Public and concertado school applications Madrid 2025/26

It’s that time of year, the application process for public and concertado schools in Madrid will open on March 12-26th (dates inclusive).  Whilst it is not the most complicated process, I don’t think that any Spanish state website is ever user friendly and Raíces most definitely is not!  For families who are entering the Spanish education system for the first time system it can be very daunting. For that reason I’ve prepared a mini outline of the  public and concertado school application process in Madrid including key dates and stages.

Early March (exact date TBC)

All public and concertado schools publish the number of available places although annoyingly this information is not usually available until one day before application process opens. This will help to give you an idea of whether or not it is possible for your child to get a place based on the number of points that your family has.

Application submissions: March 12-26th

• School applications are made via secretaría virtual except if a technical difficulty makes it impossible to be able to do so. In this case you must print three hard copies and submit it at the educational centre which is your first choice (I recommend first calling the school to confirm secretary’s working hours). 
• The admission application form must be signed by both parents or legal representatives of the student, unless it is proven that it is impossible to do so or one of them does not hold parental authority, in which case they must present a responsible declaration.

Application is online using one of the following:

• Certificado digital
• La clave
• Raices / roble log in details

There are several helpful resources provided by La Comunidad de Madrid. Another good one is this FAQ page. It can be very reassuring to see that lots of families struggle and have the same questions when accessing the Spanish education system for the very first time.

April 4th

Publication of provisional list of students who have selected school as their first choice.

April 24th

Publication of lists showing the score for each application.

April 25th, 28th & 29th

Deadline for submitting claims regarding the provisional score lists.

May 8th

Final and definitive school lists published.

May 29th & 30th

Optional period for submitting supplementary school applications
This applies exclusively to students who have participated in the admissions process but have not secured a place at any of the requested schools and are without a place for the 2025/2026 academic year.

June 13th – 26th

Enrolment period for infants and primary education (takes place at assigned school):

• segundo infantil  – three to six years old
• primaria – six to twelve years old

June 12th – July 4th

Enrolment period for secondary education (takes place at assigned school):

• ESO (secondary education) – twelve to sixteen years old.

If you’re planning a move to Spain and trying to make sense of schools in Madrid, there are a few ways to get started — depending on where you are in the process.

Some families begin with a clear overview of how the system works. Others prefer personalised guidance or hands-on school search support.

You can see the different options here and choose what suits your situation.

👉 Cómo empezar

I’m Sinéad Galvin, founder of Steps into Spain, a boutique education consultancy dedicated to helping families find the right school in Madrid. With more than 20 years living here and over 150 school visits, I combine personal insight with first-hand knowledge of the system.