Each country has a different education system. This means that if we want to study in another country, we must have our courses, degrees, or qualifications obtained in the United States recognized as equivalent to those of the destination country, in this case, Spain. We can do this by checking the equivalency of studies between Spain and the United States . This equivalency process is called homologation or validation, and that's what we're going to explain in this post: how to homologate studies.
Who must validate their studies to study in Spain?
Anyone wishing to study outside the United States, whether continuing their studies or starting new ones, must have their previous qualifications recognized in Spain. This process is mandatory and necessary , in addition to any other requirements that may apply for studying in Spain if your qualifications are from the United States . Even if you don't intend to study, it's ideal to have your qualifications recognized in case they are required for future employment or public service exams in Spain.
What steps must be taken to validate or recognize American studies?
The first step is to understand the requirements for gaining admission to your desired institution in Spain. Therefore, if you're applying for secondary school or high school, the most important thing is to complete your high school diploma and then begin the application process.
If you're dealing with university procedures, there are several options, depending on whether or not you've completed your degree. If you have, the process is similar to that for high school . If you haven't finished and want to continue your studies in Spain, there are different options, such as: validating your studies through course recognition or starting over.
You can learn more about these options and the advantages and benefits in each case in the post about how to continue studies in Spain from our colleagues at Escuela PCE.
What documentation is required to validate studies?
- Original and certified copy of the title, which must have the Hague Apostille.
- Original and certified copy of the certificate of qualifications, which must have the Hague Apostille.
- Original and certified copy of the study plan (in the case of university homologations), which includes all the detailed information on the subjects and which must have the Hague Apostille.
- Certified copy of passport or document.
- Payment of fees for Form 079.
- Fill out the Application Form for each case. If it is for college o non-university (high school and below).
US high school equivalency in Spain
Currently, the high school qualifications in Spain (1st and 2nd year) are equivalent to grades 11 and 12 in the United States.
Where can I obtain the accreditation of a high school diploma and other qualifications?
There are three options for processing titles:
- In person. If you are in Spain, at the General Registry of the Ministry of Education, in the Higher Education Inspection Areas, except if you are in Galicia, the Basque Country and Catalonia, where the exam is held at the Education Department of these communities. If you are in Venezuela, at the Spanish consulates, by requesting an appointment.
- Online. Only for university homologations, through the website of the Ministry of Universities.
- LegalSpain. The best option if you want everything to go well and not have any setbacks. This option allows you to worry free and carry out the homologation of high school o the homologation of your university degree through a specific agency for these procedures. We are experts in all types of homologation and validation processes.
How long does the process of validating American studies take?
The process of validating a high school diploma can take between 5 and 9 months . University degrees take between 6 and 15 months . These are average times, and the actual timeframe will depend on agreements between countries and the Spanish consulate, as the more work they have, the longer the delay may be.
Why homologate documents and titles with LegalSpain?
As you can see, there can be many procedures that are necessary to obtain the homologation or validation of our qualifications. In addition, the time to obtain the resolution depends greatly on the consulate and whether it sends the documents to Spain quickly, something that does not usually happen. Often, registration units abroad make mistakes and this affects the students' records. Therefore, if you want to obtain a gain in time, security in the processing, saving money and convenience, It is best to trust and delegate these processes to specialized agencies such as LegalSpain. We can coordinate all aspects so that you can have the peace of mind you need and only have to worry about deciding what to study and where to do it.
