Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a sovereign state and a member state of the European Union. It is located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. Spanish universities regulate access to their own degrees and they fix the academic fees. They can also offer unofficial postgraduate degrees. The capital city Madrid has possibly the largest number of bars per capita of any European city and a very active nightlife.

A PhD, or Doctorate of Philosophy, is the highest degree awarded in many academic fields. Generally requiring a research project and dissertation, as well as several years of study, a doctorate degree qualifies the holder as an expert in a chosen field.