The University of Santiago de Compostela was established as a "Grammar Academy " as early as 1495 by Don Lope Gómez de Marzoa. The University of Santiago is a Public Entity committed to serve as an institution of higher learning. The legal framework of this public institution has its autonomy guaranteed under the 27th article of the Spanish Constitution. This autonomy encompasses the power of self-organisation, and includes the university elaborating and approving statutes which make up the basic structure of its regulations and functions.
Nowadays, the University of Santiago is organised into two campuses: one is located in Compostela and the other in Lugo. Both campuses complement each other, aiming to construct a unity despite the different specializations each of them offers.

Modern Languages Centre (Santiago)
The Modern Languages Centre of the University of Santiago is a university service that is dedicated to the teaching of modern languages. It offers courses in: German, Danish, French, English and Russian.
The Modern Languages Centre of the University of Santiago is officially associated with the Cervantes Institute and offers official examinations for "Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language", through the Ministry of Education.

Modern Languages Centre (Lugo)
The Modern Languages Centre of the University of Santiago organizes courses of different languages aimed at students’ achievement of written and oral communicative competence.
The courses are mainly addressed to university members, but the only requirement for registration is to be 16 or over, and to be interested in learning the following languages: German, French and English.