The documents you need to study at a Spanish university as an international student depend on the programme you want to take, your home education system and the receiving university. To access a Bachelor’s degree (Grado), depending on your case you may need to obtain the UNEDasiss Accreditation, first have your studies recognised as equivalent to the Spanish Bachillerato, and/or sit the Specific Competence Exams (PCE).
To access a university Master’s, a foreign degree may allow access without prior homologación, provided the established requirements are met. If your academic documents are in another language, check the translation and legalisation requirements before filing them.
Let’s take it in order, because the route changes considerably depending on whether you are going for a Bachelor’s or a Master’s.
Bachelor’s access with foreign studies
The requirements to access a Bachelor’s degree in Spain vary according to your home education system and the university where you want to study.
For students from the European Union or from education systems with a reciprocity agreement, UNEDasiss generally requests academic documentation from the final pre-university years and the document evidencing university access in the home education system.
For students from other education systems, it may be necessary to have their studies recognised as equivalent to the Spanish Bachillerato. If that recognition is still being processed, UNEDasiss allows the volante evidencing that the procedure has been started to be filed along with the corresponding academic documentation.
In addition, depending on the university and the chosen programme, other UNEDasiss services may be required, such as the Specific Competence Exams (PCE) or language accreditation. That is why, before starting the process, it is important to check the admission criteria of the receiving university.
Master’s access with a foreign university degree
To access a university Master’s, the requirements are different.
If your degree comes from a country belonging to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), it may allow access to a Master’s in Spain if it has the corresponding level and allows access to those studies in the country of issue.
If the degree comes from an education system outside the EHEA — which since Brexit includes the United Kingdom for some purposes, so check your case — access without prior homologación is also possible. Here, the university must verify that the level of education is equivalent to a Spanish Grado and that the degree allows access to postgraduate university studies in the country where it was issued.
This route of access does not entail homologación of the degree or its recognition for any other purpose.
Each university sets its own admission procedure and required documentation, so it is worth checking its requirements before preparing or translating documents.
Translation of academic documents
If you are applying for the UNEDasiss Accreditation and your documents were issued in another language, they must be accompanied by their translation into Spanish. Yes, English counts: documents from UK, US, Irish or Australian institutions need translating like any other.
UNEDasiss accepts, among other options, translations by a sworn translator duly authorised in Spain, as well as certain translations carried out by diplomatic or consular representations.
Depending on the procedure, documents that may need translation include: academic certificates and transcripts; documents evidencing completion of studies; university degrees; and other documents required by UNEDasiss or by the university.
Where admission is handled directly by a university, it is important to check which languages and types of translation that institution accepts.
Legalisation and the Hague Apostille
Besides translation, some foreign documents may need legalisation or the Hague Apostille.
For UNEDasiss, documents issued in European Union Member States are exempt from legalisation. Documents from countries party to the Hague Convention can be legalised by means of the Hague Apostille, while for other countries legalisation through diplomatic channels may be necessary.
When a document needs an apostille or legalisation and also a translation, it is advisable to complete that step first so the translation can reflect the complete document.
Documentation for the student visa
Besides the academic requirements, some international students need to obtain a student visa to come to Spain.
The documentation will depend on nationality, the length of studies and the applicant’s circumstances. This procedure should therefore be checked separately with the relevant Spanish consulate.
Foreign public documents used for the visa may need legalisation or an apostille and translation, depending on the document, the country of issue and the applicable requirements.
Prepare your documents in good time
University admission processes run to specific deadlines, and obtaining certain documents from abroad can take time.
It is therefore worth checking the university’s requirements as early as possible, requesting the necessary academic certificates and confirming whether they need to be legalised, apostilled or translated.
With UNEDasiss, moreover, documentation requirements vary according to the home education system and the services requested. The platform itself provides country-specific information so you can check them.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my degree recognised to do a Master’s in Spain?
Not necessarily. If you hold a university degree from an education system outside the EHEA, the university may allow you to access a Master’s without prior homologación if it verifies that your education is at the required level and that your degree allows access to postgraduate university studies in the country where it was issued. This admission does not mean the degree becomes homologado or recognised for other purposes.
Does the university accept documents in English?
It depends on the university and the procedure. Each institution can set its own requirements regarding accepted languages and which documentation must be translated. So before ordering a translation, check the conditions of the university where you want to study.
What is the UNEDasiss Accreditation?
It is an accreditation for students from foreign education systems who want to take part in admission processes at Spanish universities. The services that can be included depend on the home education system and the university’s requirements, and may cover the access grade, the PCE exams, the Bachillerato track or language accreditation.
Do all foreign documents need the Hague Apostille?
No. It depends on the country of issue and the procedure. For UNEDasiss, documents issued in European Union Member States are exempt from legalisation. For other countries, the Hague Apostille or legalisation through diplomatic channels may apply.
This guide is for information only. Requirements may vary according to the country of origin, the programme, the university and the admission procedure. Always consult the up-to-date information from the receiving university and, where applicable, from UNEDasiss or the competent body.