A sworn translation of a university degree lets you officially present, in Spanish, the content of a diploma or degree issued in another language. It may be enough when the company, university, body or recipient only needs the translated degree.
However, the sworn translation does not recognise the foreign degree or establish its equivalence with a Spanish qualification. Depending on what you need it for, other procedures may be required, such as homologación, a declaration of equivalence or, in certain cases, professional recognition.
The translation faithfully reproduces the content of the degree, including its academic titles and the relevant elements on the document, without attributing an academic equivalence that does not appear in the original.
When the sworn translation may be enough
Not every use of a foreign degree requires homologación or equivalence in Spain.
If a company, university, client or other recipient only needs to know, officially and in Spanish, the content of your qualification, a sworn translation of the degree may be sufficient.
For instance, an employer may ask for the translated degree as evidence of the education listed on your CV. In that case, the requirements are set by the company or organisation requesting the documentation.
A foreign degree can also be used to apply for admission to certain university programmes without prior homologación. To access a university Master’s, for example, the rules allow access in certain cases with a foreign qualification and no prior recognition, provided the university verifies that the established requirements are met.
That does not mean translating the degree is always enough for a Master’s. Each university decides what documentation it needs for admission, which may also include the academic transcript or other documents.
So before ordering a translation, check exactly what documentation the recipient requires.
When translating the degree is not enough
A sworn translation does not turn a foreign degree into a Spanish one, nor does it amount to academic or professional recognition.
If you need your qualification to have certain official effects in Spain, an additional procedure may be required.
Homologación recognises a foreign degree for access to certain regulated professions in Spain covered by the applicable rules.
A declaration of equivalence, meanwhile, officially recognises the academic level of a foreign university degree against the corresponding Spanish university levels, but does not in itself qualify you to practise regulated professions that require another procedure.
There are other procedures too, such as convalidación of studies to continue them at a Spanish university or, in certain cases, professional recognition of qualifications obtained in the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland. Worth noting for UK graduates: since Brexit, that EU professional-recognition route no longer applies automatically to British qualifications.
Translation and recognition of a degree are separate matters: the sworn translation officially carries the content of the document into another language, but does not in itself determine the academic or professional effects of the qualification in Spain.
What the sworn translation of a university degree includes
The sworn translation must faithfully reflect the content of the original document. Besides the main information on the diploma or degree, it may include elements such as:
- the title of the qualification;
- the name of the university or academic institution;
- the holder’s name;
- the date and place of issue;
- academic honours or distinctions — a First, a 2:1, summa cum laude;
- seals and signatures;
- annotations and other text forming part of the document;
- the Hague Apostille or legalisations, where they accompany the degree.
Translating an academic title does not mean the translator is establishing an official equivalence with a Spanish qualification. That is not the role of the sworn translation.
Apostille and sworn translation of the degree
Depending on the country of issue, the country where it will be used and the procedure, a university degree may need a Hague Apostille or legalisation. UK and US degrees, for official Spanish procedures, generally do.
When the document needs both an Apostille and a translation, it is advisable to obtain the Apostille first and translate the whole afterwards. That way the sworn translation can also include the content of the Apostille.
Not every foreign degree needs to be apostilled. Exemptions may arise from European rules, international conventions or other applicable provisions.
For more detail on this procedure, see our page on the Hague Apostille.
What if I don’t have the final degree yet?
In certain procedures, a certificate confirming the degree has been issued may be accepted when the final degree is not yet available.
This is the case, for example, in homologación and equivalence procedures for foreign university degrees, whose rules allow the degree or a certificate confirming its issue to be filed.
However, it should not be taken as a rule for every procedure. Which document can be used depends on the requirements of the university, administration, company or receiving body.
Does the sworn translation of a degree expire?
Official translations have no expiry date.
That does not mean, however, that a translation can automatically be used for any future procedure. It must correspond to the document you need to file and meet the receiving body’s requirements.
If a new version of the degree is later issued, some data changes, or you need to file the document with an Apostille or legalisation that was not there when the translation was made, you will need to check whether the earlier translation is still suitable for the new procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Does the translation turn my Bachelor’s into a Spanish Grado?
No. The sworn translation reflects the title and content of the foreign degree, but does not establish an official academic equivalence with a Spanish degree. Translating the name of a qualification does not mean it has been recognised or declared equivalent in Spain.
Is the translated degree enough to work in Spain?
It depends on the job and the employer’s requirements. If the recipient only needs the degree officially translated into Spanish, the sworn translation may be enough. If you need to officially evidence the academic level of the qualification or want to practise a regulated profession, check whether a procedure of equivalence, homologación or professional recognition is also required.
Do you need my original degree to translate it?
At ElbaTrad we can prepare the quote and handle the translation from a complete, good-quality digital copy of the document. It is important that all the content, seals, signatures and, where applicable, the Apostille or legalisation are clearly visible, as well as the reverse if it contains information.
I have the degree and the transcript — do I need both translated?
It depends on the procedure. In certain procedures, such as homologación or equivalence of foreign university degrees, academic documentation is required in addition to the degree. In university admissions, recruitment or other uses, the receiving institution or company decides what documentation you must file. So check the requirements before ordering translations you may not need.
This guide is for information only. The requirements for using or recognising a university degree may vary depending on the country, the profession, the procedure and the receiving body. A sworn translation does not in itself amount to homologación, equivalence or professional recognition of a qualification.