Homologating a university degree in another country, in this case Spain, is a process that can open up many professional and academic opportunities for migrants and foreigners. However, it is not a simple or quick procedure as it requires meeting a number of requirements and submitting relevant documentation to the relevant authorities.
According to the Spanish Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, the homologation of foreign higher education degrees with official Spanish university degrees in the form of bachelor’s or master’s degrees, allowing access to a regulated profession in Spain, can be requested through an online procedure that requires payment is a fee and the provision of certified documents translated into Spanish.
Homologation implies the declaration of equivalence with the titles of the current Spanish educational system and implies the possibility of practicing the regulated profession in question under the same conditions as the holders of the Spanish titles qualified for this practice.
Some cases in which a person must have their foreign university degree recognized in Spain are:
- If you want to practice a regulated profession in Spain, for example as a doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc.
- If you want to have access to an official postgraduate course (master’s or doctorate) at a Spanish university.
- If you would like to apply for a public position through opposition or competition.
- If you want to improve your employability and professional skills in the Spanish labor market.
According to the Spanish Ministry of Universities, there are four ways to have your degree recognized in Spain:
- Homologation: Recognized qualifications enable access to regulated professions, i.e. professions for which you need a specific qualification: healthcare, teaching, architecture, some engineering professions.
- Equivalencies: Recognition of your degree at the academic level of a bachelor’s or master’s degree
- Professional recognition: Only for citizens of the European Union, with EU qualifications and only for work in regulated professions
- Validation: For completed or incomplete studies.
The competent authorities for receiving applications for authorization and certifying copies of the documents currently required are:
- The Ministry of Universities
- Government delegations and sub-delegations
- Embassies and consulates of Spain
- Notary (certified copies only)
According to the Ministry of Universities, the following essential documents are required to carry out any type of homologation and/or validation of degrees in Spain:
- Document proving the identity and nationality of the applicant, issued by the competent authorities of the country of origin or origin or by the Spanish authorities responsible for immigration matters. In the case of Spanish citizens: national ID or authorization to verify identity data stored by the administration.
- Title whose approval is requested or the certificate certifying its issuance and, if applicable, the relevant official translation.
- Academic certificate of the studies carried out to obtain the degree, which includes, among other things, the official duration of the study plan in academic years, the subjects studied and the total workload of each of them, expressed in hours or in ECTS credits (European) and, where applicable, the corresponding official translation.
- Proof of payment of the homologation fee, which can currently be over 166 euros (just over 550,000 Colombian pesos).
- Recognition of the language competence necessary to practice the relevant regulated profession in Spain.
- Depending on the regulated profession, additional documents may be required to be presented in accordance with the regulations applicable to that profession.
The Spanish Ministry of Universities offers the possibility to apply for authorizations and validations through a simple online procedure:
- Access the Ministry’s electronic headquarters: create a user by identifying yourself with any identity document or through the Cl@ve program (not only NIF or NIE, but also passports and others).
- Pay the fee: If you are doing this from Spain you will need a NIF or NIE. This can be done through electronic payment or bank transfer. You can make a bank transfer from abroad. In both cases, it is mandatory to state the applicant’s name in the concept.
- Fill out the application: with all your details and those of the title you want to recognize.
- Attach: the requested documents and proof of payment of the fee
- Send the request: The registered email address is used to contact the ministry’s platform and cannot be changed after sending the request. You can track or update by logging in with your username.
You can check the status of your file via the electronic central office of the Ministry of Universities. This method allows you to view your file from any computer connected to the Internet.
