Euraxess Service Centre

If you are a highly qualified professional (researcher, technologist, etc.) coming to work in the Basque Country and/or an organisation thinking of recruiting such a person, please contact the service centre for the Basque Euraxess network, IKERBASQUE (www.ikerbasque.net), or any of its local contact points. We will provide you with useful information about accommodation, visas, administrative and social-cultural aspects, grants and vacancies. 

The EURAXESS European Network of service centres tries to provide information and advice those researchers moving to/from/within Europe, regardless of their nationality or the type of programme they are joining, in order to help them overcome the mobility barriers.

CITIZENS UNDER THE EU REGIME

Citizens under the EU regime can enter, leave, remain in and move freely around the whole of Spain. All of the citizens of the current 27 member states of the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are fully covered by the EU regime.

People from the European Union or the European Economic Area who intend to stay in Spain for more than 3 months will need to request the corresponding Residence Card within one month of entering Spain.

CITIZENS OF THIRD PARTY COUNTRIES

The procedure for authorising entry, residency and work, for foreign nationals from outside the EU, is regulated by national Law. Please contact our Euraxess Node por specific information and assistance.

The Basque Country has two official languages: Basque and Spanish. In case you are interested in learning our language, our Euraxess node may assist you.

The Basque Country provides a top-class cultural environment in which art and history exist in perfect harmony alongside a broad cultural offering including events such as internationally famous music festivals and more deeply rooted celebrations. We cannot fail to mention the relationship that Donostia-San Sebastian has with the cinema. This can be seen from the San Sebastian International Film Festival, and the no less prestigious Horror and Fantasy Film Festival which is held in the city at the end of October.

The Basque Country is a land of great artistic richness, one in which cave paintings can be found along with a wide range of megalithic monuments and archaeological sites from different historical eras. The Roman, Gothic and Renaissance periods are all present in emblematic monuments in the three territories; without forgetting the current importance of the Basque Country in terms of new modernist architecture.

In this summary of the cultural features we must make a special mention of the interesting and high-quality museums in the Basque Country: The Guggenheim Bilbao Museoa is an international benchmark for contemporary art, the Artium, Basque Centre-Museum of Contemporary Art in Vitoria- Gasteiz and the Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts. In addition, there are ethnographic museums, various interpretation centres and the possibility of discovering the hidden secrets of the Basque Country.

There are various options in the Basque Country when it comes to finding housing (renting or buying) or choosing a different type of accommodation (hotels, halls of residence, etc.).

RENTING

In general, if you are going to stay in the community for less than one year it is advisable to rent a property. To do this, you will need to sign a written rental or leasing contract with the owner and fully understand your rights and obligations.

BUYING

If you are planning to stay in the Basque Country for an indefinite period of time then buying a property could be of interest. Properties for sale are advertised in the same places as properties for rent (see above section).The Association of European Citizens (http://www.c-euro.org) has a website containing essential information about many factors that affect foreigners living in Spain who want to buy a property.

RESIDENCES AND HALLS OF RESIDENCE

  • Talent House. Residence for researchers
    Talent House, the Residence for researchers in Donostia-San Sebastian, with 80 flats of different sizes (family, double, single), all with a study area. Check their website

  • Bilbao BBK Talent
    It is a residential complex addressed to high qualified researchers coming to Bizkaia to teach or research as non-permanent researchers at the high level research centers of R&D of Bizkaia arranged with the Programme. But this project does not want to be just a facility, yet it wants to make feel home those researchers making an stage at the research centers. For that purpouse they have designed an specific programme so the researchers can know and integrate in the land and with its inhabitants as well as among the residents of the facility. Check their website
  • University of the Basque Country - Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea
    This offers different accommodation options.
  • University of Deusto
    It offers a very comprehensive range of different accommodation options.
  • University of Mondragón
    It offers various accommodation options.
The Basque Country is very easy to get to by air, road and rail from the main cities in Spain and Europe, and once you are here, there is an extensive public transportation network. Please visit the following website for more details.

INFANT, PRIMARY AND COMPULSORY SECONDARY EDUCATION

In the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country there is free schooling available from 3 to 16 years old and education is compulsory from 6 years old. It consists of:

  • Infant Education: from 3 to 6 years old
  • Primary Education: from 6 to 12 years old
  • Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO): from 12 to 16 years old

Types of school
There are state schools, "concertado" schools (private education subsidised by the Department of Education, Universities and Research at the Basque Government) and international schools.Apart from the international schools in the Basque Country, teaching is in two languages: Basque and Spanish. These are the two official languages in this Community.List of non-university education centres (schools and institutes in the Basque Country): http://www.hezkuntza.ejgv.euskadi.net/r43-5532/es/

POST-COMPULSORY SECONDARY EDUCATION

Students can choose whether or not to stay on at school from 16 to 18 years old.
Students who pass the Compulsory Secondary Education qualification obtain the "Graduate of Compulsory Secondary Education" qualification which allows them to study for a High School Diploma (bachillerato) or intermediate vocational training (ciclos formativos de grado medio).

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Vocational Training refers to the set of studies strongly linked to occupations and the labor market, and today is interpreted as a process throughout the active life of the person, encompassing both formal training of school-age young people, and job training aimed at employed workers or professional competence recognition.
Vocational Training offers around 170 different titles aimed at people to achieve professional competence and be prepared for skilled jobs. The different titles are grouped into professional families and consist of courses called "modules" with theoretical and practical content, including a work placement stage.

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

The Basque university system is part of the European Higher Education Area, also known as the Bologna process.

The Bologna Plan is based on a flexible system of easily readable and comparable degrees, in order to promote the employment opportunities for students and encourage their mobility, while also aiding the international competitiveness of the European Higher Education System. The qualifications which can be obtained are:

  • Approved qualifications: Officially valid across Spain.
  • Own qualifications: only recognised by the universities providing those courses.

New system of university qualifications:
This is based on Graduate and Post-Graduate, which together are structured into three cycles:

  • First Cycle or Graduate: basic teaching and general training aimed at preparing students for professional activities. Passing this Cycle will give the student the right to obtain the corresponding qualification in accordance with that agreed by the Government.
  • Second Cycle or Post-graduate: advanced education, of a specialist or multi-disciplinary nature, designed for an academic or professional specialisation or to begin research activities. Passing this Cycle will give the student the right to the Master's qualification.
  • Third Cycle: advanced training in the techniques for creating and presenting a PhD thesis. Passing this Cycle will give the student the right to obtain the Doctoral qualification (the highest academic qualification in higher education and one which prepares the student for teaching and research).
The Basque Country has a comprehensive health infrastructure which meets the needs of its citizens through the Basque Health Service-Osakidetza, run by the Basque Government, and through private health centres. Foreigners working in the Basque Country and paying Social Security contributions will receive a Social Security Card showing their personal details and social security number. With the social security card they can apply for an individual health card in the health centre closest to their home. This allows them to obtain free treatment, both medical and hospital, for the card holder and their family.

If you need further assistance, you may contact our Servic Centre or Local Points:

Euraxess Service Centre in the Basque Country
Ikerbasque
María Díaz de Haro 3, 6
48013 Bilbao
T: +34 94 4209488
info@ikerbasque.net
www.ikerbasque.net 

Local Point in Bizkaia
Bizkaia:talent
PARQUE TECNOLÓGICO DE BIZKAIA
Laga Bidea - Edificio 804 - Módulo. 300
48160 DERIO - BIZKAIA
T. +34 94 479 54 28
mobility@bizkaia.talent.org
www.bizkaiatalent.org

Local Point in Gipuzkoa
Fomento de San Sebastián, S.A
Oficina de Atención/Información
Ijentea 6, ( Edificio Goikoa )
20003 DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIÁN
T.: +34 943 482 800
fomentoss@donostia.org
http://www.fomentosansebastian.org/talenthouse/index.php