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Entry with foreign qualifications

You can work out which route your school qualification takes into a Spanish degree, what must be obtained and how your marks will count.

If you finished school outside Spain's education system, you can still apply to a Spanish university degree. This topic shows which route your school qualification takes, what you must obtain first, and how your marks will count.

8 articlesAbout 42 min of readingEssentialUniversity and higher education

Start with the first articleSee all 8 articles

Pick the article that fits your situation

  1. Which route into a Spanish degree fits your school qualification?

    Shows which of three routes into a Spanish university degree applies to your school qualification: direct access, a UNED credential plus tests, or special treatment for the IB and European Baccalaureate. For students finishing school outside Spain.

    6 min read

  2. Getting the UNED access credential (credencial de acceso) step by step

    Explains who issues the UNED access credential, how to apply online, which documents and fees to expect, how the calendar and processing time work, and what to do if UNED asks you to fix your file. For students with non-EU school qualifications.

    7 min read

  3. Do you have to sit the Spanish university entrance exams (PAU)?

    Explains whether you need to sit Spain's university entrance exams (PAU) or the UNED specific tests, what they cover, how the subjects count towards your admission mark, where to take them and how long the marks last. For students applying from abroad.

    4 min read

  4. How your foreign school grades become a Spanish admission mark

    Explains how an average from a school outside Spain becomes a Spanish 0 to 10 mark, and how that mark combines with exam results into the final admission mark. For applicants to public Spanish universities with foreign school grades or an IB diploma.

    4 min read

  5. University entry from Latin America: extra steps to expect

    If your school studies were in Latin America, you need your school title and transcript legalised and, if not in Spanish, translated. This page explains the order of those steps for applicants to Spanish universities.

    4 min read

  6. Entering from A-levels, US high school or the IB after Brexit

    How Spanish universities treat A-levels, US high school diplomas with SAT and AP, and the IB, and when the PAU entrance exam may still apply. For students applying from the UK, the US or an IB school.

    5 min read

  7. Do you need a Spanish certificate (DELE or SIELE) to be admitted?

    Explains when a university in Spain asks for a Spanish certificate, which level is usual, which certificates are accepted and who is exempt. For non-native speakers applying to degrees taught in Spanish.

    4 min read

  8. University access for refugees and displaced students in Spain

    Explains the special routes into Spanish university for refugees, asylum seekers, people with protection and displaced Ukrainians who cannot show full school records, and what to bring and whom to contact.

    3 min read

About this topic

It is for people considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain, whether you are a school-leaver or a parent working through this for your family. It covers the access credential, entrance exams and specific tests, grade conversion, the Spanish-language requirement and special access for refugees. It also has pages for applicants from Latin America and from the UK, the US and the IB.

The application calendar, enrolment, the student visa, Spanish school structure and where to learn Spanish are not covered here.

Start with "Which route into a Spanish degree fits your school qualification?". It helps you find the pathway for the qualification you hold. The other pages build on that answer.

Key rules

  • Admission mark: The admission mark is 0.6 times your school mark plus 0.4 times the exam phase, plus up to 4 points from subject weightings, to a maximum of 14 points.
  • Responding to a request: If the credential file is incomplete, you normally have 10 working days to respond to the request to correct it.
  • Direct access: EU, EEA, Swiss and some agreement-country qualifications that give university access at home need no UNED credential.
  • UK and US: A-levels and US high school diplomas normally need the UNED credential.
  • Issuer: UNED issues the credential, and you apply for it online.
  • Correction request: If UNED asks you to fix your file, answer within 10 working days or the application is treated as withdrawn.

Entry with foreign qualifications: the whole process, step by step

  • Find your route for your school qualification (Which route into a Spanish degree fits your school qualification?): before you start anything else

  • Check whether you must sit the entrance exams (Do you have to sit the Spanish university entrance exams (PAU)?): before the application round opens, so you can book a session

  • Gather legalised and translated school documents and apply online for the UNED credential (Getting the UNED access credential step by step): in the main round, which runs from about the start of the year until spring or early summer for September admission; an extra round usually follows in summer

  • Answer any request to correct your file (Getting the UNED access credential step by step): you normally have 10 working days to respond

  • Sit the UNED tests if you need them (Do you have to sit the Spanish university entrance exams (PAU)?): sessions are usually in spring (around April to May) and June to July, with a further session often in autumn, in Spain and at centres abroad

  • Wait for the credential and check your grade (How your foreign school grades become a Spanish admission mark): processing usually takes several weeks and longer at peak times, so apply early

  • If your application is denied, file an appeal: within one month of the decision

  • Apply to universities with your credential: the credential does not expire, so you can use it in later years

Opening and closing dates change each year, so check the current dates with UNED before you plan.

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

Other documents

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Entry with foreign qualifications: questions that cross several articles

Do IB and European Baccalaureate holders need the UNED credential?

Yes, IB holders still need a UNED credential, while European Baccalaureate holders get direct access without it. The IB diploma is treated as equivalent to the Spanish Bachillerato. Read "Which route into a Spanish degree fits your school qualification?" and "Entering from A-levels, US high school or the IB after Brexit".

Does the IB score count towards the Spanish admission mark?

Yes, your IB total out of 45 is converted to a 0 to 10 school mark, so 24 points becomes 5 and 45 points becomes 10. You can sit the exams optionally to raise the mark up to 14 points. Read "How your foreign school grades become a Spanish admission mark".

Do UK A-level students need the UNED credential and the PAU?

Yes, UK students normally need the UNED credential, and many also sit the PAU to raise their grade. A-levels give access if you pass at least two subjects. Read "Entering from A-levels, US high school or the IB after Brexit" and "Do you have to sit the Spanish university entrance exams (PAU)?".

Is a US high school diploma enough on its own to enter a Spanish university?

No, a US diploma alone is not enough, because you also need the UNED credential, which asks for SAT or AP results. See Which route into a Spanish degree fits your school qualification?.

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