Recognition and equivalence of foreign degrees in Spain: when you need it and how to apply

Royal Decree 889/2022 regulates the two procedures ¹:

• Homologation: recognises that your training is comparable to that of the Spanish degree required to practise a regulated profession. Once you receive the credential, your degree has the same effects as the Spanish one and you can practise under the same conditions ¹.
• Declaration of equivalence: recognises your degree at Bachelor's or Master's level, with academic and administrative effects throughout Spain ¹. It serves to continue studying if the university asks for it, for public-sector job competitions and so that an employer understands your qualification. It does not qualify you for a regulated profession ³.

You can request equivalence if your degree does not lead to a regulated profession, or if it does but you will not practise it ³. For a Bachelor's, the degree must add up to at least three years full time (180 ECTS); for a Master's, at least one year (60 ECTS) ³. Equivalence to a doctorate is handled by the universities ³.

University own degrees cannot be homologated or declared equivalent, nor can degrees obtained by validating more than 15% of credits through professional experience or non-official studies ¹.

Regulated professions are listed in the Annex of Royal Decree 889/2022 ¹. The Ministry groups them like this ²:

Area	Examples
Health	Doctor, nurse, pharmacist, dentist, physiotherapist, general health psychologist, veterinarian, speech therapist, optician
Technical	Architect, technical architect, civil, industrial, telecommunications, agricultural and mining engineers, and their technical engineering degrees
Social sciences	Teacher of Early Childhood and Primary Education, teacher of ESO, Bachillerato, vocational training and languages

Lawyer and court representative (procurador) appear on the list, but the Ministry says they cannot be homologated ². If your profession is not listed, the Ministry says you cannot apply for homologation and refers you to equivalence ².

If you are an EU citizen, professional recognition follows another rule (Directive 2005/36/EC and Royal Decree 581/2017) ¹.

With the application you must attach ¹:

1. Identity and nationality document issued in your country.
2. The degree, or the certificate of its issue.
3. The academic transcript with the official length of the programme, the subjects, the teaching hours of each one and, where they exist, the ECTS credits.
4. Proof of payment of the fee.
5. A sworn statement that the data are true and that you hold the originals.

The degree and the academic transcript must be apostilled (or legalised through diplomatic channels if your country is not party to the Hague Convention) and with an official translation into Spanish where needed ¹.

For homologation you must also prove Spanish with a DELE B2 or equivalent. If you are a national of a country whose official language is Spanish, it is not required ¹.

Peru. The Spanish Embassy in Lima explains that the degree and the certificate are first taken to SUNEDU to obtain the verification record, and the apostille is placed on that record ⁴.

The whole procedure, appeals included, is electronic: you file the application in the electronic register of the Ministry's office and notifications arrive at the authorised electronic address ¹. The Embassy in Lima warns that its Cultural Office no longer receives files or gives information on the procedure ⁴.

If something is missing, the Ministry gives you up to 10 working days to correct it ¹. For homologation, a non-binding report is also requested from the relevant professional council or association ¹. The decision must arrive within six months of the application's entry; if it does not, you can treat it as rejected ¹.

Homologation can come out conditional on complementary training requirements: practical placements, an aptitude test, an academic paper or courses at a Spanish university that offers the degree. You have a maximum of four years to complete them ¹.

If you have a firm job offer for a highly qualified position in Spain, the Ministry publishes a resolution with instructions to speed up your file ².

For the study visa, the regulation asks for admission to an institution, financial means, insurance and, depending on the length, a criminal record and a medical certificate; homologation is not among those requirements ⁵. Access to a Master's is decided by the university: equivalence helps if the university requires it ³.

You also do not need it to work in a non-regulated profession (marketing, programming, design, administration): the employer can assess your degree directly, and if it wants an official reference, equivalence tells it which level the degree corresponds to ³.

You do need it if you want to practise a regulated profession. Some training visas also require it: for preparatory courses in specialised health training, the regulation asks for a Spanish degree or a foreign degree that is recognised or homologated ⁵.