How to get a foreign degree accredited to work/study in Spain?

Have you graduated from a foreign university or education center and want to work in Spain? Are you thinking about continuing your higher education at a Spanish university but are not sure if you are eligible? This article will talk about the homologation and recognition of foreign degrees in Spain for work and further studies.

1. What type of foreign degree accreditation is suitable for you?

2. Is there any deadline for the accreditation application?

3. What can I do while waiting for the resolution results?

1. What type of foreign degree accreditation is suitable for you?

Based on the different situations and needs, you need to validate your degrees in different ways.

• If you want to work in Spain with a degree issued in a foreign educational center: You need to carry out the homologation (Homologación) steps.
• If you want to work in Spain with a degree issued in a foreign educational center in a specific field: You need to do the equivalence accreditation.
• If you want to recognize the degrees you have obtained in other EU countries: You need to do the recognition of EU degrees.
• If you want to get your grades accredited in Spanish standards to apply for Spanish universities: You need to apply for the equivalence request of grades.
• If your university is eligible, you can also do partial validation to be eligible for university studies: You need to ask your university of interest if this is an option.
• For other cases and updating notices, you can check here for the newest information.

There is no concrete deadline for any of the accreditations mentioned above. However, you should consider the time needed to be accredited, sometimes it could take about one year or more to get your degrees recognized. This might delay your study or work plans. So, make sure to begin the process as soon as you can.

3. What can I do while waiting for the resolution results?

The waiting time depends on the type of application you choose. The process can take from 2 months to more than 1 year. What should you do while waiting for the resolution results?

• Continuing your studies: Applications like partial validation permit you to start while you are still studying to obtain the degree. You can leverage this waiting period to finish your studies. Then when you finish your studies, you can start the new study journey right away!
• Taking a gap year: Tired of continuous studies and want to have a break? Or are you thinking about doing internships and gaining professional experience? This is the best time for you to do so!
• Coming to Spain first:
  • If you want to invest in Spain and later start your professional job using your foreign degrees, you can apply for an investor visa (golden visa) and come to Spain before your validation is ready.
  • If you want to reside in Spain and start to work later, you can also think about applying for a non-lucrative visa. Don’t be deceived by the name of the visa type. After holding this visa for 1 year, you can apply for a working visa and start to work in Spain.
  • One of the requirements to complement these two visa application processes is that you need to have qualified visa insurance (medical insurance). We want to present to you our expat insurance, the best-rated medical insurance in Spain.

Check out another one of our blogs to learn more about this topic:

• How to apply for a spanish student visa
• Guide to the Spanish education system
• Spanish higher education: why choose Spain as the destination?
• How to apply for the student NIE/TIE in Spain for the first time?
• How to choose a school in Spain: Spanish vs international schools

Reference:

[1] Reconocimiento de títulos extranjeros en España. (2021). Retrieved 15 October 2021, from https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/alemania/reconocimiento-titulos/para-extranjeros.html 

Our content will be updated according to the most recent legislation. Last update: 01/08/2023