About the university
Pompeu Fabra University is a young public university founded by the Catalan government in 1990. In a short time it has become one of Spain's best research universities, especially in economics, political and social sciences, biology and biomedicine, communication and information technologies. UPF-BSM describes it as 16th in the world among universities under 50 years old in the THE ranking.
Its three campuses are all in central Barcelona: the Ciutadella campus in a converted military barracks and water tower next to Ciutadella Park, the Poblenou campus in the city's tech district, and the Mar campus beside the Hospital del Mar on the seafront. Teaching is in Catalan, Spanish and English, with English much more common at master's level.
Many Indian students meet UPF through its management school, the UPF Barcelona School of Management (UPF-BSM). It offers English-taught official master's degrees in management, marketing, finance and international business at about €18,500 for the programme, and a full-time MBA. These are official Spanish master's degrees, recognised by the Ministry of Education, and the school holds EQUIS and AMBA accreditations. Several of its master's appear in the QS Business Masters ranking.
UPF itself also runs research-focused official master's in fields such as biomedicine, computational sciences, economics and political science, charged at Catalonia's lower public prices. These suit students heading towards research or a PhD. Whichever route you choose, Barcelona is lively and international, but expect high rents and plan for some Spanish outside the classroom.
- Founded
- 1990, by the Government of Catalonia; named after the linguist Pompeu Fabra
- Type
- Public research university; its management school, UPF-BSM, is run by a UPF foundation and charges its own fees
- Students
- About 12,200 (THE 2027 data)
- International students
- About 19% (THE 2027 data); UPF-BSM's MSc in Management class is 87% international
- Student–staff ratio
- 15.9 to 1 (THE 2027 data)
- Campuses
- Ciutadella (social sciences and humanities), Poblenou (communication and ICT) and Mar (health and life sciences), all in central Barcelona
- Main intake
- September
Rankings
QS World University Rankings 2027
263 in the world
THE World University Rankings 2027
=205 in the world
QS Business Masters Rankings 2026
Five UPF-BSM master's ranked, including the MSc in Management, MSc in Marketing and MSc in Finance and Banking
Financial Times Masters in Finance 2026
Top 70 worldwide (UPF-BSM MSc in Finance and Banking, first appearance)
Popular courses with Indian students
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €18,500
- Duration
- 10 months (60 ECTS)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (classes start 20 September)
- English
- Taught in English; proof of English required (check the admission page)
- Postgraduate
MSc in Management, specialisation in Business Analytics
- Fee / year
- €18,500
- Duration
- 10 months (60 ECTS)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- Taught in English; proof of English required
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €18,500
- Duration
- 10 months (60 ECTS)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- Taught in English; proof of English required
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €18,500
- Duration
- 10 months (60 ECTS)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- Taught in English; proof of English required
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €14,800
- Duration
- 15 months (60 ECTS)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- Taught in English; proof of English required
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €25,846
- Duration
- 13 months (90 ECTS)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- Taught in English; proof of English required
- Postgraduate
MSc in Management, specialisation in Operations and Supply Chain Management
- Fee / year
- €18,500
- Duration
- 10 months (60 ECTS)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- Taught in English; proof of English required
- Postgraduate
MSc in Management, specialisation in Entrepreneurship
- Fee / year
- €18,500
- Duration
- 10 months (60 ECTS)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- Taught in English; proof of English required
Fees for international students
| Course | Duration | Fee / year (EUR) | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSc in Management | 10 months (60 ECTS) | €18,500 | ≈ ₹19.6 lakh |
| MSc in Management, specialisation in Business Analytics | 10 months (60 ECTS) | €18,500 | ≈ ₹19.6 lakh |
| MSc in Finance and Banking | 10 months (60 ECTS) | €18,500 | ≈ ₹19.6 lakh |
| MSc in Marketing | 10 months (60 ECTS) | €18,500 | ≈ ₹19.6 lakh |
| MSc in International Business | 15 months (60 ECTS) | €14,800 | ≈ ₹15.7 lakh |
| Full-Time MBA (in English) | 13 months (90 ECTS) | €25,846 | ≈ ₹27.4 lakh |
| MSc in Management, specialisation in Operations and Supply Chain Management | 10 months (60 ECTS) | €18,500 | ≈ ₹19.6 lakh |
| MSc in Management, specialisation in Entrepreneurship | 10 months (60 ECTS) | €18,500 | ≈ ₹19.6 lakh |
Fees are for international students for the entry year shown on each course page and can rise each year. Approximate exchange rates (based on ECB reference rates, March 2026). Actual rates on your payment date will differ.
Want a course shortlist with fees?Our counsellor will compare courses at Pompeu Fabra University with similar universities in Spain.
Scholarships
- UPF-BSM master's and MBA
UPF-BSM scholarships and funding
Value: Partial tuition scholarships; amounts listed on each programme's 'Scholarships and funding' tab
Eligibility: Usually based on academic record and profile, applied for alongside admission. Check each programme page.
Official page (opens in a new tab) - UPF-BSM MSc in Management students
Spanish language course discount
Value: 80% off a basic Spanish course in the first term (3 hours a week)
Eligibility: Students on the programme with basic Spanish.
Official page (opens in a new tab) - Erasmus Mundus master's with UPF as a partner
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's scholarships
Value: Full scholarship covering participation costs plus a monthly allowance
Eligibility: Apply to each programme directly by its deadline (often January–February).
Official page (opens in a new tab)
Admission requirements
Undergraduate
- UPF bachelor's degrees are taught mainly in Catalan and Spanish, with some English-taught groups (for example in economics and business). Check the language of each degree.
- Indian Class 12 must be homologated by the Spanish Ministry of Education, and most applicants use UNEDasiss to obtain an admission grade.
- Places are allocated through Catalonia's university pre-registration, usually in June–July.
Postgraduate
- A recognised bachelor's degree; UPF-BSM reviews your academic record, CV and motivation.
- Proof of English for English-taught master's, as set on each programme's admission page.
- An interview may be part of the selection.
- After admission, pay the enrolment reservation by the date given, then apply for the Spanish student visa.
- The MBA is aimed at graduates with early-career or several years' professional experience.
Documents
- Passport
- Bachelor's degree certificate and transcripts (apostilled and translated where required)
- CV
- Motivation letter
- English test result
- Recommendation letters if requested
- Proof of funds and health insurance for the Spanish student visa
Check if you are eligibleShare your marks and test scores and our counsellor will tell you which courses you can apply for.
English language requirements
| Test or route | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| UPF-BSM master's and MBA | Taught fully in English; each programme lists the accepted tests and levels on its admission page. |
| UPF official research master's | Usually CEFR B2 or C1 in English for English-taught programmes. |
| Bachelor's | Mostly Catalan and Spanish; B2 Spanish is the usual expectation. |
Accommodation and living costs
UPF has no large halls of its own; most students rent rooms in shared flats or private residences in Barcelona. The figures below are our estimates for Barcelona based on market data.
| Item | In EUR | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|
| Room in a shared flatOur estimate for Barcelona | €550–900per month | ≈ ₹58,300 – ₹95,400 |
| Private student residenceUsually includes bills | €850–1,500per month | ≈ ₹90,100 – ₹1.6 lakh |
| Food and groceries | €220–350per month | ≈ ₹23,320 – ₹37,100 |
| Utilities and internet (your share) | €40–90per month | ≈ ₹4,240 – ₹9,540 |
| Public transport (T-jove youth pass, per month) | €20–40per month | ≈ ₹2,120 – ₹4,240 |
| Private health insuranceNeeded for the student visa | €35–60per month | ≈ ₹3,710 – ₹6,360 |
Campus and location
All UPF campuses are in central Barcelona, a large Mediterranean city with strong tech, design, start-up and biomedical sectors.
- Ciutadella campus, next to Ciutadella Park, includes the Dipòsit de les Aigües library in a former water reservoir.
- Poblenou campus is in Barcelona's 22@ innovation district, home to communication and ICT studies.
- Mar campus is beside the Hospital del Mar and the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park on the seafront.
- UPF-BSM, the management school, is also in central Barcelona.
- Students in higher education in Spain can work up to 30 hours a week alongside their studies.
Careers and graduate outcomes
UPF-BSM runs a career development programme with workshops and employer contacts, and its MSc in Management allows a credit-bearing company internship. Spain gives graduates of official degrees a residence permit of up to 24 months to look for work or start a business.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MSc in Management class: international students | 87% | UPF-BSM MSc in Management page |
| MSc in Management class: average age | 24 | UPF-BSM MSc in Management page |
| UPF-BSM master's in the QS Business Masters Ranking 2026 | 5 programmes | UPF-BSM accreditations and rankings |
| Post-study job-search permit | Up to 24 months | Spanish Ministry of Inclusion |
Studying in Spain
Visa rules, work rights and living costs apply to every university in Spain. Our country guide covers them in detail:
Other universities in Spain
Photo: Luis García (Zaqarbal), CC BY-SA 3.0 PrivateIE University (official website, opens in a new tab)
Madrid and Segovia, SpainOften chosen for Business & Management, Law, Arts, Design & Media
Photo: Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 3.0 PrivateEsade (official website, opens in a new tab)
Barcelona, SpainOften chosen for Business & Management, Finance & Accounting, Law
Photo: DigitalCompas, CC BY 4.0 PublicUniversity of Barcelona (official website, opens in a new tab)
Barcelona, SpainOften chosen for Life Sciences, Medicine & Health Sciences, Business & Management
Photo: Zarateman, CC0 PublicOften chosen for Life Sciences, Law, Engineering
Photo: Spanishstudent006, CC BY-SA 3.0 PrivateEU Business School (official website, opens in a new tab)
Barcelona, SpainOften chosen for Business & Management, Finance & Accounting
Photo: Lucía Díaz, CC BY-SA 4.0 PublicOften chosen for Law, Medicine & Health Sciences, Life Sciences
FAQs
What is the difference between UPF and UPF-BSM?
UPF is the public university. UPF Barcelona School of Management is its management school, run by a UPF foundation. UPF-BSM's master's are official UPF degrees but charge their own, higher fees (for example €18,500 for an MSc).
Are UPF-BSM master's official degrees?
Yes. The MSc programmes and the full-time MBA listed here are official master's degrees recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Education.
How much does a master's at UPF cost?
UPF-BSM MSc programmes cost €18,500 for the September 2027 intake and the full-time MBA €28,000. UPF's own research master's are charged at Catalonia's public prices, which are much lower; check upf.edu for the 2026–27 non-EU price.
Are classes in English?
The UPF-BSM master's and MBA are fully in English. Many of UPF's own master's are in English too, but most bachelor's degrees are in Catalan and Spanish.
Is Pompeu Fabra well ranked?
Yes. It is 263rd in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and =205th in THE 2027, and it does especially well in tables of young universities.
Sources
- UPF-BSM: MSc in Management (2027 price, class profile, accreditations) (opens in a new tab)
- UPF-BSM: MSc in Finance and Banking (opens in a new tab)
- UPF-BSM: MSc in Marketing (opens in a new tab)
- UPF-BSM: MSc in International Business (opens in a new tab)
- UPF-BSM: Full-Time MBA in English (opens in a new tab)
- UPF-BSM: about us, accreditations and rankings (opens in a new tab)
- THE World University Rankings 2027: Pompeu Fabra University (opens in a new tab)
- QS World University Rankings 2027 (opens in a new tab)
- Spanish Ministry of Inclusion: job-search residence authorisation (opens in a new tab)
Official website: www.upf.edu (opens in a new tab)
Check the latest details