Useful information for international students
(third-country nationals) 
CONTENTS

1. Admission to Spanish universities
a. General Information (questions 1 to 10)
b. Recognition Credential (questions 11 to 23)
c. Effects of the Credential (question 24)

2. University Entrance Examination (Selectividad)
a. General Information (questions 25 to 28)
b. Enrolment (question 29)
c. Exam Structure (questions 30 to 34) 
d. Marks and Complaints (questions 35 to 39)

3. Pre-enrolment
a. General Information (questions 40 to 45)
b. Andalusian Universities (questions 46 to 50)
c. Procedure (questions 51 to 55)
d. Other Spanish Universities (question 56)

4. Accommodation (questions 57 to 61)

5. Other relevant information (questions 62 to 65)

6. Calculation of equivalent average marks of university studies completed abroad

7. Relevant legislation 


1. What should a student holding a foreign non-university degree certificate or diploma subject to official recognition as equivalent to upper secondary education qualifications (“Bachillerato”, Vocational Training) do to gain admission to a Spanish university?
He or she should apply for official recognition of the relevant certificates or diplomas by the Spanish Ministry of Education as equivalent to Spanish upper secondary education certificates (“Bachillerato”, Vocational Training) that qualify their holders to begin university studies.

2. Which requirements must a qualifications degree certificate meet for it to be officially recognized?
* It must be officially valid in the educational system of the country of origin.
* It must supply evidence of the successful completion of qualifications in accordance with the relevant regulations in the country of origin.
* It must present a sufficient degree of equivalence with the relevant Spanish degree, both academically and in terms of its length and contents.
* The studies must have been fully completed in the educational system of the country of origin.
* The holder can’t have previously earned the degree within the Spanish educational system whose recognition he is applying for.

3. How does the procedure begin?
The procedure begins at the request of the holder.

4. Where is the application to be submitted?
• At the General Registry Office of the Ministry of Education (C/ Los Madrazo, 17 C.P.28014) or Subsidiary Registries (Pº del Prado, 28 C.P 28014.; C/ Torrelaguna, 58, C.P 28027.), all of which are in Madrid.
• At the Functional Areas of the Education Inspectorate of the Government Delegate’s Offices in the Autonomous Regions, or the Provincial Bureaus of the Ministry of Education in Ceuta and Melilla.
• At the registry offices of any administrative bodies belonging to either the central state administration, or the public entities linked or subsidiary to it.
• At any post offices.
• At any of Spain’s diplomatic representations or consular offices abroad.
• At the registry offices of the administration of the autonomous regions.
• At the registry offices of those entities comprising th local government authorities, should the latter have signed a relevant agreement.

5. Can the procedure be started online? 
Yes, through the website of the Ministry of Education on-line procedure

6. Where can the application form be found?
It can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education

7. Are there any fees for opening a foreign non higher education degree recognition file?
Yes, a fee must be paid, the amount of which varies according to the degree.

8. Where and how is the fee paid?
The fee can be paid in Spain or abroad.

9. Is it necessary to provide evidence of the payment of the fee?
Yes. It is a necessary prerequisite for the opening of the file.

10. Which documents must be submitted?
• Evidence of payment of the relevant fee.
• Certified copy of your identity document (National ID card / Passport / Foreign Resident Identity Card / others). It is not be necessary to provide a submit a photocopy of the National ID card so long as its holder gives consent to the verification of his or her identity through the Data Verification System, in which case consent must be expressly stated.
• If applicable, an original document drafted by the holder authorizing a representative to act on its behalf, along with the representative’s identity document (National ID card / Passport / Foreign Resident Identity Card / others). It is not be necessary to provide a submit a photocopy of the National ID card so long as its holder gives consent to the verification of his or her identity through the Data Verification System, in which case consent must be expressly stated.
• Certified copy of the official degree certificate or diploma whose recognition is sought, or, if applicable, an official certificate providing evidence of having successfully completed the final exams.
• Certified copy of the academic transcript showing the subjects completed, the marks awarded and the academic years when the subjects were completed.
• If qualifications have been earned in the Spanish educational system prior to the relevant foreign qualifications, a certified copy of the academic transcript showing the qualifications or the grade book.

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11. Of which nature must the documents accompanying the application be?
These documents must be official in nature and must have been issued by the competent authorities, in accordance with the relevant domestic legal system.

12. Should the documents issued abroad be legalized?
Yes. Document legalization is the process whereby the signatures of the relevant authorities in a document given are validated and authenticated for the purposes of submitting the document in another country.

13. Which requirements must documents issued abroad meet for due legalization?
• Documents issued in countries that are party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961: The common legalization, or “apostille”, issued by the competent authorities in the country, is sufficient for legalization.
• Documents issued in other countries: Documents must legalized through diplomatic channels. To this end, the usual procedure is as follows:
o Ministry of Education in the country of origin for degree certificates and transcripts and the relevant Ministry for birth and citizenship certificates.
o Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country where these documents were issued.
o The  Diplomatic representation or consular office in Spain 

14. What else do the regulations governing this procedure require?
They require that the documents issued abroad be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish.

15. Where can an official translation be obtained?
• From a  sworn translator that is duly authorized or registered in Spain.
• From any of Spain’s diplomatic representations or consular offices abroad.
• From Spain’s diplomatic representation or consular offices in the country of origin of the holder, or where applicable the country where the document was issued.

16. Should certified copies of the required documentation be submitted?
In general terms, certified copies of the required documentation must be submitted (a certified copy bears a seal that attests that the photocopied document is a true and complete copy of the original).

17. How much time does the Ministry have to rule on applications for official certificate recognition?
A decision is to be given within three months, from the date of submission of the application.

18. What should the student understand if the Ministry does not give an answer by the set deadline?
The application may be deemed as dismissed.

19. How can this dismissal be appealed?.
This implied dismissal can only be appealed through administrative proceedings or contentious-administrative proceedings.

20. What do these appeals consist of?
The procedure settlement puts an end to the administrative proceedings and it can be contested through an administrative appeal for review, lodged to the same administrative body that issued it, or through a contentious-administrative appeal, lodged to the courts of the contentious-administrative jurisdiction.
The notification of the decision to the holder also mentions the appeals that can be lodged against it as well as the entity to and the deadline by which they must be lodged.

21. Are there any information desks in Spain or abroad students can visit to look for answers along the process?
Yes, both in Spain and abroad.

22. Which regulations govern official non-university degrees and qualifications recognition procedures?
All applicable legislation can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education.

23. What happens if a decision is not ruled on the requested terms?
Conditional registration shall have no effect and so will the results of the exams carried out as a result.

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24. What effect does the university credential have?
It has the same academic effects as the documents students from the Spanish educational system are required to submit as evidence that they have completed the relevant qualifications or, if applicable, the holding of the relevant Spanish degree.

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25 What is the Selectividad?
The University Entrance Examination (“PAU”), also known as Selectividad, consists of a series of exams to be successfully completed by students who, upon completing Bachillerato, wish to gain admission to a Spanish university, whether public or private.

26. What must a student who comes from a foreign educational system and has had his or her qualifications recognized as equivalent to the Spanish Bachillerato certificate and wishes to be admitted to an official university degree do?
He or she must sit the University Entrance Examination (Selectividad).

27. Who organizes this examination?
This examination is held by the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED).

28. Who can sit the University Entrance Examination?
Those who are in any of the situations below and have had their qualifications recognized as equivalent to the Spanish Bachillerato.
- Students wishing to be admitted to a Bachelor’s degree in Spain and come from foreign educational systems that are not among the exempted cases.
- Students who come from EU educational systems or students from other countries with which Spain has signed relevant international agreements, do not fulfill the necessary academic requirements for admission to university in the relevant educational system and hold qualifications that are equivalent to the Spanish Bachillerato.
-Students who come from EU educational systems or students from other countries with which Spain has signed relevant international agreements, fulfill the necessary academic requirements for admission to university in the relevant educational system and wish to sit the general examination phase of the University Entrance Examination.

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29. Registration: venues, deadlines, fees and documentation
All information concerning these can be found on the website of UNED.

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30. What does the examination consist of?
The University Entrance Examination is comprised of two phases: the general phase (compulsory) and the specific phase (optional). 
More information of the organization of the examination can be found on the website of UNED.

31. Is it advisable to sit the area-specific exams of the University Entrance Examination?
Students are advised to do so in order to improve the mark recorded on their report.

32. To what extent is it advisable?
It is always advisable, but all the more so when students wish to be admitted to those Bachelor’s degrees where the number of applicants is higher than the number of places on offer.

33. What is the connection between Selectividad and admission to University?
There is a twofold connection between both—on the one hand, its successful completion is a prerequisite for beginning university studies, and on the other, it allows for student classification for admission purposes (see chapter on pre-enrolment).

34. Information on the “PAU” dates and venues. 
The schedule and venues for the year 2013 can be found on the UNED website.

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35. How is the “PAU” marked?
Information on the marking system can be found on the UNED website.

36. Where can exam results be found?
By phone or online

37. May a student request a second marking should he or she be unhappy with the mark given?
Yes.

38. What system should the students use for that purpose?
On the basis of the mark given following the first marking, each student may choose one of two options:

1. Submit a request to the chair of the assessment board for a SECOND MARKING of those exams where application of general and specific evaluation and marking criteria for each subject are deemed to have been inadequately applied, or
2. Submit a request to the examination organizing committee for a COMPLAINT, in which case it will not be possible to request a second marking.

39. Further information on complaints and second markings.
Information on the specific characteristics of each of the options can be found the UNED website, as well as the forms.

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40. What must a student wishing to be admitted to university do once he or she has his final mark?
Spanish universities require students who are going to begin university studies to pre-enrol or apply for admission.

41. Do universities set a limit on the number of students to be admitted to a degree given?
Yes. Every academic year admission is limited to a certain number of students.

42. Which degrees see a higher degree of competition for admission?
In general terms, degrees in the Health Sciences area see a high degree of competition for admission, but so do a number of degrees in other areas of knowledge.

43. How can a student find out about the level of difficulty involved in gaining admission to a certain degree?
The level of difficulty involved in gaining admission to a degree may be known by taking the minimum mark needed for admission to a degree given in the latest academic year as a reference point.

44. What is the minimum admission mark?
It is the mark of the last student to have been admitted to a degree given. Thus it is not a mark set in advance by the university, and it may go up and down every year.

45. Can the minimum mark needed for admission to a degree given last year be found anywhere?
Yes. The minimum mark for this year can be found on the website of the University of Córdoba as well as in those of other Spanish universities.

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46. For the purposes of enrolling in universities in Andalusia, ¿who comprises the Distrito Único Andaluz?
It is comprised of all public universities in Andalusia and the Committee of the Distrito Único Andaluz (DUA).

47. How much time is there for a student to apply for admission to a Faculty in Andalusia?
Every year the schedule is set by the Distrito Único Andaluz (DUA), with dates for the regular June session and the special September session.

48. How do students apply for admission to Bachelor’s degrees offered by universities in Andalusia?
They can do so by submitting the relevant pre-enrolment application on the DUA website.

49. What should a student include in his or her application?
Other than personal and academic information, students should also indicate those Bachelor’s degrees they wish to be admitted to by priority order.

50. Which degrees are offered in Andalusia?
Degrees on offer can be found on the Degree Catalogue published by the Government of Andalusia.

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51. Are students required to accompany any documents once an application has been filled in and submitted online?
Students should submit any documents as indicated by the computerized system once the application has been submitted.

52. Where must these documents be submitted?
In each Andalusian university, an admission’s office will be set up for receipting documentation indicated by the computerized system.

53. What does the admission procedure consist of?
Specific information on the admission procedure can be found on the Distrito Único Andaluz website, where special mention is made of the enrolment process and place reservation in degrees assigned following the release of each admission list.

54. What must a student do once he or she has been admitted to his preferred degree?
The student must proceed to enrolment according to the schedule set by the university where the Bachelor’s degree to which the student has been admitted is taught. Information on enrolment at the University of Córdoba can be sought from the Academic Records Service (00 34 957 218354 y 218206).

55. What documents are students required to submit to proceed to enrolment?
Along with documents indicated by the university to which the student has been admitted, students must submit a certificate that he or she has applied for a scholarship (provided that he or she complies with the requirements for receiving these aids) and a certificate that he or she has transferred his or her student records, if applicable.

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56. Where can I find information on admission to other universities in Spain?
Information can be found at the Student Information Office (O.I.E.) at this University.

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57. Where can I find accommodation at the University of Córdoba?
Accommodation can be found through the Accommodation Service or the O.I.E. websites.

58. What does the Accommodation Service at the University of Córdoba offer?
The University of Córdoba’s Accommodation Service is comprised of institutions that provide the members of the university community with accommodation and foster their human, cultural and scientific training.

59 . Which institutions comprise the Accommodation Service at the University of Córdoba?

• "Nuestra Señora de la Asunción" Hall of Residence
• “Bélmez” Student Residence
• “Lucano” Student Residence
• University Flats and Rooms

60. Which accommodation information is provided by the O.I.E? 
The Student Information Office’s main aim in this regard is to assist those students who attend our university in order to complete their academic training at either one the Campuses in Córdoba or the Belmez campus to find accommodation.

61. What kind of private accommodation information is provided by the O.I.E.?
Private accommodation offers included in the database are sorted into four areas:

• Flats offered for rent.
• Vacant rooms offered in flats shared by students
• Full-board accommodation offers (shared or individual accommodation if applicable).

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62. Where can I look up a street in the city of Córdoba?
You can find any street on the street directory of the town council of Córdoba.

63. How can I get to the different campuses of the University of Córdoba?
• Rabanales Campus
• Menéndez Pidal Campus
• Humanities and Legal and Social Sciences Campus
• Polytechnic School in Belmez

64. Where can information be found on Spanish as a foreign language courses?? 
Information can be requested from the Ucoidiomas language centre at the University of Córdoba.

65. Contact the International Relations Office at the University of Córdoba
You may do so through its website.

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66. Other relevant legislation.
Further relevant legislation can be found here.

 Legislación vigente

1. REAL DECRETO 1892/2008, de 14 de noviembre, por el que se regulan las condiciones para el acceso a las enseñanzas universitarias oficiales de grado y los procedimientos de admisión a las universidades públicas españolas. (B.O.E. núm. 283 de 24/11/2008)

2. Corrección de errores del Real Decreto 1892/2008, de 14 de noviembre, por el que se regulan las condiciones para el acceso a las enseñanzas universitarias oficiales de grado y los procedimientos de admisión a las universidades públicas españolas. (B.O.E. núm. 75 de 28/03/2009)

3. Corrección de errores del Real Decreto 1892/2008, de 14 de noviembre, por el que se regulan las condiciones para el acceso a las enseñanzas universitarias oficiales de grado y los procedimientos de admisión a las universidades públicas españolas. (B.O.E. núm. 175 de 21/07/2009)

4. Orden EDU/1434/2009, de 29 de mayo, por la que se actualizan los anexos del Real Decreto 1892/2008, de 14 de noviembre, por el que se regulan las condiciones para el acceso a las enseñanzas universitarias oficiales de grado y los procedimientos de admisión a las universidades públicas españolas. (B.O.E. núm. 135 de 4/06/2009)

5. Orden EDU/473/2010, de 26 de febrero, por la que se establece el procedimiento de acceso a las enseñanzas universitarias oficiales de grado, para los estudiantes procedentes de sistemas educativos extranjeros con estudios homologables al título de Bachiller español. (B.O.E. núm. 54 de 3/03/2010)

6. Orden EDU/1161/2010, de 4 de mayo, por la que se establece el procedimiento para el acceso a la Universidad española por parte de los estudiantes procedentes de sistemas educativos a los que es de aplicación el artículo 38.5 de la Ley Orgánica 2/2006, de 3 de mayo, de Educación.   (B.O.E. núm. 111 de  7/05/2010)

7. Real Decreto 558/2010, de 7 de mayo, por el que se modifica el Real Decreto 1892/2008, de 14 de noviembre, por el que se regulan las condiciones para el acceso a las enseñanzas universitarias oficiales de grado y los procedimientos de admisión a las universidades públicas españolas.         (B.O.E. núm. 113 de  8/05/2010)

8. Resolución de 6 de julio de 2010, de la Secretaría General de Universidades, por la que se modifican los Anexos I y IV de la Orden EDU/1161/2010, de 4 de mayo, por la que se establece el procedimiento para el acceso a la Universidad española por parte de los estudiantes procedentes de sistemas educativos a los que es de aplicación el artículo 38.5 de la Ley Orgánica 2/2006, de 3 de mayo, de Educación (B.O.E. núm. 167 de 10/07/2010)
   
   
9. Orden EDU/3242/2010, de 9 de diciembre, por la que se determina el contenido de la fase específica de la prueba de acceso a la universidad que podrán realizar quienes estén en posesión de un título de técnico superior de formación profesional, de técnico superior de artes plásticas y diseño o de técnico deportivo superior y equivalentes. (B.O.E. núm. 306 de 17/12/2010)