Bachelor in International Studies

About the course

A four-year, 240-credit degree covering global governance, political economy, conflict studies, history, law and sustainable development. It is taught entirely in English on the Getafe campus, and no subject has a Spanish-language group.

Entry requirements for Irish students

• Under Spanish law (Royal Decree 534/2024), Leaving Cert students do not sit the Spanish PAU but must meet Irish university matriculation rules. As a guide, UCD asks for six subjects, with at least H5 in two Higher Level subjects and O6/H7 in the other four, including English and Irish. UNEDasiss converts your Leaving Cert into a Spanish score out of 10. Confirm with UC3M admissions.
• Places are ranked on the admission score. The 2026/27 cut-off was 12.267 out of 14, and UC3M says this is only a guide for 2027/28. A converted Leaving Cert on its own (maximum 10) will not be enough, so you would need to raise your score with UNED PCE tests in subjects UC3M weights for this degree. UC3M recommends a solid background in history, geography, mathematics, economics and environmental sciences.
• English: UC3M recommends B2 English before starting, and students must show B2 by the end of first year. UC3M accepts a school-leaving certificate from an English-speaking system, so the Leaving Cert should cover this. Confirm with UC3M.

How to apply

1. Register with UNEDasissFrom February 2027, apply for UNEDasiss accreditation of your Leaving Cert (about 36 euro) and book PCE tests in subjects weighted for International Studies.
2. Sit the PCE testsTake the UNED PCE exams (usually May/June) to raise your score towards 14. The 2026/27 cut-off was 12.267.
3. Apply to UC3MApply through UC3M’s general process for EU certificate holders in June 2027, or its early admission process. Check the exact dates.
4. Accept and enrolIf you are offered a place, enrol online by the date given and pay the first fee instalment.

Costs

• UC3M is a public university, so EU students pay the same as Spanish students. In 2026/27, 60 credits cost about 1,015 to 1,241 euro depending on the degree’s price band, and English-taught groups pay the same rate. The 1,241 euro figure is the top of that range; confirm this degree’s band on the UC3M prices page. The UNEDasiss accreditation costs about 36 euro, plus fees for any UNED PCE subject tests.

At a glance