In recent years, Madrid and País Vasco have seen a sharp shift: an increasing number of young people choosing vocational education (Formación Profesional, FP) are being forced to attend private colleges. The reason is simple—public institutions are unable to keep up with rising demand. As a result, nearly 40% of FP students in these regions end up in the private sector, and in some autonomous communities, this figure has long surpassed 30%.
The situation is alarming: the government cannot create new public placements quickly enough, and private colleges are rapidly filling the gap. The problem is especially acute in high-demand fields such as healthcare and related sectors. Private institutions here offer a wide range of programs, while public ones have almost none.
The Path to a Profession
Vocational education in Spain has long been regarded as one of the most reliable routes to stable employment. More and more young people are choosing FP, hoping for a fast track to their careers. But the reality is that public colleges cannot accommodate everyone who applies. As a result, those who miss out on public spots are forced to look for alternatives among private options.
In the Basque Country, the proportion of FP students in private colleges has already surpassed 43%, and in Madrid it’s nearly 38%. Catalonia, Andalusia, Aragon, and Cantabria show a similar picture: more than a third of students are paying for their education. Meanwhile, in the Canary Islands and Castilla-La Mancha, the public system is still holding on, although there too, a lack of spots and accessibility issues are becoming apparent.
The price tag
Studying at private colleges doesn’t come cheap. Over two years, a student will have to pay anywhere from 1,500 to 12,000 euros. For many families, that’s an unmanageable sum, especially for the most popular and promising specialties. As a result, access to the best programs depends on income rather than ability or ambition.
This is especially evident in medical fields: radiology, nuclear medicine, dental hygiene, pathology. Such programs are rarely found in public colleges, while private ones offer them in abundance. As a result, the most lucrative professions become a privilege for those who can afford to pay.
The online trap
Private colleges are actively expanding their remote learning programs. At first glance, this seems convenient: you can study from anywhere in the country. But in reality, young people who can’t get into public colleges often end up in online formats not by choice, but because there simply aren’t enough spots. This brings new risks: weak support, limited practical experience, and a high dropout rate. It’s especially tough for students from rural areas, where educational opportunities are already scarce.
Contrary to expectations, remote learning isn’t always a saving grace. For many, it’s a forced measure rather than a conscious choice. As a result, the gap widens between city and countryside, between those who can afford in-person education and those who have to settle for online lectures.
Double standards
All of this leads to the emergence of two parallel systems: one public, overloaded and limited, the other private, offering everything—but only to some. In the end, the education market increasingly resembles the market for luxury goods: the best programs are reserved for a select few.
Unless the government increases the number of state-funded places and expands available programs, change is unlikely. Young people will keep searching for workarounds, and social inequality will only deepen. The question of access to education is becoming increasingly urgent, and there’s still no clear answer.
