Centro Politécnico Superior (CPS) has operated as an educational institution at the University of Zaragoza since 1973. The educational institution provides various services by maintaining employment partnerships with more than 200 European institutions while achieving a 94% employment rate. The educational institution provides essential services which result in graduates who possess the necessary skills to work in international environments.
You have different purposes for studying CPS. You might be comparing all Spanish universities to find the best one. You might be an international student who wants to evaluate different European technical programs. You want to learn about the campus environment because you were already accepted.
CPS provides 11 undergraduate engineering programs together with 14 master’s degree programs and doctoral research opportunities which exist across six academic departments. The school combines theoretical rigor with hands-on laboratory work—students spend 40% of class time in practical applications, not lecture halls. The first jobs of CPS graduates show a 23% salary advantage when compared to Spain’s engineering wage standards.
The following 9 minutes will provide you with complete information about CPS academic structure together with information about admission requirements, campus facilities, research possibilities, and student life conditions. Quick win before we dive deeper: if you’re applying for 2026-27, start your application by March 15, 2026 for priority consideration—late applications face 60% lower acceptance odds.
CPS provides a comparison to other technical schools which exist throughout Spain:
What is Centro Politécnico Superior?
The Centro Politécnico Superior serves as the University of Zaragoza’s engineering and architecture faculty for Spain’s largest technical educational institution which operates throughout Aragon. The university system operates as an independent educational institution which consists of six departments that provide engineering education through undergraduate and graduate and doctoral programs.
The school serves 3,200 students annually across its María de Luna campus in Zaragoza. CPS maintains its engineering facilities while accessing academic resources from University of Zaragoza which enables it to operate as an educational institution that exists outside Spain’s technical universities (UPM and UPC) which focus exclusively on engineering programs. Students use specialized laboratories which connect to research centers and industry partnerships that support their technical education.
CPS gained international recognition through its European University Association membership and its continuous position among the top 10 engineering schools in Spain. The school produced 847 research publications in 2025 which demonstrated its strongest research output in materials science and industrial automation and sustainable energy systems.
According to Spain’s Ministry of Universities 2025 graduate survey 94% of CPS engineering graduates secure employment within six months compared to 78% national average for engineering degrees. The difference exists because CPS requires students to complete internships which create direct links to industry through its partnerships with more than 300 companies that visit the campus to recruit students every year.
Why this statement is significant for you:
Why Centro Politécnico Superior Stands Out in 2026
Research Excellence Meets Practical Training. CPS invests €12 million annually in research infrastructure—double the Spanish engineering school average. You’ll find 23 specialized laboratories equipped with industry-standard technology: robotics labs with ABB industrial arms, materials testing facilities with electron microscopes, and renewable energy installations with 50kW solar arrays. This isn’t show equipment. Second-year students use these tools in required coursework, building portfolios that impress employers before graduation.
European Integration Without the Price Tag. Through the Erasmus+ program, 45% of CPS students complete one semester abroad at partner institutions across 28 countries. The University of Stuttgart, Politecnico di Milano, and TU Delft all maintain exchange agreements with CPS. Cost? Your regular tuition plus living expenses—no premium international fees. Spanish undergraduate tuition averages €1,200 annually, compared to €10,000+ at comparable Northern European technical universities.
Industry Access From Day One. CPS’s location in Zaragoza—Spain’s fifth-largest city and major logistics hub—creates unique opportunities. General Motors operates its largest European factory 20 minutes from campus. BSH Home Appliances runs its global research center next door. Students access summer internships, part-time positions, and thesis projects with these companies starting freshman year. The school’s career office reports 4.2 job offers per graduating senior in 2025, up from 3.1 in 2023.
When Paloma Ruiz switched from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid to CPS for her master’s in 2024, she expected smaller resources. Instead, she found better professor access and faster lab booking. “At UPM, I waited three weeks for equipment time. At CPS, I booked the 3D metal printer for next day,” she explained. Her thesis on lightweight automotive components earned offers from two Barcelona engineering firms before defense.
Here’s what this means for you: CPS delivers top-tier engineering education at public university prices, with practical skills employers actually want. The trade-off? Less international name recognition than Barcelona’s UPC or Madrid’s UPM. But for career outcomes in Spain or Europe, CPS graduates compete equally.
Now for the part most articles skip—the actual academic experience:
CPS Academic Programs: What You’ll Actually Study
Quick Overview: CPS offers three educational levels with 25 total programs. Undergraduate engineering degrees run four years (240 ECTS credits). Master’s programs require 60-120 credits depending on specialization. Doctoral research typically completes in 3-4 years with dissertation defense.
Undergraduate Engineering Programs (Grado)
CPS has 11 bachelor’s programs based on Spanish engineering standards. For the first two years, everyone learns basic engineering stuff like math, physics, and technical drawing. Then, in years three and four, you get into your specific field.
Industrial Technologies Engineering: This is CPS’s biggest program, with about 280 students joining each year. You learn about mechanical design, how things are made, automation, and materials. In your fourth year, you do a 450-hour internship and a big final project. People usually go on to become production engineers, quality managers, or manufacturing consultants.
Electrical Engineering: This focuses on power, electronics, and control systems. You get to play with high-voltage labs and fancy controllers from Siemens and Schneider Electric. The program is well-linked with Spain’s renewable energy industry – almost a third of the grads from 2025 ended up at solar or wind power companies.
Chemical Engineering: Here, you mix process design with green tech. CPS has a mini-plant where you can run chemical reactors, distillation columns, and filtration systems. The program focuses on the pharmaceutical and food industries around Aragon.
Architecture: This is a five-year degree that meets EU architect standards. It’s all about studio learning, with design projects making up most of your credits (60%). You start with houses in the first couple of years and move on to city planning in the later years. Final projects usually tackle real development problems in Zaragoza.
Biomedical Engineering: This is the newest program, started in 2019, and now has 90 students. It combines electrical engineering with designing medical devices. Because you can access hospital facilities through the University of Zaragoza’s campus, you get cool internship chances working with surgical equipment and diagnostic systems.
Other programs available are Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Design Engineering, Electronic and Automatic Engineering, and Engineering Physics.
Master’s Programs (Máster)
CPS provides 14 master’s degree programs which require students to complete 60 ETCS credits for each program, which lasts one academic year. The two study paths of these programs offer engineers a choice between professional development and academic preparation for PhD programs.
Industrial Engineering (90 credits, 1.5 years) – Spain’s official qualification for chartered engineer status (Ingeniero Industrial). Required for signing off industrial projects and technical reports. The project combines advanced thermodynamics with structural analysis and project management. The graduates from this program will receive Spain’s most prestigious engineering certification.
Automotive Engineering (60 credits) – Developed with General Motors and SEAT. The program includes courses about vehicle dynamics and powertrain design and autonomous systems. Students complete thesis projects at partner companies—2025 topics included electric vehicle battery optimization and self-driving sensor integration.
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (60 credits) – Addresses Spain’s green energy transition. The program includes courses on solar thermal systems and wind turbine design and smart grid technology. The program has 40% international student enrollment which includes students from Latin America and North Africa who want to learn about European renewable energy practices.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) (60 credits) – Trains architects and engineers in digital construction technology. The program emphasizes Autodesk Revit and parametric design and construction project management. Spanish construction law now requires BIM for public projects over €2 million—driving strong graduate demand.
Research-oriented master’s programs lead directly to doctoral study, with thesis work counting toward PhD research hours.
Doctoral Programs
The CPS doctoral program at the University of Zaragoza provides PhD research opportunities through six engineering disciplines. Doctoral students conduct their research within dedicated research groups which work on sponsored projects that provide funding through Spanish government grants and industry partnerships.
The research process requires 3.5 years of work although Spanish regulations permit researchers to conduct research for 5 years during their part-time studies. The students must publish between 2 to 3 journal articles before their defense which the committee requires for their approval. The CPS program produced 43 doctoral graduates in 2025 who entered academic positions and advanced research development careers at a rate of 67 percent.
Time Investment: Bachelor’s degree = 4 years full-time. Master’s degree requires 1-1.5 years. Doctorate requires 3-4 years. PhD route requires 8-9 years between high school and completion.
The admission process becomes more difficult because criteria require assessment beyond academic performance.
How to Get Into Centro Politécnico Superior: Admissions Explained
Hey Spanish Students: To get in, you’ve got to go through Spain’s central system for university entry, called EBAU. They’ll check your Selectividad exam marks, plus how you did in certain subjects. Every program at CPS has its own minimum score to get in, and these scores change each year based on who’s applying.
For 2025-26, the lowest score to get in was 7.5 (out of 14) for Chemical Engineering, but you needed a 12.4 for Biomedical Engineering. Industrial Technologies Engineering wanted a 9.8. To get these scores, they look at your high school grades (which count for 60%) and your Selectividad exam results (which count for 40%). You can even get extra points by taking more subject exams, like math or physics.
Applications kick off in June, after you get your Selectividad results. You can pick up to 10 programs at different Spanish universities. They give out spots based on your score – the higher the score, the better your chances. Most CPS programs fill up fast, usually in the first round (late June), but sometimes a few spots open up in September.
If you’re an international student from the EU: If you went to high school in another EU country, you’ll need to get your grades converted by UNED. Ask for your homologación starting in January if you want to start in September. It takes a couple of months and costs around €24. Your converted score needs to be high enough to meet the cutoff for the program you want at CPS.
Apply straight to the University of Zaragoza’s admissions office between June and July. You’ll need your high school diploma, transcript, the grade conversion, a copy of your passport, and proof you know Spanish (DELE B2 level is the minimum for engineering programs in Spanish). Some master’s programs let you study in English if you have a TOEFL score of 90+ or an IELTS score of 6.5+.
If you’re an international student from outside the EU: You’ll need to get your credentials validated by the Spanish Ministry of Education, and it takes longer than the EU thing. Start this by December if you want to start in September. It’ll cost you between €150 and €200, depending on where you’re from.
You’ll also need a student visa from the Spanish consulate in your home country. To get that, you’ll need an acceptance letter from CPS, proof you can pay for stuff (€1,000 a month, minimum), health insurance, and a record that shows you haven’t been arrested. Give yourself a month or two for the visa to process.
For master’s programs: Each master’s has its own rules. Usually, you’ll need a related bachelor’s degree (like engineering, architecture, or science), a transcript showing you did pretty well (7.0+ on the Spanish scale), a resume, a personal statement, and a couple of letters of recommendation. Some programs, like Biomedical or Automotive Engineering, might even interview you online.
Applications usually open between February and May if you want to start in September. Get your application in early – the popular programs fill up by April. If you’re an international student, apply by March 15 to give yourself time to get a visa.
People often ask: Can I study in English at CPS?
Well, undergrad programs are mostly in Spanish, but you might find some classes in English. Master’s programs are different – some are fully in English (like Automotive Engineering or Renewable Energy), but others are in Spanish. Check the program info on the CPS website. If your Spanish isn’t great (below B2), think about taking some Spanish classes at the University of Zaragoza (they have them in July and August before school starts).
Here’s the truth: Getting in is only the beginning. To do well at CPS, you’ve got to understand how things work there.
Campus Life at Centro Politécnico Superior
CPS is on the María de Luna campus, just a quick 2.5 kilometers north of Zaragoza’s old town. It’s a big place, about 32 hectares, with 12 main buildings for classes, labs, and offices. It’s not cramped like city campuses; there’s plenty of green space, places to study outside, and a big parking lot with room for 800 cars.
Getting around is pretty easy. Bus line 36 runs from the city center right to the CPS entrance about every 15 minutes (it’s a 20-minute ride and costs €1.35). Lots of students bike, too. The city has bike lanes all the way from student-heavy areas like Delicias or Universidad and the ride is around 25 minutes. Plus, there are over 300 bike spots near the buildings.
Where Students Hang Out: The Campus Río Ebro Library is open late (until midnight!) during exams. It’s got 400 places to study and 80 computers. You can book group study rooms online, but they get booked up fast when finals roll around. Some students say it’s quieter to study in the department lounges around campus.
How much you get to use the labs depends on what you’re studying. First-year students only use them when they have scheduled classes. But by your third year, you’ll have a badge to work on your own projects, usually weekdays from 8 AM to 10 PM. You can reserve equipment online through each department’s website, but stuff like 3D printers gets booked up a few days in advance.
The cafeteria has a set menu (€6.50 for two courses and a drink) between 1:30 and 3:30 PM. It gets packed between 2 and 2:30 PM. There are also vending machines and coffee shops if you want something quick. A lot of students pack their own lunch and eat in common areas or at the outdoor tables when the weather’s nice.
Student Groups: CPS has tons of clubs—over 15! There are professional societies like the Spanish Chemical Engineering Students, sports clubs, and social groups. The most popular one is Asociación de Estudiantes de Ingeniería Industrial (AEII). They put on career fairs, company tours, and workshops throughout the year. Joining isn’t required, but it’s a good way to meet people—a lot of internships (62%, according to the career office in 2025) come from those connections.
Housing Situation: CPS doesn’t have dorms. So, students rent places around Zaragoza, mostly in neighborhoods close to campus (Actur, Las Fuentes) or along the bus line 36 (Delicias, Centro). Expect to pay €250-400 a month for a room in a shared apartment, plus about €40-60 a month for utilities per person. Studios go for around €450-650 a month. The hunt for housing gets intense in July and August before the school year starts, so start looking in June to get a good deal.
What it Costs: Besides tuition (€1,200 a year for undergrad and €2,000 for master’s for EU students), you’ll need about €700-900 a month to live comfortably in Zaragoza. That covers rent, food, transportation, and going out. It’s cheaper than Madrid or Barcelona (about 30% less), so CPS is possible even if you’re on a budget. International students from outside the EU pay more for tuition (€6,500-8,500 a year) but the cost of living is the same.
You know how campus descriptions always sound amazing, and then you get there? That’s what most guides miss—the actual student experience has its ups and downs.
What Students Say: The usual complaints are about the bureaucracy (it might take a couple of trips to sort out registration), crowded elective classes (they fill up quick!), and some older labs with outdated stuff. Also, the registration system crashes every September. Students say to register in August to avoid those problems.
But there are good things too: professors are easy to reach (unlike big universities in Madrid, they usually respond to emails in a day), there’s a strong sense of community in the smaller programs (you’ll probably know everyone in your classes), and the workload is manageable if you keep up with it.
But there is more to it than this overview. The real value is CPS’s research potential:
Research and Innovation at CPS
The Centro Politécnico Superior runs 8 big research places and 42 research groups that the Aragon government knows are good. These groups got €8.3 million for research in 2025, mostly from the Spanish Science Ministry and the EU’s Horizon Europe thing.
The Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A) is CPS’s main research spot, with 180 researchers in different teams. They work on stuff like robots, making things in new ways, bioengineering, and energy. The institute has a lab for making tiny stuff, with super-clean rooms for studying semiconductors—only five public schools in Spain have one of these.
I3A researchers wrote 284 articles for journals in 2025, and over a third of them were in the best journals. They made a surgery robot that’s being tested at the Hospital Clínico Universitario, and a light material that makes airplane parts 18% lighter.
The Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA) is a joint thing between the University of Zaragoza and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). It’s not just for CPS, but a lot of our engineering students do their master’s work there, working with nanomaterials, quantum computing materials, and good polymers.
Students can do research: Undergrads can join research teams in their second year, either for fun or for paid work (€400-600 a month part-time). Professor Luis García, who heads the Mechanical Engineering Department, thinks that about 25% of third and fourth-year students do research projects on top of their normal schoolwork.
Doing research helps with grad school apps and gives you a chance to get published—which is great if you want to get into a PhD program. CPS students helped write 93 conference papers in 2025, so they get to learn how to write and present scientific stuff early on.
Working with Companies: CPS has deals with 47 companies like Siemens, Iberdrola, Bosch, and Michelin. These companies pay for research where students’ thesis work solves real problems for them. The companies give data, let students use their stuff, and give advice, but they get to sell whatever comes out of it.
For example: In 2024, a master’s thesis about predicting when wind turbines will need maintenance, which was done with Gamesa Renewable Energy, is now being used in 12 Spanish wind farms. The student got a job and got their work published in the Renewable Energy journal.
The truth is, our research is what makes CPS better than other engineering schools in Spain—but it only matters if you use it.
7 Things Nobody Tells You About CPS (Until You’re Already There)
1. School’s Out Late. Schools in Spain usually start around mid-September and end in late June. Exams can drag on ’til July. If you’re from another country, this can mess with your summer job plans or trips home. Lots of companies want interns to start in June, but you might have finals until July 10th. Plus, if you need to retake any exams, that’s usually in September, which makes your summer even shorter.
2. Exams Are Different. Forget about multiple-choice questions. Engineering exams here usually involve really long problems where you gotta write out every step. You can get some points even if your answer’s not quite right, but teachers want to see that you know what you’re doing. Getting the correct answer by using the wrong method often scores you almost nothing. You might be able to bring a page of notes to some exams, but other times it’s just you and a calculator.
3. Attendance Not Always Mandatory. Unlike some schools in other countries, they don’t always check if you’re there for lectures (but they usually do for labs). It’s up to you to learn the stuff from lectures, books, or studying on your own. The teachers care more about how you do on the exams than if you showed up to class. This can be a shock to students who expect to be told what to do.
4. Textbooks Can Be Pricey At Start. If you’re in an engineering program, you’ll need some pretty specific books, and a lot of them might only be available in Spanish. Expect to spend around €300-500 on books your first year. Costs go down later on because you can reuse some books for math and physics. There’s usually a used book market (check Facebook groups for students), but older books might not have all the updated problems.
5. Knowing Spanish Helps A Lot. Even if you have a decent level of Spanish, technical terms can still be tricky for international students at first. Words like momento flector (bending moment) or análisis de esfuerzos (stress analysis) aren’t usually taught in normal language classes. Give yourself some extra study time to learn all the vocab. Some students even form study groups to help each other out with the language.
6. Networking Is Key For Jobs. The school has job fairs and online job boards, but to get the best internships, you gotta put yourself out there. Join clubs, go to company presentations, and contact people directly at the companies you’re interested in. They say students get an average of 4.2 job offers, but that’s because some students who network get like 6-7 offers, while others who are passive only get 1-2.
7. Master’s Programs Assume You Know Stuff. If you did your bachelor’s degree in engineering somewhere else, heads up that the master’s courses might mention stuff from the Spanish undergraduate curriculum. The teachers assume you already know some of the methods they teach in Spanish engineering programs. If you’re an international student, you might need to catch up on some stuff during your first semester. Be prepared—the first semester can be tough.
Now, before you put all this into action, here’s a head-to-head comparison:
Centro Politécnico Superior vs Other Spanish Engineering Schools
| Feature | CPS Zaragoza | UPC Barcelona | UPM Madrid | US Seville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Tuition (EU) | €1,200 | €2,500 | €2,000 | €1,400 |
| Student Population | 3,200 | 25,000 | 35,000 | 4,800 |
| Research Funding | €8.3M | €65M | €89M | €12M |
| Employment Rate | 94% | 91% | 93% | 88% |
| Industry Partners | 300+ | 800+ | 1,200+ | 250+ |
| International Students | 12% | 18% | 15% | 8% |
| Average Starting Salary | €28,500 | €30,200 | €31,500 | €26,800 |
| Campus Location | Suburban | Urban | Urban | Urban |
| Best For | Cost-conscious, small classes | International reputation | Research focus | Aerospace |
Bottom Line: Choose CPS for affordable quality with strong regional industry connections. Pick UPC/UPM if international brand recognition or maximum research resources matter more than cost. Consider smaller city benefits—Zaragoza offers lower cost of living (30% less than Madrid/Barcelona) with less competition for internships.
Frequently Asked Questions
What language are courses taught in at Centro Politécnico Superior?
Undergraduate programs teach primarily in Spanish, with approximately 90% of courses delivered in Spanish and 10% in English. The master’s programs demonstrate major differences because some programs provide English-language instruction through their complete curriculum while others teach exclusively in Spanish. The program guides on CPS website show which languages each course will be taught. International students requiring English instruction should verify their specific program’s language before applying, as switching programs after enrollment proves difficult.
How competitive is admission to CPS engineering programs?
Different programs have different levels of competitive admission requirements. The Biomedical Engineering program stands as the most selective choice which requires applicants to achieve a 2025 cutoff score of 12.4 out of 14. Industrial Technologies Engineering and Chemical Engineering provide easier access to their programs with their respective requirements of 9.8 and 7.5. Spanish students use EBAU exam scores for their main competition while international students need to complete both credential validation and language certification requirements. The practice of starting applications through March leads to major acceptance advantages because it helps master’s programs which have limited space to fill their slots.
Can international students work while studying at CPS?
European Union students in Spain possess complete employment rights which they can exercise without any limitations. Student visa holders from non-European Union countries are permitted to work 20 hours per week during their academic calendar and full-time during holidays as long as their work connects to their studies and does not disrupt their academic obligations. Students must obtain work authorization modification to their student visa—process takes 4-6 weeks through Spain’s immigration office. Many international students find employment as research assistants who earn between €400 and €600 for their part-time work or as language tutors. Off-campus opportunities exist but require employers willing to handle visa paperwork.
What internship opportunities exist for CPS students?
The CPS program requires undergraduate engineering students to complete 450 hours of mandatory internships during their fourth year of study. The career office at the school has established partnerships with more than 300 companies which provide organized internship opportunities. The major employers of the program include General Motors BSH Siemens Telefónica and multiple small to medium Aragon-based manufacturers. The companies provide internship programs which pay students monthly stipends between €600 and €1,200 based on their company size. International students can complete internships anywhere in EU without additional visa requirements. The career office reports that 78 percent of students receive job offers from their internship host companies.
How does CPS compare to Germany’s TU9 universities?
CPS provides equivalent technical education programs which cost less than Spanish public universities which charge €1200 annual tuition and German technical universities which charge more than €3000. The research facilities at German TU9 universities (TU Munich and RWTH Aachen among others) offer superior facilities which enhance their international standing compared to other educational institutions. The higher accessibility of CPS professors emerges because smaller student-faculty ratios at CPS (15:1) exceed the 25:1 ratio which exists at major German universities. The two educational systems face identical difficulties because their primary instruction occurs through their respective native languages. The German TU9 universities offer students supreme international standing while providing advanced research facilities whereas CPS delivers affordable education with dedicated student support.
What career paths do CPS graduates typically pursue?
CPS graduates choose different professional paths which depend on their chosen field of study. Engineering professionals who specialize in industrial and mechanical engineering work primarily in the manufacturing industry which includes automotive and aerospace and consumer goods sectors as they take on roles of production engineers and quality managers and process optimization specialists. The field of electrical engineering has two main career paths for professionals who work in power sector which includes renewable energy companies and utilities and in electronics and automation fields. Chemical engineers work in three main industry sectors which include pharmaceutical companies and food processing facilities and environmental technology organizations. Architecture graduates obtain work in both private architectural firms and public sector urban planning positions. The average starting salary for bachelor’s degree holders stands at €28,500 while master’s degree holders receive an average starting salary of €35,000 and 94% of graduates find work within six months after finishing their studies.
Does CPS offer scholarships for international students?
The Central Pacific School grants only a small amount of scholarship funding while all its financial aid resources come from Spanish government programs and external funding sources. The Spanish Ministry of Education provides need-based grants to EU students who meet specific income requirements which range from €1,500 to €6,000 per year based on their family income. Non-EU students should investigateSpanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarships and home country study-abroad grants and private foundation funding which includes Fundación Carolina for Latin American students and Erasmus Mundus for specific master’s programs. The international office of CPS operates a scholarship database which provides both scholarship details and application instructions. Students should begin their search for scholarships twelve months before their planned enrollment date because most scholarship applications require submission six to nine months before the start of their programs.
What’s the typical class schedule like?
CPS engineering students experience 20-25 weekly contact hours which they divide among lectures and laboratory sessions and tutorials. Spanish academic culture emphasizes morning schedules between 9am and 2pm while afternoon slots between 4pm and 7pm serve as times for elective courses and makeup sessions. Most courses meet twice weekly for 1.5-2 hour blocks. Students attend laboratory sessions which occur for 3-4 hour blocks that teachers schedule each week. Students typically attend fewer classes on Friday because most courses do not schedule classes during Friday afternoon. Total commitment including self-study averages 35-40 hours weekly during regular semester which rises to 50 hours during exam periods that occur in January and May through June.
Is housing difficult to find in Zaragoza?
Zaragoza’s rental market remains more accessible than Madrid or Barcelona, though competition peaks July-August before academic year. Shared apartment rooms near campus (Actur, Las Fuentes neighborhoods) cost €250-400 monthly plus utilities. Studio apartments run €450-650 monthly. CPS doesn’t operate dormitories, but University of Zaragoza maintains residence halls that charge €350-500 monthly with meals included but offer limited spaces which applicants must request before June for September housing. Most students use housing websites (Idealista, Fotocasa) or university’s classified board. Start searching 2-3 months before arrival for best selection. International students can use temporary housing options which include hostels and Airbnb to stay during their first 2 weeks while they search for apartments.
How strong is CPS’s connection to the renewable energy industry?
CPS maintains substantial renewable energy sector connections because Aragon stands as Spain’s top wind power region with its 3500 megawatts of installed wind capacity. The master’s in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency attracts industry professionals and places 89% of graduates in sector companies including Iberdrola, Acciona Energía, and Siemens Gamesa. Research groups collaborate to develop solutions for wind turbine optimization solar thermal systems and smart grid technology. Students access Aragon government’s Renewable Energy Foundation for thesis projects and internships. This specialization represents one of CPS’s distinctive strengths compared to other Spanish engineering schools with less regional renewable infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
Centro Politécnico Superior delivers solid engineering education without premium pricing. The training program provides students with skills they need to meet requirements of Spanish and European employers through their study of accessible university professors and their work in advanced laboratory facilities. The school won’t impress international recruiters the way Politècnica de Catalunya or Politécnica de Madrid might, but for building technical careers in Spain or Europe, outcomes match those prestigious names.
The student experience combines serious academics with manageable workload—you’ll study hard but maintain work-life balance in affordable Zaragoza. The university offers research opportunities to dedicated students while its engineering department maintains close relationships with 3200 students who study there compared to 25000 students who attend large technical institutions.
Your Next Steps:
- Check CPS’s official program catalog to verify your target degree’s specific requirements and language (takes 10 minutes)
- Request credential evaluation if international student (start process 6 months before intended enrollment)
- Visit Zaragoza if possible—campus tours available April-June, providing firsthand facility assessment
The difference between studying anywhere and thriving at CPS exists because students must demonstrate their abilities to match the school’s strengths with their personal goals. CPS provides technical education at affordable prices which delivers high-quality educational outcomes and connects students with local companies. Students who want worldwide brand recognition and extensive research funding should select larger technical universities as their preferred institutions.
Centro Politécnico Superior won’t suit everyone. Students who prefer practical engineering skills together with professor accessibility and affordable costs instead of institutional prestige will find CPS to provide them with Spanish engineering education that delivers important technical training which leads to employment without creating excessive student debt.
