Access requirements and compulsory documents

If you are a student from a country outside the EU (or without a reciprocity agreement), and you meet the requirements to access university in your country of origin, you can access the Spanish university system under the same conditions as Spanish students who have passed the general stage of the PAU. You must, however, apply to the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport for the homologation of your pre-university qualifications to make it equivalent to a Spanish baccalaureate.

First, you must apply for the homologation of your baccalaureate:

• If you live in Catalonia, you must follow the procedures explained on the Department of Education's website about accreditation.
• If you live outside Catalonia, you must apply for accreditation through the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport, through its website on  accreditation and validation procedures.
• If you live abroad, you must go to the Spanish Consulate in your country of residence and apply for homologation through the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. The competent bodies to process the application and formulate the corresponding resolution are the Education Departments of the Spanish Embassies abroad, regardless of the nationality of the applicant or the educational system to which they refer.

Remember that all documents issued must be accompanied by an official translation made by a sworn translator with a degree awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation; by the diplomatic representation or consular office of Spain in the country issuing the document or by the diplomatic representation or consular office of the country issuing the document in Spain.

All the documents submitted must be official and issued by the competent bodies in the country where the studies to be recognised have been carried out.

1.    Documents from countries that have signed the Hague Convention can be legalised with a Hague Apostille.

2.    Documents issued by bodies from other countries can be legalised through diplomatic channels: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Spanish diplomatic representation in the corresponding country.

You can read the basic information about the requirements and documents to be submitted depending on the country where you have studied by clicking on the following links: 

• Check the general requirements for homologation.
• Check the general requirements for the documents.
• Check the general requirements for the sworn translation.