History
Although there had been a Studium Generale approved by King Sancho IV in Alcalá since 1293, the University of Alcalá was founded in 1499 as a completely new educational project by Cardinal Cisneros, the Regent of Spain.
Education
Our vision is to be a leading university in the international context, committed to society, inclusive and open to the world, contributing to the advancement of knowledge and the training of citizens by means of quality teaching, excellence in research and the promotion of ethical and socially responsible attitudes.
University of Alcalá Key Statistics & Highlights
- #697 Ranking
- 3 Masters
- 56 Scholarships
- 1,512 Academic Staff
- 17,995 Students
- 4,139 Students (int'l)
- 9,537 Students (female)
- Public Institution Type
University of Alcalá Overview
University of Alcalá Scholarships
University of Alcalá Scholarships
Below you will find scholarships related to University of Alcalá. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
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University of Alcalá Student Reviews & Awards
Based on 100 reviews
- 5 Star 42 Reviews
- 4 Star 41 Reviews
- 3 Star 10 Reviews
- 2 Star 5 Reviews
- 1 Star 2 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
- Overall Satisfaction 4.4
- Student Teacher Interaction 4.4
- Student Diversity 4.5
- Admission Process 4.6
- Quality of Student Life 4.6
Biomedical laboratory and investigation
I did a lot of biomedical practices in my bachelor and that was really enriching because I learned how to work properly in a lab. Also, I gained experience in investigation as a main part of the degree was critical thinking and paper research. Despite that, I had to study a lot and I had many exams so I could not be creative and go further with certain interesting topics. Overall, I recommend to study my bachelor to everybody that wants to learn a lot of things in the biology area with perspective of investigation.
My Experience at the University of Alcalá
Studying at the University of Alcalá has been such a memorable experience. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but the professors and students there were so welcoming that I have liked it since day one . The Business Administration (ADE) program is challenging, but the way classes are taught makes it enjoyable. I loved the campus itself; walking around the historic buildings makes every day feel special. Beyond academics, I met amazing people from all over, and those friendships made my time here better. The university also gives a lot of support if you want to explore exchange programs or opportunities abroad, which I really appreciated. All in all, studying here wasn’t just about learning business — it was about learning about myself, working with others, and getting ready for the future. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my university journey.
Studying at UAH
What made me study this degree was that it offered the possibility of studying it in English. Even though Professors do not always have enough English level to be teaching a Degree-level class in English, there were teachers from abroad (Finland, Ireland, Italy, etc.) from whom it was a delight to listen to and learn. The subjects were not too difficult, but they weren't a gift either. From my perspective, the subjects corresponding to the Economics degree were much more interesant than those corresponding to International Business. What I do not like is the lack of transparency regarding scholarships. And when writing a claim against this scholarship office, the responses are lacking from rigor and intelligence. My overall experience was good, 7/10
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Overall SatisfactionHow would you rate your overall study experience?
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Student Teacher InteractionHow helpful were your teachers?
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Student DiversityHow diverse was the atmosphere at your university?
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Admission ProcessHow simple was it to apply to your programme?
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Quality of Student LifeHow was your everyday life?
University of Alcalá Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
QS World University Rankings
By TopUniversities
Dropped 76 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 538 | 621 | 697 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 901 | 701 | 701 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
By Times Higher Education
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 801 | 801 | 801 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
By U.S. News & World Report
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 865 | - | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Student services
At the University of Alcalá you will find a whole range of services and activities so that your stay is enriching and beneficial.
Housing services
San Ildefonso Residence is located in the historic and artistic centre of Alcalá de Henares, in the Patio de Filósofos in the old University building, and provides hotel and residential accommodation for conferences, courses, tribunals, visiting lecturers, etc.
Places: it has 39 bedrooms, of which 12 are double, 26 are single and there is 1 suite.
Library services
The University of Alcalá has 14 libraries on its three campuses, with extensive opening hours throughout the academic year. Students can also order books from other Spanish university libraries using the loan service.
ICT services
Students on international mobility programmes have free access to the computer rooms located in the various faculties. Students have free access to classrooms, and can use the e-mail service and free Internet access. The University of Alcalá has wi-fi in all its buildings.
Medical services
The University of Alcalá Disabled Policies Integration and Coordination Unit provides specialised support and advice services for the full inclusion of differently labelled people in university life.
Campus life
This campus is located in the centre of the city of Alcalá de Henares. In its restored buildings dating back to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries are the Faculties of Arts and Humanities; Law; Economics, Business and Tourism and the School of Architecture, as well as the University President's Office, the Learning and Research Resource Centre (CRAI), the Postgraduate School and the Doctoral School.
Sports facilities
To make sure our students keep fit, the University of Alcalá offers them its sports facilities on campus and in the city centre. You can get involved in various sports, such as archery, badminton, fencing, rugby, diving, horse riding and mountain climbing, among many other possibilities.