the school’s catchment zone (zona de influencia, up to 10 points) and having siblings already enrolled (up to 8 points). Family income, disability, and large family status also contribute smaller amounts. Schools rank applicants by score and allocate places top-down until full.
Can I apply to any school in Spain, or only local ones?
You can apply to any state or concertado school. However, if you apply to a school outside your catchment zone, you won’t score the zona de influencia points (up to 10 points). In oversubscribed schools, this typically makes it impossible to secure a place unless you have siblings there. For popular schools in areas like Marbella or Fuengirola, living in the zone is essentially a prerequisite.
What happens if my child doesn’t get into any of the schools I listed?
The comisión de escolarización (Provincial Education Commission) is responsible for placing all children who weren’t admitted in the main round. They will assign your child a place at a school with available capacity. You can also join waiting lists for your preferred schools and appeal if you believe a scoring error was made. Every child in Spain is legally guaranteed a school place.
Do I need an apostille on my child’s foreign birth certificate for Spanish school enrollment?
Yes. Birth certificates issued outside Spain (UK, US, Australia, etc.) need an Apostille of the Hague to be legally recognised in Spain, plus an official translation into Spanish by a sworn translator. The apostille is obtained in your home country. Given it can take several weeks, start the process well before the March application window.
Is a concertado school free in Spain?
Largely yes. Concertado schools are publicly funded and cannot charge tuition. However, they typically charge small fees for school materials, extracurricular activities, canteen, and similar services. These costs vary by school but are generally €50–200/month depending on what services you use. The admissions process (baremación points system) is identical to state schools.
Related guides: Spanish School System for Expats | International Schools on the Costa del Sol | International Schools in Marbella | Childcare & Nurseries on the Costa del Sol | Padrón Registration (Empadronamiento)
Related Guides
- International Schools on the Costa del Sol
- School Enrollment, Waitlists and Timing
- International Schools in Marbella
- International Schools in Malaga
- The Spanish School System Explained
- Homeschooling in Spain
- British Schools in Marbella
Frequently Asked Questions
When do international school applications open on the Costa del Sol?
Most private international schools operate rolling admissions, but the main intake window runs November to January for the following September. The popular year groups at schools like Aloha, Swans, and BISM may be full by March.
Can I enrol my child mid-year in a Spanish school?
State schools accept mid-year enrolments through the comision de escolarizacion, though your choice of school is limited to those with vacancies. International schools may accept mid-year transfers depending on availability.
What documents do I need for school enrolment in Spain?
For state/concertado schools: NIE for parent and child, empadronamiento (padron), previous school records (apostilled and translated), vaccination records, and passport-size photos. International schools typically require the same plus academic references.
Do international schools on the Costa del Sol require Spanish language skills?
Most international schools do not require Spanish for admission, especially at primary level. Many offer Spanish as a second language. State and concertado schools teach entirely in Spanish, though support programmes exist in some municipalities.
How much do international schools cost on the Costa del Sol?
Fees range from EUR 4,000-6,000 per year for smaller local international schools to EUR 12,000-27,000 for premium schools like Sotogrande International or Aloha College. Most charge a one-time registration fee of EUR 1,000-5,000 on top.
Is homeschooling legal in Spain?
Homeschooling exists in a legal grey area. It is not explicitly illegal, but Spanish law requires children aged 6-16 to attend a recognised educational institution. Some families use distance learning providers registered outside Spain.
