Getting your academic degree recognised in Spain (also known as homologación) isn’t always a simple procedure. But why do you need to do it? Having an overseas qualification officially recognised in Spain means that is has the same value as its Spanish equivalent.
This is necessary if you want to work in Spain in a professional field (e.g. lawyer or doctor) or if you are applying to study a postgraduate degree in a Spanish university that requires your qualifications to be officially validated. You don’t need to do this if you are going to work in a sector where degree-level qualifications aren’t mandatory.
A little bit about Homologación
Homologación comes into the picture when non-EU/EFTA nationals apply for degree recognition in Spain. There are two basic types of this accreditation:
The first type is only for recognising your academic level and it allows you to receive confirmation that your foreign degree level is equivalent to a Spanish qualification (e.g. bachelor’s, master’s, diploma). This is the quicker of the two ways, although it still takes anywhere from 6 to 8 months.
The other way acknowledges the equivalence of a certain Spanish university degree, meaning that you can apply for your specific degree to be recognised in Spain. This takes a little longer to process, up to a year, but in the end it’s a better option if you’ve studied a particular degree and there is a Spanish degree that corresponds to it.
So how do I apply for it?
You can apply for this in the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (MECD) through their website or through their registries in Madrid. You can also do it in the embassy or consulate of your home country or in any Spanish government office that serves as a public registry office.
You will need to provide a copy of your passport or official ID, degree certificate from your home country, receipt of paying the homologación fee and proof of competence in the Spanish language, if requested.