Your degree didn’t lose its value when you crossed the Atlantic. What you need—so that it’s recognized in Spain just as it was where you studied—is a specific procedure. The problem is that this process goes by several similar names (homologación, equivalencia, convalidación), and applying for the wrong one could cost you months of waiting for nothing—all while paying the same fee and enduring the same frustration of having to start over. Here’s the complete guide for 2026, clearly explaining the differences between each one, the documents you’ll need, and the exact steps to submit your application—so you can get it right the first time.
Accreditation, equivalence, recognition: they are not the same thing
Confusion between these three terms is the number one reason people waste time on this process, so it's worth clearing it up before we continue.
The certification This applies only if your degree corresponds to a regulated profession in Spain: Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Physical Therapy, Psychology (the healthcare branch), Veterinary Medicine, Architecture, certain engineering fields, and teaching, among others. Recognition means that your degree is deemed equivalent to a specific Spanish degree, and you can practice that profession here. Law and legal representation are special cases worth noting separately: while they are regulated professions, they are expressly excluded from recognition through this process. If this applies to you, it’s best not to rely on a generic summary and to consult directly the page on the Ministry's website dedicated to this exception within Valida-TE.
If your degree is not in a regulated profession (which is the case for most degrees: Business Administration, Economics, Communication, non-health-related Psychology, and many others), what you need is the declaration of equivalence. It grants you academic recognition throughout Spain (to continue your studies, take civil service exams, or certify your level of education), but it does not qualify you to practice a regulated profession—because in your case, that is not necessary.
The validation, finally, is something else entirely: it allows you to have courses or parts of a degree program you’ve already completed recognized, usually so you can continue a degree program you started in another country. It’s not what you need if you’ve already completed your degree and want your entire degree to be recognized.
Before applying for anything, it’s a good idea to check the Ministry’s official list of regulated professions, because everything else depends on that. That’s what Valida-TE is for—the official portal for the recognition of foreign university degrees—where you can figure out which of the three procedures applies to your situation before you start gathering documents. That first step, even though it may seem like just another bureaucratic formality, is precisely what prevents you from ending up paying a fee and waiting months for the wrong process.
A clarification to avoid confusion if you read different sources: if your degree is from a country in the European Union, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland, the process may be different, with a simplified procedure under Directive 2005/36/EC. This guide covers only the general process outlined in Royal Decree 889/2022, which is followed by the vast majority of people arriving from Latin America and other countries outside that region.
Documents You'll Need
The list is practically the same for certification and for equivalence:
- Your original college degree, either legalized or bearing the Hague Apostille.
- Official academic transcript listing the courses taken, grades, and duration of study.
- A copy of your identification document (passport or NIE).
- Certified translation of all documents not in Spanish, performed by an officially authorized translator.
- Proof of payment of the fee (Form 790).
If your degree is from a country that is a party to the Hague Convention, the Apostille is the fastest option. Otherwise, you’ll have to legalize the documents through diplomatic channels, which usually takes longer, so it’s best to start that process as soon as possible. For certified translations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes an official list of authorized certified translators and interpreters; it’s best to choose one from that list to ensure the document is fully valid for the process.
How much does it cost, and how long does it take?
The official fee is €166.50, for both accreditation and equivalency. The maximum legal timeframe for a decision is 6 months, although in practice the actual processing time can extend well beyond that period, depending on the volume of applications the Ministry is handling at any given time and the specific degree in question. If you need a more accurate estimate for your specific case, the most reliable approach is to inquire directly through the online portal or ask someone who has recently gone through the process, as processing times can vary over the years.
An important point specified by law: if those 6 months pass without a decision being issued, the application is deemed to have been denied due to administrative silence, not approved by default. This doesn’t mean your degree has been rejected, but it does mean you should actively follow up on the case and, if necessary, find out how to file a complaint rather than assuming that «no news is good news.».
That difference between the legal timeline and the actual timeline can be frustrating, and it’s only fair to be this clear: prepare yourself for a long wait and organize your plans (work, rent, other paperwork) knowing that this isn’t going to be resolved quickly. It’s not your fault; that’s just how the process works for everyone who goes through it.
It’s worth noting that in October 2024, the Ministry approved an order that streamlined the processing of these cases, so if you know someone who went through this a few years ago and it took a very long time, the current processing time may differ from what is described in older guides.
What happens if the Ministry asks for something else before approving it?
There is a scenario that many guides fail to mention and that you should keep in mind: if your educational background does not fully match the Spanish degree you are seeking, the Ministry may require what are known as “supplementary educational requirements” before granting recognition. In practice, this means that a Spanish university will assess whether you are missing any courses and may require you to pass an exam, complete a supervised internship, submit a paper, or take a specific course, depending on what is missing from your academic record compared to the equivalent Spanish curriculum.
It's not a rejection; it's an intermediate status. It’s usually evaluated directly by the university assigned to handle your application, with a specific review committee for your field, and if you don’t pass a certain part, you can typically retake the exam during the next testing period. It’s best to take it in stride: it’s just another step in the process, not a sign that your education «isn’t good enough.».
And if the result is an outright denial, that is not the final word either, although this is not the most common course of action. Royal Decree 889/2022 (Article 21) establishes that these decisions bring the administrative process to a close, so the appropriate course of action is not an appeal to a higher authority: it is an optional appeal for reconsideration, within one month of notification, before the same Ministry that issued the decision, or to proceed directly to the contentious-administrative process within two months. It can be filed through the same electronic portal, using Cl@ve or a digital certificate, so there’s no need to start from scratch or lose the documentation you’ve already gathered.
Step-by-Step Guide to Applying
- Check which procedure you need. Check whether your degree corresponds to a regulated profession before deciding between recognition or equivalence.
- Gather and prepare the documentation. A degree certificate with an apostille or legalization, academic transcript, ID, and a certified translation if required.
- Access the online portal on the Ministry's website (universidades.sede.gob.es) using Cl@ve or a digital certificate.
- Fill out the form including your personal information, your original degree, and the Spanish degree you want it to be recognized as equivalent to.
- Upload the documents For PDF files, the platform typically supports a maximum of 10 MB per file and up to 10 documents, so it's best to scan at a high resolution without exceeding the file size limit.
- Pay the fee using Form 790 and attach the supporting document.
- Submit the application and download the filing receipt—you'll need it.
- Keep track from the case file on the online portal itself, in the «My Case Files» section.
If at any point during the process you need to prove your status in Spain, you must have your residence permit It will simplify several of these steps for you.
What is it used for once you have it?
The document itself is not the goal; it is what allows you to do afterward. Once equivalence is granted, your degree has the same legal standing in Spain as the Spanish degree to which it is equated, which generally allows you to join a professional association and practice your regulated profession. Royal Decree 889/2022 itself clarifies, however, that there may be other specific requirements for entering certain professions (membership in a professional association, entrance exams, or other procedures specific to each professional association), so it’s advisable to confirm these in your specific case, beyond the recognition itself. The declaration of equivalence is typically used to apply for civil service exams, demonstrate your educational level to an employer, or pursue graduate studies that require a recognized bachelor’s or master’s degree as an admission requirement. This is not a mere formality: in many hiring processes, both public and private, it is literally the document that opens or closes the door.
If what you need is to continue your studies
If your goal is not to practice a regulated profession but rather to pursue a master’s degree, take a civil service exam, or simply certify your level of education, the declaration of equivalence is usually the most direct route, and in some cases, the universities themselves handle admission processes that do not require you to wait until the process is fully resolved. It’s worth reviewing the Requirements for Studying in Spain as a Foreigner at the same time, because some programs accept applications once they have been submitted, without waiting for the final decision.
What you've learned doesn't disappear when you move
Earning a degree, and then having to prove it all over again in another country—with paperwork, forms, and a waiting period that isn’t always within your control—is one of the most persistent challenges a migrant faces. Finding out what kind of recognition your degree requires—whether it’s accreditation, equivalence, or validation—is the first step toward having it recognized in Spain as well.
And as soon as you've figured it out, update your resume created with the help of AI It's a good next step to ensure that your already-recognized degree starts to open doors for you. Every task you complete is another step toward building what's to come.
At Curiara We're still here, accompanying you every step of the way: from the first step you took when you migrated, to the one you're taking now, one form at a time.
Sources consulted
- Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities: Recognition of Foreign Higher Education Degrees (ciencia.gob.es)
- Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities: Valida-TE Portal—How to Verify a Foreign University Degree (ciencia.gob.es)
- BOE: Royal Decree 889/2022, dated October 18 (Article 18.3, deadline for a decision)
- Rey Juan Carlos University: Additional Educational Requirements Prior to the Recognition of Foreign Degrees
- School Proceedings: Appeal Against Denied Equivalency, Complete Guide, Deadlines, and Documents (Verification under Law 39/2015)
- UNIE University: Recognition of University Degrees