Requirements for validating a university degree in Spain

Have you completed university studies in your country and wish to continue your education or work in Spain? Then you need to validate or homologate your university degree. This process allows your foreign degree to be officially recognized in Spain and to have academic or professional validity. In this guide, we explain what you need to do to homologate a university degree in Spain, step by step.

Homologation or Validation? Which one do I need?

Before starting the procedure, it's important to understand the difference between homologation and validation:

• Homologation: This applies if you want your foreign degree to have the same effects as an official Spanish degree, especially if it is a requirement to practice a regulated profession (such as Medicine, Law, Architecture, etc.).
• Validation: This is the partial recognition of university studies to continue a career at a Spanish university.

If you have completed your studies and want to practice a profession, you need homologation. If you are still studying and wish to continue in Spain, validation is the option for you.

Requirements for homologating a University Degree in Spain

To apply for homologation, you must submit:

• Official application (form provided by the Ministry of Universities)
• Valid passport or NIE
• Original university degree and, if necessary, a sworn translation into Spanish
• Academic certificate with the subjects taken, duration, grades, credits, and program
• Administrative fee paid (form 790 – code 107)
• Proof of language proficiency, if required (especially for degrees in Education, for example)
• Declaration of authenticity of documents if they are not legalized

Documents must be legalized or apostilled (Hague Convention) if they come from countries outside the EU.

Where to submit the Application?

You can submit the application:

• In person at the Ministry of Universities' Registration Offices or Government Delegations
• Online through the Ministry of Universities' Electronic Headquarters, if you have a digital certificate

The process may take several months, and in some cases, an aptitude test or adaptation course may be required before the homologation is granted.

Requirements for validating ongoing University Studies

If you wish to continue your studies at a Spanish university, you must validate your studies directly with the destination university. There, they will assess:

• The equivalence of the content between your previous education and the Spanish curriculum
• Your academic record
• The number of credits completed

Each university has its own criteria, so we recommend contacting the relevant faculty directly.

Homologation vs. Professional Recognition

• Homologation is the first step to practicing regulated professions.
• In some sectors (such as Engineering or Nursing), it may also be necessary to obtain additional professional recognition from professional associations or autonomous communities.

Is it mandatory to validate the degree to study a master's degree?

Not necessarily. Many universities allow access to official or private master's programs without the need to homologate the degree, as long as the university verifies that your educational level is equivalent to a Spanish bachelor's degree. However, the foreign degree must be legalized.

Validating yourdegree: the first step towards your future in Spain

Homologating or validating your university degree is key to having your academic experience recognized in Spain. Although the process may seem complex, with the right information and good planning, it is entirely feasible.

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