Adult education and training in Spain is provided through different categories of public or publicly funded institutions, with responsibility shared among the education, employment and local authorities.

Education authorities

Education authorities are primarily responsible for the provision of adult education (AE). This provision is delivered through:

• specific public adult education institutions, exclusively dedicated to these programmes;
• adult education classrooms within mainstream educational institutions, operating on a part-time basis;
• distance education.

According to the latest available data, in 2024 there were 1 409 specific public adult education institutions in Spain, 493 public institutions offering other types of education with adult education groups, and 9 specific public distance education institutions (Source: Statistics of the Subdirectorate General for Statistics and Studies of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport) [last accessed 26 December 2025]. Their distribution falls under the responsibility of the autonomous communities’ Education authorities.

There are also private institutions publicly funded which carry out adult education activities, as described in Article 2.3 on the financing of adult education and training.

The training provision offered by the education authorities is structured around the following options:

• provision aimed at improving achievement in basic competences;
• provision leading to the award of an official qualification in adulthood;
• vocational education and training within the Vocational Training System.

Distance and blended provision

The Centro Integrado de Enseñanzas Regladas a Distancia (CIDEAD) coordinates state-level distance adult education and offers, among other programmes, lower secondary education and upper secondary education for adults in certain circumstances. It also organises modular vocational training provision delivered virtually (grades C, D and E). The Aula Mentor system complements this offer through open and distance learning, in collaboration with regional and local authorities.

Employment authorities

Employment authorities promote vocational training for employment through a network of entities of different types. In Spain, there are 14 319 accredited entities for on-site provision and 1 475 for distance learning (accredited centres are those authorised to issue Certificates of Professional Competence). Similarly, there are 11 652 registered centres providing publicly funded training on-site and 1 850 for distance learning.

According to Royal Decree 694/2017, this provision includes training initiatives aimed at both employed and unemployed persons, as well as company-based training schemes and other regulated vocational training for employment actions.

Local authorities

Local authorities, comprising municipalities and other municipal-level entities, also provide adult education through a diverse network of centres, including:

• specific adult education institutions;
• popular universities;
• social initiative centres;
• local corporations;
• universities for older adults.

In many cases, these centres combine education and training with socio-cultural and community activities.