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Papers · Spain
Updated September 2026

🎓 How do I get my foreign diploma recognised?

Direct answer

Two different things: academic recognition (for further study or a general statement of comparability) and professional recognition (to practise a regulated profession: nurse, teacher, engineer, electrician). Ministerio de Ciencia — homologación / ENIC-NARIC España (universidades.gob.es) — the ENIC-NARIC centre for Spain — issues the comparability statement and tells you whether your profession is regulated and which authority recognises it. Regulated professions go to the competent authority per profession; EU qualifications benefit from the automatic or general system. Colegio Notarial / Ministerio de Justicia — apostilla (mjusticia.gob.es) handles school and higher-education recognition. Your diploma may first need an apostille and a sworn translation — Oficina de Extranjería / Policía Nacional — extranjería (060).

Call firstMinisterio de Ciencia — homologación / ENIC-NARIC España
Report toColegio Notarial / Ministerio de Justicia — apostilla
If that failsOficina de Extranjería / Policía Nacional — extranjería

🗣️ What to say

"I hold [diploma], awarded by [institution, country] in [year], and want to [work as … / continue studying in …] in Spain. Is the profession regulated, which authority recognises the qualification, and what documents and translations do you need?"

🪜 Step by step

  1. Regulated or not?Check the EU regulated-professions database or ask Ministerio de Ciencia — homologación / ENIC-NARIC España. Unregulated: employers decide, a comparability statement helps.
  2. Comparability statement: Ministerio de Ciencia — homologación / ENIC-NARIC EspañaOnline application, copies of diploma and transcript, translation. Weeks to a few months.
  3. Regulated: the competent authorityMinisterio de Ciencia — homologación / ENIC-NARIC España names it. EU diplomas: recognition within months, possibly with an adaptation period or test.
  4. Apostille and translationOften required for non-EU documents; the apostille comes from the issuing country. See the apostille page.
  5. Refugees and missing documentsThe European Qualifications Passport for Refugees and interview-based assessments exist; ask Ministerio de Ciencia — homologación / ENIC-NARIC España.

📇 All contacts

Ministerio de Ciencia — homologación / ENIC-NARIC EspañaHomologation and equivalence of qualificationsRecognition of foreign qualifications🔗 www.universidades.gob.es
Colegio Notarial / Ministerio de Justicia — apostillaApostille by document type; e-apostilleFor documents to be used abroad🔗 www.mjusticia.gob.es/es/ciudadania/tramites/legalizacion-unica-apostilla
Oficina de Extranjería / Policía Nacional — extranjeríaNIE, residence permits, nationalityFor residence and nationality📞 060🔗 extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es
SEPERegistration, unemployment benefitWithin 15 working days of the end of the contract📞 900 81 24 00🔗 www.sepe.es

❓ Frequently asked

Does an EU diploma need recognition?

For a regulated profession yes — but the procedure is faster and often automatic (doctors, nurses, architects…). For an ordinary job, no.

What does it cost?

Comparability statements are cheap or free; professional recognition has fees per authority. Ask before you apply.

My profession is regulated and I am from outside the EU

Recognition is case by case, sometimes with an aptitude test. Start early; it can take a year.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

  • “diploma recognition Spain”
  • “enic naric Spain”
  • “foreign qualification recognised work”
  • “regulated profession recognition Spain”
  • “comparability statement diploma”

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Related questions

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