Official degrees versus a university's own titles (títulos propios)

Terms used

• RUCT — The RUCT is Spain's national register of universities, centres and official degrees, searchable on the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities website.
• Título propio — A título propio is a university's own qualification, not in the RUCT and without official academic or professional validity.
• Máster propio — A máster propio is a master issued by a university on its own authority; it is not an official master.
• Oposiciones — Oposiciones are the competitive public-sector exams used to get civil service jobs in Spain.

Key rules

• Official status: Only a degree listed in the RUCT is official; anything else is a título propio.
• Who confirms: Get written confirmation from the university's admissions office, not from an agent.
• Doctorate: A máster propio does not give access to a doctorate.
• Public exams: A título propio does not meet an official-title requirement for oposiciones.

The short answer

A degree is official only if it appears in the RUCT. Anything else is a título propio with no official validity. Check the register before you pay a deposit, an enrolment fee or an agent.

What a título propio is

A título propio is a qualification a university issues on its own authority, not on behalf of the State. Names you may see include "Máster propio", "Experto" and "Especialista". Public and private universities both offer them.

Being taught at a real university does not make a course official. A título propio from a public university is still a título propio.

What this means for you

• It does not give access to regulated professions.
• It does not count as an official qualification for public-sector exams (oposiciones) that ask for an official title. It may still count as a merit.
• A máster propio does not give access to a doctorate. An official master needs an official Grado or an equivalent, not a título propio.
• Some universities recognise a limited number of credits from a título propio towards official studies. There is a legal cap, and the university decides case by case. Ask before you count on it.
• Employers may value it, depending on the institution. That is a reputation question, not a legal one.

Títulos propios can still be worth taking if you know what you are buying. The problem is paying for one believing it is official.

How a degree becomes official

An official programme is assessed by the national quality agency or a regional one before it starts. The region then authorises it and it is entered in the RUCT. After that, the agencies monitor it and renew its accreditation periodically. A programme with negative reports can lose accreditation, so check the status of an older programme too.

How to check before paying

1. Open the public RUCT search on the website of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
2. Search for the exact degree, not just the university's name.
3. Compare the record with what you were offered: university, teaching centre, exact title, credits, teaching mode and language.
4. Ask the university's admissions office, not the agent, to confirm in writing that the programme is official.

The checklist below gives the full steps. If the programme is not in the RUCT, treat it as a título propio, whatever the advert says.

Watch out for agents

Agents sometimes sell títulos propios as official degrees. The warning below lists the common signs. Do not pay anyone until the register and the university's written answer agree with the offer.

Checklist

• Filter by university, level (Grado, Máster or Doctorado) and the name of the degree.

• Open the record and check that the university and the centre that teaches it match the programme you were offered.

• Check the exact official title name, the ECTS credits and the branch of knowledge against the advert or contract.

• Check the status of the programme and the dates of verification and last accreditation, and avoid programmes marked as extinguished or in extinction.

• Check the teaching mode (in-person, online or blended) and the language against what you were promised.

• If the programme does not appear in the RUCT, treat it as a título propio with no official validity, and do not pay until you have decided that is what you want.

Education agents and fake programmes: warning signs

Education agents and fake programmes

• Promised places in capped public degrees: Nobody, including an agent, can guarantee a place in a capped public degree, because places go by admission mark. A guaranteed place is a sign of a misleading offer. Walk away from any guarantee. Apply through the official regional portal and ask the university directly how places are allocated.

• Programmes that are not official degrees: Some programmes are sold as degrees but are a título propio, the university's own certificate, or a private 'university' the regional government has not authorised. Agents may also name no university or give no official degree code. Ask for the university name and the official degree code. Look the programme up in the national register (RUCT) and confirm with the regional education department.

• Pressure and promised visas: Be careful if an agent pushes you to decide or pay fast, or says a visa or residence permit is assured. A student visa needs admission to an authorised programme. Take time to decide. Confirm admission with the university itself before paying for anything.

• Risky payments and missing paperwork: Large payments before any application, payment only in cash or to personal or foreign accounts, and no written contract are danger signs. So are a missing company tax number (NIF), address or terms, and no clear refund policy. Pay only against a written contract from an identifiable company, by traceable transfer, and keep every receipt.

• Fee traps: Watch for non-refundable reservation or enrolment deposits, agent fees kept if you are rejected, success fees tied to promised admission, large cancellation penalties, and bundled visa, housing or translation services with unclear prices. Read the refund terms before paying and get all prices in writing. If something goes wrong, complain to your local consumer office (OMIC), the regional consumer agency, or the university's own complaint channel or Defensor Universitario.

Frequently asked questions

Can a máster propio lead to a doctorate?

No, a máster propio does not give you access to a doctorate. Access to an official master requires an official grado or equivalent, not a título propio.

Does a título propio count for public-sector exams (oposiciones)?

No, a título propio does not count as an official qualification for oposiciones that require an official title. It may still be valued as merit in the selection.

Is a título propio from a public university official?

No, a título propio is not official even when a public or private university issues it. The university awards it under its own autonomy, not the State.

How often is an official programme re-checked for quality?

Official programmes are re-accredited periodically, at about every 6 years for grados and doctorates and every 4 years for masters under the previous rules. A programme with negative reports can lose its accreditation, so check its current status in the register.