Collecting your degree title and using it abroad

Terms used

• Secretaría — The secretaría is the student administration office of a university or faculty, where you request titles and certificates.
• Certificación supletoria provisional — The certificación supletoria provisional is a temporary certificate from your university that proves your degree until the physical title is issued.
• Suplemento Europeo al Título — The Suplemento Europeo al Título is an official document that describes the level, content and context of your studies, in Spanish and usually English.
• Apostille — An apostille is a standard stamp that makes a Spanish public document accepted in other Hague Convention countries.

Key rules

• Physical title: Plan for many months before the title arrives, so request the provisional certificate straight after paying the fees.
• Supplement: The Suplemento Europeo al Título describes your studies but does not recognise your degree abroad.
• Apostille: The apostille covers Hague Convention countries only; other countries need extra legalisation through the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores.
• Fees: Title fees differ by region and type of title, so confirm the current amount and any discount with your university.

The short version

The physical title takes many months to arrive. You do not have to wait to prove your degree: ask your university for a provisional certificate. To use your degree abroad, you also need the Suplemento Europeo al Título and, for most countries, an apostille on the title.

How long the title takes

Expect roughly 6 to 12 months after you pay the fees, and sometimes more. Your university sends the file to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, which registers and issues the title. Times vary by university and by year. You can collect the title at the university or have it sent by post. The timeline below shows the order of steps.

What it costs

Each region sets title fees every year, and they depend on the type of title: grado, máster or doctorate. Expect a few tens of euros up to a little over a hundred. Discounts usually exist for large families and people with disabilities, and sometimes for other groups. Private universities set their own fees. Ask your university for the current figure and ask about discounts before you pay.

Prove your degree while you wait

Once you have paid the title fees, ask your university's secretaría (student office) for the certificación supletoria provisional. It works as proof of your degree for work and study until the real title is issued. You can usually ask in person or online, and some universities send a signed PDF. Validity varies, and some universities limit it to a set period, so ask how long yours lasts.

The Suplemento Europeo al Título

The Suplemento Europeo al Título describes what you studied: its level, content and context. It is issued in Spanish and usually English. It is not a degree and does not recognise your degree in another country. Ask for it at the secretaría of the university that awarded your degree, usually with or after your title application. It is generally free, but some universities charge for extra copies. It does not cover títulos propios (a university's own, non-official degrees), which follow their own rules.

Legalise your title for use abroad

Most countries want an apostille. It takes two stages:

1. Validate the signature. Your university or the education authority confirms the signature on the title. Use the original title or a certified copy.
2. Get the apostille. For degrees, the Ministerio de Justicia places it, or in some cases a regional body. You can apply in person, by post or online. It is usually free or cheap and takes from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the office.

An apostille only works in countries that belong to the Hague Convention. For other countries, you need further legalisation through the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores and the embassy or consulate of the destination country. Check which route your country needs before you start.

The documents and checklist below list what to bring.

Timeline and deadlines

• Pay the title issuance fees and apply for the title at your university: as soon as you finish your degree

• Request the provisional replacement certificate to use as proof of your degree: after paying the fees, while you wait for the title

• Collect the title at the university or receive it by post: once the title is issued

Documents you need

• Provisional replacement certificate (certificación supletoria provisional), issued by your university's secretaría after you pay the title fees. It stands in for the title until the title is issued.

• Suplemento Europeo al Título, issued by the secretaría of the university that awarded your official degree, in Spanish and usually English. Useful abroad to describe your studies.

• Original degree title or a certified copy, with the signature validated by the university or the education authority, as the starting point for an apostille.

• Apostille on your degree title, placed by the Ministerio de Justicia or the regional body for countries in the Hague Convention. Other countries also need legalisation through the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores and the destination country's embassy or consulate.

Checklist

• Find out the current title fee for your type of title (grado, máster or doctorate) from your university or regional government.

• Ask whether you qualify for a discount, for example as a member of a large family or a person with a disability.

• Ask your university's secretaría for the Suplemento Europeo al Título, and whether copies cost anything.

• Submit the title for apostille, in person, by post or online, and collect it.

• Check whether your destination country is in the Hague Convention, and if not, ask about further legalisation through the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores and its embassy or consulate.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the physical degree title take to arrive?

The physical degree title usually takes about 6 to 12 months after you pay the fees, and sometimes more.

Can I prove my degree while I wait for the title?

Yes, you can ask your university's secretaría for a provisional replacement certificate (certificación supletoria provisional) once you have paid the title fees. It has the same effect as the title for professional and academic purposes. It is generally valid until the title is issued, or for a period the university sets.

Is the Suplemento Europeo al Título the same as a degree recognition?

No, the Suplemento Europeo al Título is not a degree or proof of recognition. It is an official document in Spanish and usually English that describes the level, content and context of your studies. Own degrees (títulos propios) follow different rules for their supplement.