The recognition of high school diplomas is one of the main procedures required to enter a university in Spain. This process is declare the equivalence between the studies completed in our country and the Spanish system.
It may seem complicated, but with the necessary information and help, it's easier than you might think.
Let's go step by step.
Step 1. Finish high school
The first thing, obviously, is to finish higher education in our country. Without this it is impossible to proceed with our approval. Each country has its own educational criteria and, therefore, each will have a series of different secondary or baccalaureate levels of education. Once we have completed our pre-university studies and received our degree, we will be ready to begin the homologation process.
Step 2. Apostille the documents
Once we have finished our studies we will have to apostill our documents with the Hague ApostilleThis process is only required in some countries, so find out if you need to do it or not.
Apostille is a procedure that ensures the authenticity and veracity of an official public document outside the territory where it was issued. It is usually carried out in the competent ministry of each country.
Step 3. Start the homologation of your high school diploma
Hay 4 forms to start the process:
- At the Spanish consulate in your country.
- In Spain, in the territorial offices of each province or Autonomous Community.
- Do it with LegalSpain AgencyOur partner agency can handle this process so you only have to focus on what's important: studying or preparing for university entrance.
- Do the procedure online.
If you do the online procedure, You should know that the steps are:
- Pay fees (Model 790)
- Start the process.
- Appointment request. If you reside in Spain do click here If you live outside of Spain, you will have to request an appointment at the consulate.
- Delivery of documents on the agreed day.
Documents necessary to approve the baccalaureate
To complete the process of homologating our high school diploma, we must process the following documents:
- ID (DNI, Passport, NIE, national document of the country)
- Pay the fees (49,76 euros)
- Fill out the form they give us at the offices or download the one we filled out online (form 790).
- Original and photocopy of the high school diploma.
- Original and photocopy of the grades from our secondary or high school studies (if they are not in Spanish, they must be translated first).
Once this process is complete, we will be given a receipt or voucher that will allow us, for all purposes, to take the university entrance exams as if we had already completed the homologation. This process can take UP TO 8 MONTHS, but we reiterate that it is not mandatory to complete this process in order to take the entrance exams. However, it's possible that university pre-registration requests may require you to have completed the application, as is the case in Catalonia. Therefore, we recommend always checking with your host university.
DOCUMENT ON THE CALCULATION OF HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCES BETWEEN SPAIN AND THE REST OF COUNTRIES
Frequently asked questions about high school recognition
What is the homologation?
It is obtaining an equivalence of studies between the titles and grades obtained between a country and Spain.
What documents are necessary to approve?
The high school diploma, grades and, in some cases, the Hague Apostille. In addition, pay the fees corresponding to that service.
How long does the approval process take?
It depends on whether it is done through a specialized agency, such as LegalSpain, or through a consulate. The average time is usually 5 to 9 months.
Can I take the exams if I haven't finished high school?
Yes, if you are in the last year of your bachelor's degree, but you will have to submit it to the university as soon as possible. Your application and place reservation will be provisional.
Can I start university without having completed the homologation process?
Yes, but it depends on the university and the times they dictate to you to deliver the finished document.
346 comments on “How to homologate the baccalaureate to study in Spain”
Hello, I would like to know if a relative in Spain can complete the homologation process with the Ministry of Education in Madrid. Because I live in Colombia, thank you.
Hello, good afternoon. Do the required documents have to be apostilled?
If they're from the EU, it's not necessary. If they're documents from another country without an agreement, they are.
Hello, good morning. I'm Colombian and would like to know if I need a high school transcript for each year I completed to complete the validation process, or just the final transcript.