Work & learning
How do I get my Philippine degree or diploma recognised in Spain?
Which office you go to depends on the kind of qualification, and getting that wrong wastes months. A university degree goes to the Spanish ministry of universities, online, wherever in Spain you live. A school, secondary or vocational qualification does not: the ministry’s non-university procedure excludes Catalonia, so if you live in Barcelona you go to the Generalitat instead, through the Consorci d’Educació de Barcelona. Both halves are below. Read the one that is yours.
| Qualification type | Authority | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|
| University degree | Spanish ministry of universities | Online, wherever in Spain you live — universidades.sede.gob.es |
| School, secondary or vocational qualification | Generalitat de Catalunya, via the Consorci d’Educació de Barcelona — not the Madrid ministry, whose non-university procedure excludes Catalonia | Oficina d’Accés a la Formació Professional, Carrer de Rosselló 87 |
A university degree: three different procedures
| Procedure | What it does | What it lets you do |
|---|---|---|
| Homologación | Makes your degree equivalent to a specific Spanish degree | Practise a regulated profession — nursing, teaching, medicine, engineering |
| Equivalencia | Certifies only the academic level of your qualification, as a bachelor’s (grado) or a master’s | Does not license you to practise |
| Convalidación | Validates individual subjects | Carry on studying at a Spanish university |
Does this apply to me
- You need homologación if your job is a regulated profession in Spain.
- You need equivalencia if you only want your degree recognised for its level, for a job advert or a visa.
- You need neither if your employer only wants to see the certificate.
- Immigration status does not stop you applying: the procedure asks for a document proving your identity and nationality, not a residence authorisation. That is article 13.1.a of Real Decreto 889/2022.
What it costs
| Route | Cost |
|---|---|
| Homologación or equivalencia (university) | €166.50, paid with form 790-107, online, by bank transfer or at a collaborating bank |
| Apostille, in the Philippines | Varies — not set by the ministry |
| Sworn translation into Spanish | Varies — not set by the ministry |
| Homologation to the Spanish secondary-school certificate (the graduat en educació secundària) | No fee at all |
| Other non-university levels | Charged the same as issuing the equivalent Spanish qualification — the Consorci does not publish the amount, so ask at the appointment |
What to bring
Four things, plus the fee.
- A document proving your identity and nationality, issued by the Philippine authorities.
- Your degree certificate itself, or a certificate that it was issued.
- Your academic transcript, showing the official length of the programme in academic years, the subjects taken, the teaching hours of each, and the credits.
- The apostille on the certificate and the transcript, and an official Spanish translation of any document not written in Spanish.
The apostille, and this is the part to get right
Documents from the Philippines must be legalised, either through diplomatic channels or with the Hague Convention apostille. The apostille is issued in the Philippines, by the Department of Foreign Affairs — not in Barcelona. Arranging it there, before you leave or while a relative can queue for you, is usually more straightforward than arranging it from Spain. This guide cannot confirm the current apostille fee or how long it takes; ask the DFA or the consulate.
Where to go, and how to book, for a university degree
The whole procedure is done online, through the ministry’s electronic office at universidades.sede.gob.es. Note the address: ciencia.gob.es is the ministry’s information site and has no application on it. There is no counter to queue at and no appointment to book.
If you want a person to check your file before you send it:
| Service | Address | Phone / booking |
|---|---|---|
| SAIER (Servei d’Atenció a Immigrants, Emigrants i Refugiats, Barcelona City Council’s free service for migrants and refugees) | Carrer de Tarragona 141-147 | 93 153 28 15 · appointment at ajuntament.barcelona.cat/cita/saier |
| AMIC-UGT, a long-standing qualification-recognition advice service | Rambla del Raval 29-35 | 933 046 841 · book through SAIER if you live in Barcelona |
AMIC publishes no price for it and asks for no payment when you book — confirm that when you make the appointment.
Where to go for a school, secondary or vocational qualification
Not the Madrid ministry, whose non-university procedure does not cover Catalonia. In Barcelona it is the Oficina d’Accés a la Formació Professional, Carrer de Rosselló 87, with an appointment. There is no deadline — you can apply at any time. Documents must be originals, apostilled, and translated into Catalan or Spanish by a sworn translator. You are notified by SMS, so give a Spanish mobile number.
How long it takes
Six months is the legal maximum for a decision on the university procedure — article 18.3 of Real Decreto 889/2022. If six months pass with no answer, the law treats the application as refused by administrative silence, which means you can appeal rather than keep waiting.
What happens next
If it is granted you receive a credential — the “credencial de homologación”, or the declaration of equivalence. That is the document you give an employer or a professional register. If the ministry finds gaps, it can grant the homologation on condition that you pass additional requirements first.
What goes wrong
- If the ministry asks you to correct or complete your file, you get ten working days, and it can grant an exceptional extension of up to 35 working days — articles 14.1.b and 14.1.c. Miss it and your application is treated as withdrawn, so give an email address and a mobile number you actually check, and check them.
- Paying a gestor (a private paid paperwork agent, not a public office) to “speed up” the file does not work. Nothing shortens the six months, and the application is one you can complete yourself, or with free help from SAIER.
Two things you do not need to homologate
- Children joining primary or secondary school are placed by age, not by qualification.
- Adults enrolling on a Spanish secondary course do not need it either.
Useful words
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Homologación | Recognition as equivalent to a named Spanish qualification, allowing you to practise |
| Equivalencia | Recognition of academic level only |
| Convalidación | Recognition of individual subjects |
| Credencial | The certificate you receive at the end |
| Traducción jurada, traducció jurada | A sworn translation by a translator authorised in Spain |
| Apostilla | The Hague apostille |
| Legalización | Legalisation |
| Tasa | The government fee |
| Subsanación | The request to correct your file — the one with the ten-day clock |
| Profesión regulada | A profession you may not practise without recognition |
Read next
- Where can I get free help finding a job in Barcelona? Barcelona Activa will look at what your qualification is worth here while you wait.
- Where can I learn Spanish for free in Barcelona? Adults enrolling on a Spanish course need no homologation.
- Where do I get free legal advice on immigration, arraigo or family reunification? SAIER is where you book a person to check your file.
Official source
Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, “Homologación y equivalencia de títulos”, at ciencia.gob.es/Universidades/validate.html, with the procedure itself at universidades.sede.gob.es. The law is Real Decreto 889/2022 at boe.es. School and vocational qualifications in Barcelona are at edubcn.cat, under “Homologació i convalidació”.
Sources & checks
Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities · foreign degree recognition ↗
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