The homologation of foreign degrees in Spain is a matter of weight when we consider taking a academic year in other country. For this reason, we are going to share with you the most important information and the key points so as not to get lost in eternal bureaucratic processes and to make sure which are the procedures that we have to do depending on our specific situation. Let’s go there! 
Differences between homologate or validate studies in Spain
According to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, which is the body in charge of managing these procedures, the homologation of foreign qualifications in Spain It implies the declaration of equivalence with the titles of the current Spanish educational system. The recognition of foreign studies, for its part, implies the declaration of equivalence of these studies for be able to continue studies in a Spanish educational center. Based on this, the main difference between both procedures is that the homologation is carried out to legalize a degree that we have obtained in another country while the validation implies a continuation of those studies that you are validating.
In which courses is it necessary to validate studies in Spain?
All students who have completed their studies in a foreign educational system and are going to join any of the primary or secondary courses are exempt from carrying out any formalities for the validation of studies in Spain
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Students who study abroad up to 3ºESO (included)
They are exempt from this procedure and it could be said that the validation is automatic, with the only requirement being to pass all the subjects taken without having taken certain subjects. The student must present their latest grades in the school that they want to enroll in Spain and it is the same school that “validates” those grades to continue their studies in Spain in the course immediately after the one studied abroad.
Students who carry out their 4th, 1st and 2nd year of Baccalaureate studies abroad
They must complete this procedure in order to continue their studies in Spain and it is a management responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.
General requirements of the qualifications for their homologation or validation of studies in Spain
- The degrees obtained must be officially valid in the educational system of the country to which they correspond.
- The degree must endorse studies effectively passed in accordance with the educational system of the country that issues it. It would not be acceptable, for example, if this title had been granted through the homologation or validation of another title from a third country.
- There must be a equivalence with the Spanish title of reference, both academic level, like in duration and content of the required studies.
- The studies to be validated must be totally overcome in the other country. The validation of individual subjects is not allowed and therefore it is mandatory to have passed all courses prior to the course subject to approval or validation.
- The interested party cannot have previously obtained in the Spanish educational system the same degree whose homologation or validation is requesting
What is the mandatory documentation to validate a foreign qualification in Spain?
- Except for the homologation for the title of graduate in Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO), the payment of the corresponding rate.
- Certified photocopy of the identity document (DNI, passport, NIE …)
- The certified photocopy of the title to be homologated or official certificate stating the passing of the corresponding final exams.
- Certified photocopy of the official certificate of the courses taken, which must state the subjects taken, the grades obtained and the academic years in which said courses were taken.
- In many cases, the studies prior to those that have been carried out abroad were carried out in Spain. In this case, you must also provide Certified photocopy of the official academic certification accrediting them, or the schooling book or grade book and / or the academic record
- All documentation provided It must be official and issued by the competent authorities of the country of destination, it must be translated by a sworn translator or at a Spanish consulate abroad, and it MUST BE CORRECTLY LEGALIZED. How is this legalization done ?:
- If the document has been issued in a country of the European Union, a signatory country to the agreement on the European Economic Area or Switzerland it will not be necessary to carry out any legalization.
- If the document has been issued in a country that has signed the Hague Convention, an apostille issued by the competent authorities is sufficient.
- For documents issued in other countries, they must be legalized through diplomatic channels (normally through the Ministry of Education of the country of origin or through the consulate of Spain)
Where is the application for the homologation of foreign qualifications processed in Spain?
- General Registry of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (C / Los Madrazo, 15) or (C / Torrelaguna, 58), Madrid.
- Functional Areas of High Inspection of Education of the Government Delegations in the Autonomous Communities, or Provincial Directorates of this Ministry in Ceuta and Melilla.
All the generic information about this process of homologation of foreign qualifications in Spain can be found through this link on the Ministry website.
A particular example: Validation of studies in Spain from Canada and the United States
Equivalence of courses between the Canadian and US educational systems with respect to the Spanish educational system
2nd ESO
| grade 8
3rd ESO | grade 9
4th ESO | grade 10
1st Baccalaureate | grade 11
2nd Baccalaureate | grade 12
Special requirements on the choice and performance of the subjects
- In order to validate studies in Spain, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, at least 4 subjects must be taken, arranged in tables according to their subject.
- The 4 minimum subjects must be chosen from those that appear in the tables approved by the Ministry and it is not allowed to choose two or more subjects belonging to the same table.
- The names of the subjects chosen in the American or Canadian High School must exactly match the names in the boxes. Certain exceptions are allowed in very particular subjects such as history or English.
- All subjects taken (both semesters) must be passed.
So far the fundamental aspects about the homologation of foreign qualifications in Spain.
In CLS we are experts in the program Academic Course Abroad Since 1984 and since then we have been taking care of the formalities of homologation and validation for the hundreds of students who participate each year with us.