Agreement between Colombia and Spain for students

Details of the collaboration agreement between Colombia and Spain

The Minister of National Education of Colombia, Aurora Vergara Figueroa, and the Spanish Ministers of Universities, Joan Subirats, and of Education and Vocational Training, Pilar Alegría, signed on May 4, 2023 in Madrid the International Agreement for the mutual recognition of high school diplomas and the Saber 11 (Colombia) and EBAU (Spain) state tests.

The agreement was established with the objective of enriching the education of both countries, promoting student mobility and the exchange of knowledge. This pact will allow degrees and certificates obtained in one of these countries to be valid and recognized in the other. Thanks to this agreement, infinite doors will open for students from both countries. Mutual recognition of degrees and certificates will allow students to broaden their horizons, encouraging them to continue their studies abroad.

Student mobility between Colombia and Spain has experienced significant growth in recent years. This agreement promises to increase these figures even more, enriching the cultural and academic diversity of both nations. In the case of Spain, in 2022 there were 578 Colombian students requesting access and services to UNEDasiss for admission to Spanish university degrees.

Not only the education sector will benefit from this agreement. The workplace will also experience important changes, increasing opportunities for graduates to obtain employment abroad and thus facilitating international labor mobility.

Regulations applicable in Spain and equivalences

The agreement signed on May 4 between both countries was published in the BOE on May 18, 2023, making official the recognition of studies from this date. This post can be viewed at this link, where you can also view the equivalences and conversion grades to know the final grade for access to the Spanish university.

Do you want to know your grade converted to the Spanish system?   Saber 11 Note Calculator and Access Note in Spain

How does this agreement benefit Colombian students?

The main advantage is saving time and money. To date, Colombian high school graduates had to apostille and homologate their degree on a mandatory basis. Subsequently, if they wanted to enter the university, they had to take several university entrance exams, the so-called Selectivity or, in the case of foreign high school graduates, the Specific Competence Tests. These tests require preparation, since the score obtained provides an admission grade that will determine the studies that can be accessed. This format is the same in all countries, except countries with treaties and recognitions of reciprocity with which Spain has an agreement (see attached), such as the EU countries, Norway, the United Kingdom (only until 2023), China and, now also, Colombia.

Aspects to take into account of the agreement

Once the benefits have been counted, which are many, it is time to write about some considerations. Escuela PCE, as a specific and experienced academy in the preparation of foreign graduates for admission to Spanish universities, sees in this agreement an opportunity to bring Colombian students closer to Spanish universities. However, several aspects must be taken into account:

1. The cut notes In Spain they range from 5 to 14 points. The higher it is, the more complex it is to achieve, since the final grade is calculated between the baccalaureate and the PCE exams. With the current system, the maximum score that can be achieved is 10 points, with races with higher cut-off marks being unattainable. This means that for some university studies it is possible to access without an exam, but for the vast majority it would be necessary to take some exams. The number of exams to be performed can be from one to four, with two/three being optimal, although it would have to be seen in each case.
2. The non-obligation of homologating the baccalaureate does not indicate that, on some occasions, it must be done to achieve the admission grade. The same situation as the previous point. With the absence of homologation, the weight of the baccalaureate is very high, which can mean that mathematically it is not possible to access degrees with high cut-off marks (12 or more). For this reason, each case will have to be seen and studied to see if such legalization is not necessary, as for example, with our advisory service.

Frequently asked questions

• Is this agreement currently in force? Yes, since May 18, 2023 it is valid and operational.
• Can a Colombian high school graduate access a Spanish university without an exam? In some cases it will not be necessary, but in many others it will.
• Is it no longer necessary to homologate high school studies? It depends on the high school grade and the cut-off grade of the grade you wish to access. In this case, we recommend contacting LegalSpain Agency, an expert company in this process.
• Has the price of university for Colombian students changed? No, this agreement does not indicate anything related to economic issues. We only talk about equivalences between studies.