Vita Student Barcelona is home to students from over 70 different nationalities, some of whom need to validate their foreign degrees in Spain. This process is essential for those who wish to validate their studies completed outside the country and obtain official recognition in the Spanish educational system.
Whether it’s a university degree, secondary education, technical, or any other level, validation ensures that academic training is recognized and valid in Spanish territory.
Here are the necessary steps to carry out this process:
1. LEGISLATION IN THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Before starting the validation process, it is necessary to legalize the academic documents issued in the country of origin. This involves obtaining the Hague Apostille or consular legalization, as appropriate. Additionally, all documents must be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain.
Note that legalization is not required for university degrees issued by member states of the European Union (or signatories of the Agreement on the European Economic Area and Switzerland).
2. PAYMENT OF FEE 107
Fee 107 is an administrative fee applied in the process of validating foreign degrees in Spain. Its price may vary (usually between €150 – €170) and is subject to changes according to current regulations.
This fee must be paid before submitting the validation application, as it is mandatory to present the payment receipt when making the application. Generally, you can pay Fee 107 through bank transfer, credit/debit card, or in cash at some banking institutions. You can check how to open a bank account in Spain as an international student in this article.
University degrees from the European Union are exempt from paying Fee 107.
3. SUBMIT THE VALIDATION APPLICATION
Once you have all the documents duly legalized and translated, you must complete the validation application form. This form can be obtained online through the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training portal.
4. EQUIVALENCY PROCESS
Once the application is submitted, the competent authorities will evaluate the provided documentation and verify if the foreign degree meets the requirements for its validation in Spain. This process may take some time, so it is important to be patient.
The equivalency process is formalized in a Validation and Equivalency File, which opens when you submit your application and closes when the Ministry of Universities resolves your request.
5. RESOLUTION
Once the evaluation is completed, an official resolution will be issued indicating whether the foreign degree has been validated in Spain and under what conditions. If favourable, a document certifying the validation of the degree will be issued, which will be fully valid in Spanish territory.
In summary, to obtain official recognition in Spain of your foreign university degree, you must authenticate and validate the degree in the country of origin, then obtain an official translation, and submit all the required documentation along with the application and the corresponding fee payment to the Ministry of Universities. After completing this process, which usually takes a few months, you will receive the Validation Credential. Patience and good luck!
