If you are Colombian and wish to homologate non-university degrees in Spain, you will need to follow a series of procedures, depending on the case, which we will outline below.
Primary and Secondary Education
For primary and secondary education, no homologation process is required. You simply need to go to the local city council where you are registered and request that you or your child be assigned to a school grade level based on age.
In Spain, primary education includes grades 1 to 6, and compulsory secondary education (ESO) spans grades 1 to 4, which are equivalent to grades 7 to 10.
No fees apply for this type of process, as these academic levels are compulsory and, therefore, free of charge.
High School (Bachillerato)
This homologation allows you to continue your academic training in a Spanish institution. The Colombian high school diploma is not homologated with the Spanish ESO but with the Spanish "Bachillerato." The competent authority for this process is the Ministry of Education in Spain.
Requirements:
- The degree must be official in the educational system of the country of origin; unofficial degrees cannot be homologated.
- The high school studies must be fully completed.
- There must be sufficient equivalency between the studies and the Spanish degree in terms of academic level, duration, and content.
Documentation:
- Completed form: "Request for Homologation or Validation of Foreign Non-University Degrees."
- Valid passport.
- Certified copy of the high school diploma, apostilled.
- Certified copies of transcripts for grades 9, 10, and 11, all apostilled.
- If previous studies were completed in another country: a grade book with an academic transcript is valid.
- Payment of the non-university study fee.
- The procedure can be carried out by a representative, in which case a notarized power of attorney must be provided.
Technical Degrees
In Spain, there is no direct equivalent to Colombia’s technical training, but there are professional training degrees (Formación Profesional), which aim to equip individuals with academic training to carry out professional activities. It is not theoretical in nature and has a significant practical component to prepare students for the job market. The Spanish government divides it into two levels:
- Intermediate Level (Grado Medio)
- Advanced Level (Grado Superior)
These degrees generally last 2,000 hours and are divided into two academic courses, with practical internships at the end.
A technical degree, such as one from SENA, can be homologated within the Spanish education system. There is an equivalency table that allows applicants to verify whether their degree aligns with Spanish regulations.
Normally, this process is handled by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. However, if the applicant resides in Galicia, Catalonia, or the Basque Country, they must contact the competent authority in their autonomous community:
- Catalonia: Catalonia's Homologation Portal
- Galicia: Galicia's Homologation Portal
- Basque Country: Basque Country's Homologation Portal
For the rest of the autonomous communities: National Homologation Guidelines
For example, a nursing assistant degree in Spain is equivalent to the intermediate vocational training degree.
To pay the non-university study fee: Payment Form
Requirements:
- The studies must be equivalent in terms of duration and content. Each field of study within Spain’s vocational training must correspond to the technical education provided abroad.
- The technical degree must be completed.
- The applicant must not have already obtained the same degree in Spain.
- The studies submitted must not have been previously homologated under another degree or training field in Spain.
Documentation:
- Application form for homologation and validation of foreign non-university vocational training degrees.
- Proof of payment of the homologation fee.
- Certified copy of identification (passport, NIE, or any other valid ID).
- If appointing a representative, a notarized power of attorney must be included.
- Certified copy of the diploma certifying completion of the required qualifications, apostilled.
- Documentation of the professional training program recognized by the Ministry at the time of the request for homologation.
- An official document issued by the academic authorities from the country of origin.
- A document that certifies that professional internships relate to the activity for which homologation is sought.
It is possible that additional documents may be requested by Spanish authorities.
Important Notes:
- Individual subjects cannot be homologated.
- A degree cannot be homologated based on homologation in a third country (e.g., a degree homologated in the United States cannot be used to homologate in Spain).
- All documents must be apostilled.
- The documents must be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training in Spain and signed by the educational institution's registrar.
- If the homologation is denied, the decision can be appealed via a "potestative administrative appeal" to the same authority or through a judicial appeal in the contentious-administrative courts.
- Homologation procedures for non-university degrees must be completed in person.
- If a technical degree does not align with any academic field, it cannot be homologated. However, partial validation may be accepted for a related academic program.