Switching from an international school to a Spanish school

Terms used

• Homologación — Homologación is the official recognition of a foreign qualification as equivalent to a Spanish one.
• Convalidación — Convalidación is the official recognition of foreign studies so they count towards a Spanish course or title.
• Concertado — A concertado school is privately run but publicly funded, and follows the same admission rules as public schools.
• Baremo — The baremo is the points scale used to rank applicants when a school has more applicants than places.

Key rules

• Recognition: You do not need homologación or convalidación to enrol in Infant, Primary or ESO.
• Priority: Coming from an international school gives no priority for a place.
• Placement: Your child is normally placed by age, and the region can place them one year lower if level or Spanish is too weak.
• Mid-year arrival: If you arrive during the school year, the regional admissions commission assigns a place among the vacancies.

Do you need to recognise your child's studies first?

No. To enrol in Infant, Primary or ESO (compulsory secondary), you do not need homologación or convalidación of the foreign studies. The Spanish school places your child in a course based on age and prior studies, using the school records you bring. Where the case is unclear, the education inspection decides.

Formal recognition matters later. You need homologación or convalidación to get Spanish titles such as the ESO graduate title or Bachillerato, and for post-compulsory studies, university and professional use. Foreign Bachillerato-level studies usually need homologación to the Spanish Bachillerato title, or UNED accreditation for university entrance. The Ministry of Education handles these procedures, and in some cases the regional authority does. If your child is near the end of school, ask early which route applies.

How your child is placed in a course

Your child is normally placed in the course that matches their age. The regional education authority can place a pupil one year lower if their academic level or Spanish is too weak. More than one year below is not usual. If your child catches up, they can move to the age-appropriate course.

If Spanish is a problem, ask the school about language-support programmes. Exact assessment procedures differ by region, so ask the school or your regional education department how they apply it.

Getting a place

Coming from an international school gives you no priority. You apply through your region's ordinary admission process. This usually means one application window in spring for the next school year. Public and publicly funded (concertado) schools that have more applicants than places use a points scale (baremo). Points depend on things like siblings at the school, how close your home or workplace is, family income and disability.

If you arrive during the school year, you ask for a late enrolment (matrícula fuera de plazo). The regional admissions commission then assigns a place among the vacancies.

Some regions give extra points or reserved places to families who moved for a parent's job, or to newly arrived pupils. Ask your regional education department whether this applies to you.

Documents

Schools usually ask for your child's ID, your registration certificate, the vaccination record and the previous school's records. Foreign documents need a sworn translation and an apostille or consular legalisation. Requirements are applied flexibly for ordinary enrolment in Primary and ESO, but the list varies by region and school. Confirm it with the school you are applying to. The documents list below has the full detail.

Order of steps

1. Ask your regional education department about the application window and any extra points.
2. Request the records from the international school early, since translation and legalisation take time.
3. Apply through the ordinary process, or through the admissions commission if you arrive mid-year.
4. Talk to the school about placement and language support.

The timeline, checklist and FAQ below cover the details.

Timeline and deadlines

• Apply through your region's ordinary admission process, with the points scale for oversubscribed schools: in the single application window, usually in spring before the next school year

• Ask the regional admissions commission for a place among the vacancies: if your child arrives during the school year

Documents you need

• Your child's passport or NIE/ID, as issued by the authorities of your country or Spain.

• The family's registration certificate (empadronamiento), issued by your town hall.

• Your child's vaccination record.

• Academic records from the international school: certificates or reports showing the years and subjects completed, plus the transcript for secondary.

• An official translation into Spanish by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) of the foreign school documents.

• An apostille (for Hague Convention countries) or consular legalisation on the foreign documents, depending on the country.

Checklist

• Plan on no homologación or convalidación for enrolment in Infant, Primary or ESO.

• Ask the school how it will place your child by age and prior studies.

• Ask about language-support programmes if your child's Spanish is weak.

• Gather your child's passport or NIE/ID, your empadronamiento certificate and the vaccination record.

• Request the previous school's certificates, reports and transcript.

• Get a sworn translation and an apostille or consular legalisation of the foreign documents.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child be placed in a lower year than their age group?

Yes, the regional education authority can place your child one year lower if their academic level or Spanish is insufficient. Language-support programmes are available for serious gaps.

Does coming from an international school give us priority for a place?

No, coming from an international school gives no priority in admission. Points depend on things like siblings at the school, distance from home or work, family income and disability.

What if we arrive in the middle of the school year?

You apply for late enrolment, and the regional admissions commission assigns your child a place among the vacancies. The usual spring application window is for the next school year, so ask the regional education department how to apply now.