VALIDATION OF A FOREIGN HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATION TO THE ACADEMIC LEVEL OF PHD IN SPAIN

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The steps for the validation of higher education qualifications awarded abroad to the academic level of PhD in Spain are as follows:

PROCESS

The interested party must fill in the application form below, addressed to the Rector, and send it to the International Doctorate School (Edificio José Prat. Plaza de la Universidad, 2. University Campus) through a valid administrative registry according to the Act 39/2015, of 1 October, on the Common Administrative Procedure of the Public Authorities (the online office of the UCLM or its campus registries, those of the regional government, those of central government, post offices (in the manner prescribed by regulations), diplomatic missions or consular offices of Spain abroad, ...).

 FORMS

 REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

  • Certified copy of ID card or passport.
  • Certified copy of the PhD certificate.
  • Certified copy of the degree that gave access to doctoral studies.
  • Certified copy of the official transcript with the following information:
    • Study plan or syllabus followed, duration in academic years, subjects taken and the hourly load of each one of them.
    • Thesis defence data (title, place and date, supervisor, grade, and members of the jury).
  • Explanatory report for the thesis
    • Thesis objectives.
    • Introduction to the subject.
    • Methods of analysis used.
    • Main results obtained and their scientific significance.
    • Conclusions
  • Contributions derived from the thesis (publication in journals, books or congresses, patents...).
  • A copy of the doctoral thesis in electronic format (PDF).
  • Proof of payment of the corresponding fee. (To obtain the payment form, please contact the UGAC (Campus Academic Administration Unit) office of your choice (contact details). 

DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS

  • The documents must be official and issued by the competent authorities, in accordance with the legal system of the country in question.
  • Certified copies shall be provided. Certification that it is a true copy of the original document can be obtained at the registry office where the application is filed, by exhibiting the original together with each copy provided.
  • The documents must be legalized through diplomatic channels or, if applicable, by means of the apostille of the Hague Convention. This requirement shall not apply to documents issued by the authorities of the Member States of the European Union or signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.
  • They must be accompanied, if necessary, by the corresponding official translation into Spanish, excluding the complete doctoral thesis.
  • ALL required documents must be provided.
 

Useful information on legalization and translation of documents

RESPONSE TIME

The decision will be issued within a maximum of 6 months from the date on which the application was received at the UCLM general registry, or from the date of its correction, as the case may be.

ACCREDITATION OF VALIDATION

  1. The validation will be accredited by means of the corresponding certificate of validation issued by the Rector of the UCLM, which will state the foreign degree held by the interested party and the University of origin.
  2. Before it is issued, the International Doctorate School shall notify the Subdirectorate-General for Degrees and Recognition of Qualifications, of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, of the validation carried out, for the purposes of its registration in the special section of the National Official University Graduates Registry referred to in article 15.4 of Royal Decree 967/2014.

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS

(in Spanish)