The extra qualification for psychologists (psicólogo general sanitario)

Terms used

• Homologación — Homologación is the official recognition of a foreign degree as equal to a specific Spanish degree.
• PIR — The PIR is Spain's four-year paid residency that trains psychologists as specialists in Clinical Psychology.
• Colegio Oficial de la Psicología — The Colegio Oficial de la Psicología is the professional body where psychologists must register to practise.
• ECTS — ECTS are the European credit units that measure the size of a degree or course.

Key rules

• Clinical practice: You need the sanitary qualification, either the master or the PIR, in addition to a recognised degree.
• Degree: Your degree needs at least 240 ECTS and a psychology-focused curriculum.
• PIR exam: The call usually comes out in the autumn, with the exam in January or February.
• Non-EU graduates: You need a residence permit that allows you to work to enter the PIR.

The short answer

A psychology degree alone does not let you do clinical work in Spain. You need the sanitary qualification as well. That means either the Master en Psicología General Sanitaria or the PIR specialty. Both require a Spanish psychology degree or a foreign one that Spain has officially recognised. This applies to both EU and non-EU graduates.

Step 1: get your degree recognised

Apply to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through its electronic portal. Your degree needs at least 240 ECTS credits and a psychology-focused curriculum.

You can ask for homologación, which makes your degree equal to the Spanish Grado en Psicología. You can also ask for equivalence to a Spanish academic level (Nivel MECES). The sanitary route needs homologación. EU graduates also need it, because the EU professional recognition route covers only regulated activities.

The ministry may ask for supplementary exams or courses. Processing often takes many months, so apply early. The documents list below shows what to gather.

Step 2: choose your route

Master en Psicología General Sanitaria. This is a 90 ECTS master with a practicum, taught at Spanish universities. It qualifies you for general clinical and health psychology work.

PIR (Psicólogo Interno Residente). This is a 4-year residency that leads to the specialist title in Clinical Psychology. You enter through a national exam, part of the yearly health specialist training call run by the Ministry of Health.

• The call usually appears in the autumn. The exam is in January or February.
• It is a multiple-choice test. Your rank combines the exam score with your academic record.
• You choose posts in rank order at a public assignment. The number of places changes each year.
• Foreign graduates can sit it. Your degree must be recognised in Spain by the time you take up a post.
• Non-EU candidates also need a residence permit that allows them to work.

If you already hold a foreign master or specialist title

You can apply to the Ministry of Health for recognition of a specialty. These cases are decided one by one, so ask the ministry what it will accept for your title.

After you qualify

Register with the Colegio Oficial de la Psicología. The health centre where you work must also be authorised by its autonomous community. Rules differ by region, so check with the regional health authority.

The checklist and FAQ below cover the steps and common questions.

Documents you need

• Your psychology degree, legalised or apostilled in the country that issued it. Needed for recognition (homologación) of a non-EU degree.

• Your academic transcripts, from the university that issued your degree.

• The syllabi (course content) of your degree, from your university.

• A sworn translation of your degree and academic documents into Spanish, if they are in another language.

Checklist

• Apply to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, through its electronic portal, for homologación of your degree or for an equivalence level.

• Gather your apostilled degree, transcripts, syllabi and sworn translation before you apply.

• Complete any supplementary exams or courses the ministry asks for.

• Choose between the Master en Psicología General Sanitaria (90 ECTS with practicum) and the PIR specialty (4 years).

• If you are a non-EU graduate aiming for the PIR, confirm you have a residence permit that allows you to work.

• Watch for the PIR call in the autumn and prepare for the exam in January or February.

Frequently asked questions

Can I work as a clinical psychologist in Spain with only a foreign degree?

No, a foreign degree alone is not enough to practise clinical or health psychology in Spain.

Can foreign graduates sit the PIR exam?

Yes, foreign graduates can sit the PIR exam, as long as their degree is officially homologated in Spain by the time they take up a post. Non-EU candidates also need a residence permit that allows them to work. The call is usually published in the autumn, with the exam in January or February.

What can I do if I already hold a foreign master or specialist title in psychology?

You can apply to the Ministry of Health for recognition of a specialty. These cases are decided one by one, so ask the ministry what it needs for your title. Your degree must still be recognised first.