Address: Calle San Fernando 4, 41004 Seville, Spain
Literature and Philology, Geography and History, Health Sciences, Business, Engineering, Communication, Sciences
The University of Seville, in Spanish Universidad de Sevilla, was founded as the Colegio Santa María de Jesús in 1505, after a papal bull of Julius II. Its antecedents date to 1254, when Alfonso the Wise established general schools in Seville. It became an official university in 1551 by Royal Provision. The city of Seville is the capital of Andalusia, in the south of Spain.
Its main building is the Old Tobacco Factory, the Real Fábrica de Tabacos, which houses the rectorate, Literature and Philology, and Geography and History. This is one of the most remarkable university buildings in Europe. La Macarena hosts the Health Sciences schools, Nervión the Business School, and La Cartuja the Engineering School and the School of Communications. The Languages Institute and the science schools complete the sites.
In 2022 the university counted 57,214 students. In 2004 the figure had been 73,350, which made it the second largest among Spanish universities at the time. The budget reaches 497,776,950 euros, and the university ranks sixth among Spanish universities. It offers 65 subjects. The library holds about 777,000 volumes. The record does not give the number of staff.
The structure is organised in departments, governed by a Department Council, and in faculties, technical sciences schools and university schools, governed by a Centre Council. This is the usual model of the Spanish university, and it gives each faculty a good degree of autonomy.
The list of alumni is distinguished. Felipe González, former Prime Minister of Spain, and Alfonso Guerra, former Deputy Prime Minister, studied there, as did the judge Baltasar Garzón. The poets Luis Cernuda and Pedro Salinas, and the writer Juan Ramón Jiménez, are linked to the university. Joseph Blanco White and the American writer and director Stephen Sommers appear on the list. Public tuition fees in Spain are set by each region. Check the current tariff.
The city adds a lot to the university. Seville offers a historic centre, a long summer and a lively student community, and the faculties are close to the main sights. Applicants should read the official pages for the programmes taught in English, the entry conditions and the exchange options. The old and new sites give students a mix of heritage and modern facilities.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, Chemistry, Engineering, Finance, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Telecommunications
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Old Tobacco Factory as main building, campuses at La Macarena, Nervión and La Cartuja, Languages Institute.
Research:
Engineering, sciences, health sciences, humanities and business.
Famous Alumnis:
Felipe González, Alfonso Guerra, Baltasar Garzón, Luis Cernuda, Pedro Salinas, Juan Ramón Jiménez
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
N/A
Current students***:
57214
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Founded in 1505, rectorate in the historic Old Tobacco Factory, 57,214 students, engineering at La Cartuja, library of 777,000 volumes.
Cons
Large student body, buildings spread across the city, summer heat.
Best For
Students seeking a large historic public university in the capital of Andalusia.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Both schools build their programmes around finance, chemistry and physics, and University of Valencia is the one to compare first within the country, since it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers microbiology and genetics and statistics as well.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of finance, chemistry and physics can consider Complutense University of Madrid, and it is larger, enrolling about 86,159 students against roughly 57,214 here, and is also a public institution.
Where this university leans on finance, chemistry and physics, Autonomous University of Madrid does the same, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers data analytics as well.
Also strong in chemistry, physics and mathematics, University of the Basque Country makes a sensible second look at home; it covers fluid dynamics and materials as well, and is slightly smaller, at about 44,921 students against roughly 57,214 here.
University of Granada sits close to this institution on chemistry, physics and mathematics; it has almost the same size, at about 60,000 students, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
University of Belgrade (Serbia) works on the same fields as this university, chiefly chemistry, physics and mathematics; it is larger, enrolling about 94,425 students against roughly 57,214 here, and is also a public institution.
Seen from abroad, University of Vienna (Austria) is a close relative on subject matter, since finance, chemistry and physics are central to both, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
If this institution is on your list for finance, chemistry and physics, Cairo University in Egypt deserves a comparison, because it is far larger, with about 207,853 students against roughly 57,214 here, and is also a public institution.
The closest overseas parallel on finance, chemistry and physics is University of Turin, located in Italy; it covers agriculture and microbiology and genetics as well, and is slightly larger, at about 81,200 students against roughly 57,214 here.
In Austria, University of Innsbruck teaches much the same core subjects, chemistry, physics and mathematics, and it is smaller, enrolling about 28,106 students against roughly 57,214 here, and is also a public institution.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Seville?
In Seville, Andalusia, Spain, with its main building in the Old Tobacco Factory.
When was it founded?
In 1505, as the Colegio Santa María de Jesús.
When did it become an official university?
In 1551, by Royal Provision.
Which building houses the rectorate?
The Old Tobacco Factory, Real Fábrica de Tabacos.
Where is the Engineering School?
At La Cartuja.
Where are the Health Sciences schools?
At La Macarena.
How many students does it have?
57,214 in 2022.
How many volumes does the library hold?
About 777,000.
Which former prime minister studied there?
Felipe González.
What does it cost?
Public tuition fees in Spain are set by each region. Check the current tariff.
Aeronautics, Chemistry, Engineering, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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